While top prospects in the 2007 birth year enter their big breakout seasons, the 2008s are just sorting out who the top prospects are entering their high school years.
There are some early candidates emerging as some of the best players in this class. But this weekend, the best Massachusetts-born 2008 prospects converge on New England Sports Center for the Mass. Hockey Festival. It will offer a terrific opportunity to see a lot of the top '08s in one place.
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Unlike the 2006 and 2007 birth years, I haven't gotten a ton of great looks at the '08s — that's why I'm so looking forward to this weekend.
Here are nine players who've stood out to me from the '08s so far. Many more will emerge after this weekend.
David Bosco
Boston Junior Eagles/Belmont Hill, 2/8/2008, C, right shot, 5-10/145Â
Bosco really impressed me with his all-around play down the middle at 14U nationals. He's strong on faceoffs and his play away from the puck and getting open for passes is really good. In his own zone, he reads plays and does an admirable job at breaking up scoring chances and preventing them. Belmont Hill head coach Brian Phinney will be happy once Bosco becomes a regular on the varsity squad.
Keegan Hunt
Central Catholic, 1/16/2008, D, right shot, 5-7/145Â
Despite being a freshman in the MIAA, Hunt saw a fair amount of time for Central Catholic this winter. He's a strong puck-moving defenseman who can orchestrate successful breakouts.
Ty Hymovitz
Boston Junior Eagles/St. Sebastian's, 2/13/2008, C, right shot, 5-11/155Â
The H in Hymovitz might as well stand for hands. The '08 has a nice set of hands and can create offense well. He's not afraid of the dirty areas — at the 14U nationals, he led the Junior Eagles in points and earned a bunch of them right around the net. He will be one of the more interesting '08s to track at St. Sebastian's next winter.
Casey Mutryn
St. Sebastian's, 2/1/2008, RW, right shot, 5-11/151Â
Mutryn looks like an early favorite to be one of the top '08s born in Massachusetts. He has a high hockey IQ and his confidence grew a ton as his freshman season at St. Sebastian's rolled on. He's a quick skater and competes hard, especially for loose pucks. He impressed me with his ability to match up with older, stronger players in prep. In 27 games this winter, the Norwell, Mass., native posted six goals and 21 points in 27 games. No other '08 stood out in prep hockey like Mutryn.
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Stephen Rousell
Rivers, 3/31/2008, F, right shot, 5-9/157Â
As a freshman at Rivers, Rousell notched two goals and eight points in 25 games, which are respectable numbers for a freshman in prep hockey. He will be expected to take the next step in 2023-24 and this weekend will provide a great look at how his development against older players all winter can set him apart at the festival. Rousell is also a Boston Advantage product.
Brady Sloper
Boston Junior Eagles/North Andover High, 5/21/2008, D, right shot, 6-1/175Â
Sloper's two-way abilities as a defenseman are great and he's fortunate to have the frame to be effective. One of the bigger kids in his class, Sloper makes life difficult on opposing forwards in his own zone and can contribute at the other. He attended the CCM 68 last August, which is an invite-only event in Chicago for the top 68 bantams around the country.
Noah Survilas
Boston Junior Eagles/Catholic Memorial, 12/27/2008, RW, right shot, 5-8/150Â
Survilas is dynamic and can drive offense well. He has great offensive awareness and he's quick when closing in on opposing puck carriers. He finished the 14U nationals with one goal and three assists in five games.
Lance Toland
Boston Junior Eagles/Burlington High, 2/11/2008, D, left shot, 5-10/170Â
Toland is a strong, two-way defender. He's a good skater and moves the puck well, so he has no issue joining the rush and creating offense. That was on full display at the 14U nationals in early April, as he had a strong showing in Plymouth, Mich. Like a lot of the prospects on this list (and many others who aren't) he has high potential.
FESTIVAL WATCH LIST: 17 players to watch from the '07s | 15 players to watch from the '06sÂ
Spencer Thornborough
Boston Junior Eagles/Masconomet High, 6/22/2008, LW, left shot, 6-0/170Â
Like Sloper, Thornborough received an invite to the CCM 68 last summer, finishing with one goal and three assists, ranking inside the top 10 for scoring. It makes sense — Thornborough is a force to be reckoned with when he's blazing down the left side. Another impressive facet of his game is the skill he's able to display at high speeds.
