With the Columbus Day holiday and big area tournaments about to start, it is time to look at some of the early standout performers from the 2006 birth year.
As we are still working our way through the teams and rinks, the players listed here are the ones we have had live viewings of. As the 2021-22 fall hockey season progresses, we will see more teams and periodically provide updates on the various birth years.
As always, we call it like we see it. Strong performances in viewed games may or may not be indicative of a bigger, season-long trend, but is a reflection of firsthand observations that are more than one, but still relatively limited in number given the timeline.
This piece analyzes the early action and is meant to raise the profile of these individuals. It is not the definitive accounting or final word on their season or an indictment of players who do not appear here.
Best scoring forward
James Hagens
Mount Saint Charles 15, 11/3/06, left shot, 5-9/140
The late ’06 has distanced himself from a very impressive field of forwards, but we’re seeing an exceptional talent in line with some of the most skilled and dominant scorers of years past like current NHLers Jack Eichel (North Chelmsford, Mass.) and Jack Hughes at the same age. Hagens is like a shark, constantly moving, never stationary- and just waiting to explode into its prey. His skating, brain, hands and shot are all elite and no one is more deadly on the counterattack in his peer group than Hagens. The Hauppauge, N.Y. product is a real treat to watch with and without the puck.
Honorable Mention
Christian Humphreys
Bishop Kearney Selects 15, 2/4/06, right shot, 5-11/147
Like Hagens, there is so much to like with the Pittsburgh-area native. He has good size and a high-end skill level with top offensive instincts. He also plays a good two-way game and is responsible in puck support. Coached by former BC star Chris Collins, Humphreys is the straw that stirs the drink up front for an outstanding BK Selects 15 team.
Sacha Boisvert
Mount Saint Charles 15, 3/17/06, left shot, 6-1/160
Big, top-skating, talented and smart centers are always in demand and the Quebec native is one of the very best in his age group forms a devastating 1-2 punch for the top-ranked MSC Saints 15 squad. One of the most impressive aspects of Boisvert’s game is how fluid and quick he is for his size, and he’s adding more of a physical element to his game, which bodes well. He’s absolutely a USHL tender player and will be in high demand.
Teddy Stiga (Sudbury, Mass.)
Boston Jr. Eagles 16- Hughes, 4/5/06, left shot, 5-9/160
We just enjoy watching Stiga- he’s a hockey player. The Belmont Hill forward has the tools to go with some A-level creativity and the patience to make plays. The consistency to be in the same category as the other players on this list in terms of the production has eluded him at times, but make no mistake- he brings the rare ability to score on every shift and drive plays on a very good fall club.
Kamill Bednarek
NJ Rockets 16, 5/26/06, left shot, 5-11/156
Chicago product left the Mission program for the Rockets and has been a revelation with his skating, natural offensive talent and ability to play with pace and back defenders up when he has the puck. Don’t sleep on him, as he’s better than a lot of the ‘05s on his top-10 ranked team: dangerous and productive.
Most underrated forward
Nate Porter (Hingham, Mass.)
Boston Jr. Eagles 16- Moran, 3/10/06, right shot, 5-9/150
We first saw him in the summer prep league, where he looked like a seasoned upperclassman with the way he skates and makes plays in all zones, but he’s taken it to another level in fall play. He’s fast, going 0-60 in just a few powerful, slashing strides and wants the puck on his stick. He can score in all manner of ways and just seems to be getting better.
Honorable Mention
Jack Sadowski (Arlington, Mass.)
Boston Jr. Eagles 16- Hughes, 7/29/06, left shot, 5-10/155
Being fast and slick with the puck is one thing, but when you hunt pucks, go hard to the net and do the little things that help win your team games, then you’re onto something special. He’s going to be a dominant Mass. high school player, but he’s been one of the most effective split-season forwards, too.
Will Shields
Bishop Kearney Selects 15, 3/24/06, right shot, 5-9/151
Sneaky scorer on a top club has the talent to do it at this and subsequent levels. He handles the puck effectively through traffic and makes plays in tight without much space to work with.
Jackson Delleo (Franklin, Mass.)
Mount St. Charles 15, 1/13/06, right shot, 5-10/173
With his size, compete and ability to force turnovers as F1 and make plays around the net, the sky is the limit for this under-the-radar right wing, who has missed time with an upper-body injury. We were fortunate enough to see him before he got banged up and he makes the top-ranked Saints 15 team even more lethal when he’s in the lineup. Goal scorer can improve his foot speed, but plays the right way.
Matthew Frost
South Kent Selects 16, 9/11/06, left shot, 5-9/152
After being a standout performer at the Jr. Chowder Cup over the summer, there’s much to like with the Arlington, Va. product in terms of hands, shot and natural nose for the net. He understands the importance of finding quiet ice where he can use his rapid release and accurate shot to find the back of the net. Pure shooter/scorer who can get quicker off the mark, but plenty of upside here.
Most intriguing forward
Cameron Cooke (Pelham, N.H.)
Boston Little Bruins 16, 2/2/06, right shot, 6-2/170
Total package of size, skating, hands, two-way instincts and work ethic. We’re not sure why Cooke doesn’t get more attention, but he’s a big body who will get bigger, stronger and was one of our most consistently impressive players over the summer. He looks on par to be a top junior player, D-1 prospect and has eventual pro potential. We’d like to see him unleash his shot a little more, but it’s a quibble at this point and his three-zone effort is laudable.
Honorable Mention
Ben Nakata (West Barnstable, Mass.)
Cape Cod Whalers 15, 8/30/06, left shot, 5-9/155
Nobles forward is smart, engaged and plays an uptempo, all-around game. He goes to the net consistently, is a good passer, and finishes his checks. There are a lot of good forwards on the CC Whalers 15s but we keep going back to Nakata for his longer-term potential.
Trevor Connelly
Long Island Gulls 16, 2/1/06, left shot, 6-0/161
An injury at the EAK Kickoff in Marlboro limited our viewings and short-circuited his early season, but the California native has size and a lot of ability plus plays with real jam. He looks like he’s tracking for the U.S. National Team, and when he gets back to full speed, he brings a lot to a potent LI Gulls offense.
Drew DellaSalla
Mid Fairfield 15, 5/8/06, left shot, 5-10/141
Big, creative center is dangerous with the puck and can take over and dominate shifts in an instant. He has all the attributes to be a top level junior and D-1 player, we’d just like to see him turn the wheel more consistently.
Mikey Sullivan (North Andover, Mass.)
Boston Jr. Eagles 16- Moran, 1/5/06, left shot, 5-10/167
Game-breaker type can skate and make a lot of plays. He’s more effective with the puck than without it, but his game is progressing well.
Grant Dillard
Bishop Kearney Selects 15, 2/3/06, right shot, 6-1/160
With his size, skating and rugged style, the Champagne, Ill. native is a natural power forward who can really fire it, and loves to go hard to the net. Add all of that up, and you have a winning hockey player.
In the hunt- watch these guys
Cael Primanti
Philadelphia Jr. Flyers 15, 1/1/06, right shot, 5-9/153
All he does is score. Bullet shot and loves to fire it from anywhere. Productive right wing has a natural killer instinct, which will translate at the higher levels.
Theo Kiss
Mount Saint Charles 15, 7/13/06, left shot, 5-9/155
Slick, playmaking Slovakia native has excellent vision and is a handful for opposing defenses to account for. Yet another weapon in MSC’s arsenal, Kiss is rising rapidly, despite being surrounded by so many high-end forwards.
Gavin Cornforth (Milton, Mass.)
Little Bruins 16, 12/15/06, right shot, 5-9/150
Son of former pro, Mark Cornforth, skates very well and handles the puck at top speed, with natural scoring chops. Almost an ’07, he brings intriguing ability and potential despite being one of the youngest players in a deep birth year.
Teddy MacAusland (Westwood, Mass.)
Little Bruins 16, 1/13/06, right shot, 5-6/140
Small but can really fly and fire the puck. The natural offensive element is impressive whenever he’s on the ice. What he lacks in size/strength, he makes up for in dynamic pace and gumption.
James Marshall (Weymouth, Mass.)
NV River Rats 15, 4/5/06, left shot, 5-11/155
We like the skills and ability to take over a shift and make highlight-reel plays. If he rounds out his game and becomes more of a 200-foot contributor, he’ll be even better.
Geno Carcone
Bishop Kearney Selects 15, 11/14/06, right shot, 5-9/173
Hard skill. Effort. Georgia native loves to crash the net, forecheck like a demon and wreak havoc. Keeps improving every time we watch him.
Jack Edwards
Pittsburgh Penguins Elite 15, 6/21/06, right shot, 5-11/155
Injured- Did not play at Fall Classic
