One of the top storylines in New England boys prep hockey every season is who the best players are.
Last year, Rivers star Carter Meyer (Winchester, Mass.) won Player of the Year after posting 70 points and leading the Red Wings to the Elite 8 semifinal. Kimball Union's Jack Sadowski (Arlington, Mass.) won it the year before after posting 87 points and leading the Wildcats to an Elite 8 title. Current Boston College Eagles forward Landan Resendes (Marlboro, Mass.) won it in 2022-23 after notching 54 points and helping Cushing make the Elite 8 championship.
It's impossible to pick out the winner now. There is still so much hockey left to be played, and it will become more meaningful by the week.
Typically, Player of the Year candidates thrive in the final stretch of the season and the playoffs (usually the Elite 8).
As things stand, entering mid-February, these skaters have the strongest cases. Players can still make their way into consideration with strong finishes.
I included goalies in this story even though we do a Goalie of the Year.
Let's dive in.
Jack Broderick
Kent, 11/10/2007, F, left shot, 5-11/185
Hometown: Rye, N.Y.
NCAA: CornellÂ
Broderick was producing at a high clip before junior forward Will Schlechtweg left for the USHL. The most important thing for Kent, however, was that Broderick continue to dominate after Schlechtweg left — and he has. The Cornell commit leads Kent in goals (15) and points (37) in 19 games.
Myles Brosnan
Dexter Southfield, 10/19/2007, D, right shot, 6-1/190
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.
NCAA: HarvardÂ
Coming off a great season last winter, Brosnan had monster expectations when he decided to stay at Dexter. He's surpassed them with his six goals and 42 points in 23 games, flirting with the two points-per-game mark, which is rare for a defenseman. He has boosted his NHL Draft stock and helped Dexter as the No. 1 team in the region.
Tommy Browne
Canterbury, 8/28/2007, D, right shot, 6-0/190
Hometown: Deptford, N.J.Â
Canterbury flew under the radar before the start of this season, but has been one of the biggest surprises, as the Saints are an Elite 8 contender. Browne has been a big reason why. The defenseman leads his team in goals (14) and ranks second among all defensemen in points (34). Browne has two hat tricks this season, and they came against strong teams in Lawrence Academy and Berkshire.
Rich Cavanagh
Pomfret, 5/21/2007, F, left shot, 6-0/195
Hometown: Warwick, R.I.Â
Cavanagh has been a top player for Pomfret, which should be a strong contender in the Small School Tournament. He ranks ninth in the region with 38 points.
READ MORE: How Jamie Glance found success with the NTDP
Max Donatelli
St. George's, 6/15/2007, F, left shot, 5-10/165
Hometown: Barrington, R.I.Â
St. George's has been a middle-of-the-pack, young team, but what the Dragons have always been able to count on is Donatelli. After finishing his sophomore and junior years with 40 points each, he's already at that mark in 20 games. If St. George's can sneak into the Small School tournament, Donatelli will have a real case.
Vinnie D'Urso
Tabor, 3/7/2008, G, catches left, 6-0/190
Hometown: Andover, Mass.Â
D'Urso built off his strong sophomore season last winter with an even better junior year. He ranks seventh in the region with a .939 save percentage and boasts a 1.88 goals-against average. D'Urso is a massive reason why Tabor would be in the Elite 8 if it began on Tuesday.
Lucas Hannay
Kimball Union, 10/22/2008, D, right shot, 5-9/170
Hometown: New Maryland, New BrunswickÂ
The Wildcats have gotten a lot of production from their defenders, and that starts with Hannay. He's tied for third on his team in points with 27 in 27 games, and has been a big asset on the power play.
Cody Hew
Canterbury, 9/16/2008, G, catches left, 5-10/170
Hometown: Millbrook, N.Y.Â
Hew is one of the primary reasons why Canterbury is in the Elite 8 hunt. The senior carries a 2.49 GAA and a .931 save percentage. Outside of a recent 8-2 loss to Winchendon and one against St. Mark's in December, Hew has been stellar for the Saints.
Kamden Jackson
Williston Northampton, 3/4/2009, G, catches left, 6-1/185
Hometown: Manchester, N.H.Â
Just based on stats, Jackson is one of the favorites right now. His .951 absurd save percentage leads the region, while his 1.69 GAA ranks third. Williston is 10-8-2 and has been a breakout team, and that's been largely due to Jackson. If Williston can wiggle into the Large School field, it would surely help Jackson's candidacy.
Neilan Johnson
Hotchkiss, 8/1/2008, G catches left, 6-2/172
Hometown: Severna Park, Md.Â
Johnson falls in the same category as Jackson: Based on the stats, he's a favorite. His 1.50 GAA leads the region, and his .948 save percentage ranks second. What Johnson also has going for him is that he's backstopping a team that looks primed for a legitimate Elite 8 run.
READ MORE: What makes St. Sebastian's center Jack Queally so special
Evan Jones
Belmont Hill, 2/9/2007, D, left shot, 5-11/180
Hometown: Arlington, Mass.
NCAA: DartmouthÂ
On a young Belmont Hill team, Jones has been a stabilizing force in all situations. He ranks fourth among all defenders in points with 24. If Belmont Hill goes on a run in the Elite 8, Jones' case will likely be strengthened quite a bit.
Alex Kim
Berkshire, 1/2/2008, G, catches left, 5-11/165
Hometown: Leonia, Mass.Â
Entering the school year, Kim looked like he was going to be Berkshire's backup. But then UMass commit Parker Stockseth left, and Kim was thrust into the starting job. He's been dynamite with a 1.65 GAA (second-best in New England) and a .921 save percentage.
Elliot Lennon
Deerfield, 3/5/2008, G, catches left, 6-3/180
Hometown: Kirkland, Quebec
NCAA: BrownÂ
Lennon is an NHL Draft prospect and entered as one of the top goalies. While his numbers don't rank as high as some of the other goalies in this story (2.61 GAA, .925 save percentage), those stats are still strong and he's doing it on a Deerfield team that lost most of its core from last season.
Billy MacAusland
Nobles, 8/4/2007, F, left shot, 5-10/170
Hometown: Westwood, Mass.
NCAA: BrownÂ
Nobles lost most of its scoring from last season, but MacAusland still decided to return. Even with Nobles at 7-13-0, new head coach Dan McGoff knows he can still count on the Brown commit — and rightfully so. He has 17 goals and 36 points in 20 games.
Will Manchuso
St. Mark's, 2/5/2008, F, left shot, 6-0/175
Hometown: Stow, Mass.
NCAA: DartmouthÂ
Manchuso has mostly not played with stars Evan Nee (Arlington, Mass.) and Caiden Pellegrino (Uxbridge, Mass.) and still leads the region in goals (23) and ranks fourth in points (45). Like Brosnan, his high rate of production has helped his NHL Draft stock. What hurts Manchuso's Player of the Year candidacy is that Nee and Pellegrino are also strong candidates.
Owen McHale
Dexter Southfield, 2/17/2008, F, left shot, 6-2/190
Hometown: Charlestown, Mass.
NCAA: NortheasternÂ
What hurts McHale is that he's part of the deepest forward group in the region, but that doesn't take away from how good he's been. He's tied for seventh in the region in goals (17) and is second on his team in points with 33. His power forward, hard-nosed game could shine in the Elite 8, which would help his case.
READ MORE:Â Our latest 2026 NHL Draft rankings
James McMurray
Berkshire, 6/15/2007, F, left shot, 5-8/164
Hometown: Fenlon Falls, OntarioÂ
Berkshire head coach Kevin Czepiel needed McMurray to go from being a secondary scorer to a go-to guy this season, and he has more than delivered. He leads a really good Berkshire team in goals (20) and points (40).
Andrew Migliore
Trinity-Pawling, 4/6/2007, F, left shot, 5-9/165
Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.Â
While Trinity-Pawling has struggled with only three wins, Migliore is producing at a similar rate to last year. After 51 points in 26 games last winter, he has 29 in 15 so far this season.
Tyler Moschella
Thayer, 4/1/2007, G, catches left,5-11/175
Hometown: Braintree, Mass.Â
While Thayer has been inconsistent, Moshcella hasn't been. He has a top-10 save percentage in New England (.938) and has a 2.18 GAA.
Evan Nee
St. Mark's, 8/12/2007, F, left shot, 5-8/160
Hometown: Arlington, Mass.Â
Nee is one of the top producers for a high-octane Lions offense with his 22 goals and 43 points. His speed and compete make him so effective, and he's still uncommitted. A big final few weeks and Elite 8 would strengthen his Player of the Year case.
Anthony Palmer
Avon Old Farms, 10/28/2007, G, catches left, 5-10/165
Hometown: Lynnfield, Mass.Â
Ol' reliable. Palmer has long been a staple of high-end, consistent goaltending in prep, and this season has been no different. The senior is tied for fifth in save percentage (.941) and ranks sixth in GAA (1.81), which is impressive. He has Avon Old Farms looking like a team in the upper tier of Elite 8 contenders.
READ MORE:Â Our boys prep Elite 8 forecast
Caiden Pellegrino
St. Mark's, 12/4/2009, F, left shot, 5-8/155
Hometown: Uxbridge, Mass.
NCAA: Providence CollegeÂ
Pellegrino leads the region in points with 53 in 20 games. The junior is close to averaging three points per game, and has been a play-driving and playmaking force down the middle for the region's No. 1 offense. His case is strong.
Josh Phillips
Kimball Union, 4/24/2007, F, right shot, 6-3/195
Hometown: Los Altos, Calif.Â
Phillips is second in the region with 49 points and has been a monster on KUA's top line. The 6-foot-3 power forward already has a good case for Player of the Year, but a strong Elite 8 push (if KUA makes it) would go a long way. He's also still somehow uncommitted.
Charlie Puglisi
Winchendon, 4/16/2008, F, right shot, 5-9/150
Hometown: Albany, N.Y.
NCAA: CornellÂ
Winchendon is one of the hottest teams in prep, winning eight of its last nine. Puglisi has been a huge reason why. He's been a consistent presence in Top Performers, which makes sense given he ranks third in the region with 47 points. If Winchendon can continue to rise in the Small School field, and the Wapitis make a run, Puglisi will be a top contender for Player of the Year.
Tommy Saulnier
St. Sebastian's, 2/15/2008, G, catches left, 6-0/165
Hometown: Medfield, Mass.Â
Saulnier is the biggest reason St. Sebastian's, a team that had six wins last season, is in the Elite 8 race this winter. His .942 save percentage ranks fourth, while his 1.83 GAA is eighth. If the Arrows sneak in the Elite 8, it would be hard not to have Saulnier as a top contender for Goalie of the Year.
READ MORE:Â Our latest boys prep rankings
Luke Walkauskas
Salisbury, 12/23/2007, F, left shot, 5-10/170
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Penn.Â
Salisbury is arguably the top team in the region, and the Crimson Knights are a fantastic, top-to-bottom unit. But Walkauskas has been the standout, leading the team in goals (16) and points (33).
