MARLBORO, Mass. — For many, Labor Day weekend is the final moments of summer. The final weekend trip, the final days at the beach or the final nights in the vacation home.
That definitely wasn't the case for local hockey parents.
The Eastern Alliance Kickoff was held primarily at New England Sports Center this past weekend (along with some other rinks in the area). Hockey coaches, scouts, parents and kids spent their Labor Day weekend on the hallowed grounds of New England Sports Center.
I did, too, primarily watching the 15O level, as the Minuteman Flames won the championship.
This season, the 2010-born players will be watched by college coaches, as the sophomores can be contacted come Jan. 1. They are also eligible to be selected in the USHL and CHL drafts in the spring.
Plus, many of these players will begin making an impact come the prep season.
These are the 15O teams I watched:
- Boston Hockey Academy
- New York Dynamo
- North Jersey Avalanche
- Connecticut Jr. Rangers
- Yale Jr. Bulldogs
- Atlantic Coast Academy
- Minuteman Flames
- New Jersey Colonials
- Woodbridge Wolfpack
- Neponset Valley River Rats
- East Coast Militia
Here are seven standout defensemen from my time watching various 15O games. A separate story was already done on the forwards.
Let's dive in.
Brodie Anderson
Minuteman Flames 15O, 5/7/2010, D, left shot, 5-9/154
Hometown: Wayland, Mass.Â
Against the New Jersey Colonials on Saturday, Anderson was super active in joining the rush. He scored early on a great, quick release from in tight. Anderson consistently showed great vision through congested areas of the ice and had nice mobility at the point. He was also constantly setting up scoring chances in the offensive zone. He will be at Cushing this winter.
READ MORE:Â Would the QMJHL expanding to New England hurt prep hockey?
Logan Carrier
Atlantic Coast Academy 15O, 7/15/2010, D, left shot, 5-11/165
Hometown: Saint-Jean-de-Brebeuf, QuebecÂ
Carrier's good skating and smart reads made him stand out on defense. He was able to skate pucks well, at one point setting Brandon Gillard up with a scoring chance after a nice rush. He stepped up well in the neutral zone to quell opposing rushes.
Logan Cotter
East Coast Militia 15O, 8/17/2010, D, left shot, 5-10/150
Hometown: Boston, Mass.Â
Against the Neponset Valley River Rats on Sunday, Cotter was everywhere. His great skating and edgework allowed him to join the rush and aid the offense consistently. When the play went the other way, he was able to get back. Early in the first half, he showed great poise and patience with the puck, bringing it all around the offensive zone and eventually drawing a penalty. His deception on passes was strong, too.
Michael Doyle
North Jersey Avalanche 15O, 7/7/2010, D, right shot, 5-9/140
Hometown: Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.Â
Doyle was one of the best pure skaters I saw this weekend. He was able to elude forechecking pressure and find routes out of danger to skate the puck himself. Another thing he was consistent with: breaking up plays in front of his own net. He intelligently positioned himself to take away passing lanes and intercept pucks funneled to the slot.
Mario Kirner
Boston Hockey Academy 15O, 1/15/2010, D, left shot, 5-11/154
Hometown: Vienna, AustriaÂ
Kirner showed himself to be a calm, reliable puck-mover breaking out of his own end. He defended in the corners and at the net-front well, using smart stick positioning and physicality to get the job done.
Brendan Martin
Neponset Valley River Rats 15O, 1/20/2010, D, left shot, 5-8/170
Hometown: Dedham, Mass.Â
Martin showed himself to be extremely patient with pucks. He was rewarded in Sunday's game against the Militia. On a power play, Martin wasn't afraid to hold onto pucks for a bit longer, using his good skating to get to space. The long sequence resulted in him firing a hard, low shot into the back of the net. Martin's poise and puck decisions made him such an effective puck-moving defender.
READ MORE: 14 uncommitted 16U standouts from River Rats Jamboree
Chase Schulberger
Woodbridge Wolfpack 15O, 11/9/2010, D, right shot, 6-2/190
Hometown: Quakertown, Penn.Â
Schulberger is still a bit raw, but the tools are there. His size certainly helped him defend and battle for pucks along the wall. He was solid with the puck on his stick and able to drive ahead and gain the offensive blue line. Given his size, I'm intrigued to watch more of him over the coming months.
