MARLBORO, Mass. — Continuing the review of the recently concluded Beantown Summer Classic event, the focus shifts to the defensemen and goaltenders in the larger Pro Division (birth years 2001-04).
With eight teams in the division, there was a pretty good mix of some known and lesser-known commodities. We are balancing that for players who met expectations along with those who weren’t known as well coming into it but showed well over the three-day event.
From players who have been on the radar for some time and already have D-1 commitments to lesser-known talents, the games at the New England Sports Center allowed for a good baseline of viewing as the 2021-22 hockey season draws closer.
Defensemen
Kareem Alazem, Kimball Union Academy (RPI)
1/2/04, shoots right, 6-2/200
From Virginia, the former New Jersey Rockets standout has gone surprisingly undrafted in the USHL but showed why we’ve liked him for his tenacity and drive. He’s athletic and moves well, keeping plays in front of him and not trying to do too much. He has a good stick and did a good job to contain outside speed and get back to retrieve pucks and move them out. He’s going to play a lot of minutes at KUA and looks like a good get for RPI.
Liam Bard, Berkshire School (Southborough, Mass.)
1/4/04, shoots right, 5-11/172
He may not be the biggest defender out there, but you notice him because of his ability to play big and chippy, physical game to go with strong skating/quick acceleration. At his best when he moves pucks and brings high effort to his shifts. More than the sum of his parts type player.
Ryan Buckley, St. George’s (Warwick, R.I) (Holy Cross)
1/6/04, shoots right, 6-1/175
Right after the event wrapped up, the Cape Cod Whaler/St. George’s standout announced his commitment to Holy Cross. While the groundwork for his D-1 opportunity was built well beforehand, it serves as a reminder that with the moratorium on recruiting lifted, college coaches are out in force and players have a chance to prove their worth. Buckley is a smart, engaged two-way player who has a refined and mature game. He reads the play and gets to his spots, often making the simple play and not trying to do too much. There’s a lot of value in that.
Bobby Corkery, Phillips Andover (Saunderstown, R.I.)
2/26/04, shoots right, 6-2/195
Was visible on the Chiefs blue line for his size, mobility and athleticism. Got up and down the ice and used his reach to strip pucks and transition the play back the other way. Former Bishop Hendricken player lost a season of prep with the Big Blue, but might be a solid sleeper in prep for his physical tools and efficient game.
Caleb Craven, South Shore Kings (NCDC)
1/28/03, shoots right, 5-11/190
Boston Hockey Academy standout from Maryland played bigger than his listed size. He skated fast and provided a hard-nosed two-way presence for Apaches. Headed for junior hockey this season, he should be able to adjust well against older junior competition because he embraces the physical aspects of the game. He was able to keep things simple and move pucks up the ice. Craven may not see the ice as well as others in the showcase, but embraces what he is and is hard to play against.
Will Elias, St. Sebastian’s (Weston, Mass.)
1/28/03, shoots right, 6-0/178
Effective here with an all-around game and ability to activate at the right times. He was often paired on the Raiders with Will Killoran and the two shut down a lot of offensive opportunities together with their range, defensive awareness and age/experience. Elias walks the blue line with poise and agility, keeping pucks in at the line and working them through traffic and on net.
Brian Grant, Nobles (Mansfield, Mass.)
3/18/04, shoots right, 6-1/175
We have been watching Grant at the summer prep league in Foxboro, and he played his effective two-way game here. Mobile skater and confident puckhandler sometimes gets himself in trouble with risky passes to danger areas, but with the lack of structure in these games, you take it in context. He has the ability to impact the game at both ends of the ice with his wheels, skill and size.
Will Killoran, Belmont Hill (Charlestown, Mass.)
1/28/03, shoots right, 6-2/195
Mobile shutdown defender has size and jam with an aggressive physical mindset. He does a good job of keeping the play in front of him, angling puck carriers away from his net and pinning guys to the walls to end plays. He’s not flashy, but effective. There were times he wanted to take the puck and go, and that’s not his game, but when matching up against the better forwards, he relished the chance to defend and neutralize the opposition.
Shaun McEwen, Tri-City Storm (South Hadley, Mass.) (UMass)
1/24/04, shoots left, 6-0/185
Arguably the best athlete here, McEwen showed off his high-end ability to be an effective two-way defenseman, but at times looked bored and unchallenged. After playing for Seacoast Performance Academy last season, he is off to the USHL to play for the Tri-City Storm in the Western Conference and should be able to develop into a top option on the backend after he makes the adjustment to junior. It was easy for him here, but he’ll get all he can handle going forward and it will be good for him.
Weston Turner, Wenatchee Wild (Holy Cross)
2/28/03, shoots right, 5-8/185
The Californian who played prep in the region at Cardigan Mountain and the Groton School is off to Canada for junior hockey but secured a D-1 commitment on his way out. Although undersized, he skates and moves pucks. His Bombers team was overmatched, but he competed and made plays at both ends of the ice. His style of play will translate well in the BCHL.
Goaltenders
Thomas Giroux, Groton School
9/18/03, catches left, 6-0/165
Quebec native was an unknown commodity coming in but impressed with his quickness, poise and ability to keep his team in games. He was particularly effective in the first game against the NextGen team that peppered him (and partner Vito Mancini) with shots, but held the fort and gave the Bombers a chance to hang in. His economy of motion/less is more approach will serve him well going forward.
Andrew Heinze, Loomis Chaffee (North Andover, Mass.)
3/8/04, catches left, 6-0/170
Moves well in net and made some big stops for the Outlaws. He showed good mechanics with the ability to square up and absorb pucks into his midsection or direct rebounds out of danger areas. There were times he lost the puck through screens, but overall, he should provide the LC Pelicans with a solid option in net after playing the 2019-20 season at Brooks.
Beau Lane, Boston Advantage (Pembroke, Mass.)
6/16/04, catches left, 6-3/170
Tall, lanky prospect covers a lot of net when he’s down in the butterfly and showed some strong athleticism here. He’s got very good reflexes and looks the part, especially when the play gets scrambly in front of his crease. He has room to improve his focus/tracking and net depth, there were times he was too deep and not able to see the puck through traffic.
Arthur Smith, TBD (Farmington, Conn.)
4/30/04, catches left, 6-3/190
Tremendous physical specimen: big, long-limbed, quick and pushes powerfully from side to side. The early second-round pick of the USHL’s Madison Capitols in the 2020 futures draft has been a standout performer at South Kent Selects Academy, but wasn’t tested all that much here with a very good NextGen team in front of him. He brings pro-caliber physical tools to the table, and NHL teams are no doubt intrigued by his potential and next-level ceiling.
Colin Winn, BK Selects (Westford, Mass.)
8/5/04, catches left, 6-1/175
One of the best talents from the region in his birth year, Winn showed why with his quickness, tracking and ability to recover and make some highly athletic stops. These summer showcase events often leave the goaltenders exposed, so it isn’t about how many goals the guys between the pipes surrender- it’s the how and when. He reads the play, anticipates and sets his feet for the shots. All in all, he did well here.
Charlie Zolin, Elite Hockey Academy (Greenwich, Conn.)
7/19/04, catches left, 6-2/165
First overall pick in the 2020 QMJHL American Draft made a lot of saves here and looked the part with his size and quickness. A dominant high school player in Connecticut, the physical tools are there, we just want to see him at higher levels of competition going forward.
Honorable Mention
Vito Mancini III, Windham HS (Windham, N.H.)
2004, catches left, 5-7/145
Stick tap for this goalie who was under siege in the first game of the event, but hung in and made some big stops to keep his Bombers team in the game. It’s not often you’ll see an undersized N.H. high school goalie in an event like this one, but he battled and gave his team a chance with virtually no offensive support. That’s what you look for, and he outplayed some other bigger, more regarded goalies here.
