GROTON, Mass. — The annual Groton/Lawrence Tournament had a different feel this year as the eight teams were split in halves for round-robin play. Dexter Southfield and Holderness won their respective divisions of the event co-hosted by Lawrence Academy and Groton School.
A large number of NHL scouts and college coaches attended the three days of games with considerable attendance at the Grant Rink on Lawrence Academy’s campus. On the heels of a six-point outburst in this tournament, Cushing second-line center Mason Kesselring committed to UConn. The Ashburnham, Mass., resident was the first to do so, but other uncommitted players here made a name for themselves among college coaches.
I attended the two games there Saturday morning, watching Dexter Southfield defeat Cushing and Lawrence topping Thayer. Below is my look at the top three committed players, an all-uncommitted team, plus other players of note from two games.
Three committed stars
Grayson Badger
Dexter Southfield, 5/9/04, RW, right shot, 6-0/172
NCAA commit: Northeastern
Badger had an assist against Cushing. The Hyde Park, Mass., native had five points in the other two games here. My appreciation of Badger is well documented. He hunts pucks, plays hard on a consistent basis and brings a lot of intangibles.
CJ Foley
Thayer, 2/11/04, D, right shot, 5-10/170
NCAA commit: Holy Cross
Like Badger, I’ve written positive remarks about Foley numerous times in this space. The Hanover, Mass., native stood out in his team’s game Saturday and had a lot of scouts and college coaches buzzing. His footwork and puck-moving abilities were on display early and often on Saturday. If Bill Riga can keep him committed to the Crusaders, it will be one of the biggest recruiting victories of his coaching career.
Sean Keohane
Dexter Southfield, 11/4/04, D, left shot, 6-3/170
NCAA commit: Harvard
Keohane, from Milton, Mass., is easily noticeable when scouting Dexter Southfield. His size and skating ability stand out immediately. He’s showing more of an offensive ability and willingness to activate into the attack. There’s a ton of upside with the recent Crimson commit. NHL scouts in attendance certainly took note of the late '04 who will be one of the region’s top draft prospects in 2023.
All-Uncommitted Team
Gavin Cornforth
Thayer, 12/15/06, RW, right shot, 5-10/150
Cornforth’s performance against Lawrence on Saturday might have been my most favorable impression to date. The Milton, Mass., native always exudes skill and high-end skating ability. What struck me on Saturday was his willingness to engage physically. He didn’t back down and threw his body around a few times. He still needs to move the puck quicker and play more between the dots, but his offensive skill set is worthy of consideration for the NTDP Evaluation Camp.
Mason Kesselring
Cushing, 3/15/04, C, left shot, 6-3/181
NCAA commit: UConn
I’m leaving Kesselring on my all-uncommitted team, due to the fact he didn’t have the UConn logo next to his name during the tournament. He had an overtime winner on Friday and had two goals against Dexter Southfield. He uses his size, powerful stride and strength to play a north-south power forward role.
Cullen Emery
Dexter Southfield, 8/2/05, C/RW, right shot, 5-10/181
I have always liked Emery, but I was particularly impressed with the improvement in this viewing compared to his first of the prep season. His skating, skill and hockey sense are all above average. He scored a nice goal here and rang the post later in the game.
Cameron Ferraz
Cushing, 1/1/04, D, right shot, 5-11/170
Ferraz, a late `04 from Las Vegas, Nev., is a newcomer to prep who I first started gaining an appreciation for at the USA Hockey Select 17 Player Development Camp this past June. He skates well and can play in all situations at the prep level. He logs a ton of minutes on Paul Pearl’s blue line.
Mick Frechette
Dexter Southfield, 10/27/03, D, left shot, 6-2/198
Saturday’s game against Cushing was the only one here where Frechette didn’t score a point. However, I left liking the Weston, Mass., native more so than usual. I liked his physical play and ability to defend. He still moved the puck up ice well on his first touches.
Jackson Irving
Cushing, 2/3/04, G, catches left, 5-11/170
While Irving gave up three goals in the game I watched, he had another impressive tournament and made some good saves. When you watch the Newbury, Mass., native, it’s apparent that he’s fundamentally sound and a very technical goaltender. He’s good at cutting down on angles and squaring up to shooters. He’s calm and poised in the net. One Hockey East state school is reportedly very close to offering him a commitment.
Honorable mention
Tommy Anderson
Thayer, 2/2/07, LW, left shot, 5-7/145
Anderson, one of the youngest players in the eight-team field, had a goal in Saturday’s game against Lawrence. The Braintree, Mass., is a skilled forward who plays with a swagger. His skill and strong stride allow him to make an impact even when going up against teams with players three to four years older than him.
Clarence Beltz
Lawrence, 2/22/04, RW, right shot, 6-3/180
Beltz, from Missoula, Mont., catches your eye for his skating and size. There’s potential upside for this raw winger if he continues getting better in the physical aspect of the game. He needs to learn to play between the dots and keep his feet moving. If he can improve on both of those and spend a couple of years getting better in junior after graduating from Lawrence, he has the chance to play Division 1.
Linas Dedinas
Cushing, 10/11/04, LW, left shot, 6-0/175
Dedinas, a late '04 from Lithuania, is an under-the-radar prospect who caught my eye a few times this fall with the Central Mass. Penguins. He’s tall, skilled and gets a lot of chances. He does a good job of getting pucks and facilitating offense for Kesselring.
Ethan Gardula
Cushing, 2/28/05, LW, left shot, 5-11/175
Gardula didn’t have any points here, but he’s a player that should remain on everyone’s radar. He’s a power forward who is heavy on pucks and goes north-south. From Princeton, Mass., he’s one of the better `05s in New England.
Daniel Markevych
Lawrence, 2/2/05, C, left shot, 5-10/170
Markevych scored a nice one-timer from the left wing circle in this game. The Toronto, Ontario, native is skilled and has strong offensive instincts. If he gets heavier, he’ll be an even more productive player. He has the skill set and vision to play the center position right now in Division 1.
Ryan Philbrick
Cushing, 6/20/04, D, left shot, 6-0/175
Philbrick is one of the more under-appreciated prospects in the region. From Concord, N.H., he’s a newcomer to Cushing in 2021-22. He does a good job on retrievals, can evade oncoming forecheckers, and gets puck up ice. His first touch was solid and his impact and minutes showed Pearl’s trust on him.
Landan Resendes
Cushing, 12/10/05, RW, right shot, 5-9/150
Resendes had an assist against Dexter Southfield, but what stood out to me was his physical play. For a smaller wing, he isn’t afraid to throw his weight around. He’ll hunt pucks and bump off an opposing defenseman. He still needs to move pucks quicker and use his teammates more, but his quickness, skill, and edge give him Division 1 tools.
Connor Sutherland
Dexter Southfield, 1/19/04, LW, left shot, 6-0/170
Sutherland, from West Roxbury, Mass., had a goal and an assist versus Cushing. While his skating and footwork hold him back, he has a heavy shot and plays hard. The junior is one of those players that will do anything it takes to win and is always well respected among his teammates and coaches.
Marek Thompson
Lawrence, 6/25/04, D, left shot, 6-0/165
The Fort Collins, Colo., native is the younger brother of former Berkshire star Aidan Thompson, a Denver commit who is now with Lincoln in the USHL. The younger Thompson is somewhat of a late bloomer who hasn’t always played defense. He skates well and is trending up. The progress in his game since he started the split season in August is phenomenal.
Culin Wilson
Dexter Southfield, 3/12/03, LW, left shot, 6-0/185
Wilson had a productive tournament the first two days and picked up an assist in Saturday’s game. The Hingham, Mass., native has the skill and hockey sense to play at the Division 1 level, but needs to improve his compete level and consistency in order to land that coveted commit. Wilson would be a solid commit for a program such as Holy Cross or St. Lawrence.
Ty Wood
Lawrence, 11/3/05, LW, left shot, 6-0/175
Wood is a power forward who can put the puck in the net, as he did Saturday. He’s strong, is hard to knock off pucks, and goes to the dirty areas. The Gloucester, Mass., native still needs to accept his identity as a power forward instead of trying to be a finesse player. Under the guidance of Barker, he should learn those habits and become an even better player.
