Listed at 5-8, 146 pounds, Neponset Valley River Rats 16-U forward Landan Resendes isn’t the most physically gifted individual in his age group.
What the late 2005 birth-year winger lacks in natural size, he makes up for with explosive speed, eye-popping skill and an unrelenting motor that makes him a threat every time he steps on the ice.
Resendes, from Marlboro, Mass., is going into his first season at Cushing Academy this winter after playing at Hillside School. In the meantime, he is skating split-season under John Flaherty (South Boston, Mass./BC High) on the River Rats 16-U fall team.
Because he’s never been the most physically imposing figure on the ice, Resendes has had to learn to make himself effective in other ways as he's made his way through the local hockey ranks.
“Work ethic,” Resendes, 15, said of how he’s been able to overcome the size difference. “Just being determined, not giving up on the play. I'm pretty strong on my feet so I think that kind of makes up for it but definitely a couple more pounds will help out.”
The early returns on that work ethic have been readily apparent over the course of this past year, as Resendes’ play stuck out on several occasions. Especially this summer and fall, whether it was at the Beantown Summer Classic, Junior Chowder Cup or one of the numerous other showcase events.
In addition to playing with the ‘05 New England Crows, coached by his father, Danny, Resendes, a 2021 USHL draft pick of the Chicago Steel, repeatedly skated in the Foxboro Prep League. There, against some of the region's top ‘03 and ‘04 prep schoolers, his talents really began to shine.
“I think he's played at his size long enough to know how to be effective,” said NV River Rats 16-U coach Flaherty, who is the head coach at BC High. “He’s a pretty cerebral player. If he's coming up on a 6-5 defenseman, I think he can pretty quickly figure out that, OK I'm not going to go through this guy, so I can use my skill set — which may be to chip the puck, get behind him with my speed, and now I'm effective on the back end of this defenseman.”
A year ahead
Going up against older players is nothing new for Resendes. In his younger days, he routinely played up a year in the Patriots Hockey organization and with the Minuteman Flames. Last season, he spent time with the Boston Junior Bruins 16-U in the USPHL.
“That was really good for me,” Resendes said of his experience playing with the Junior B's. “With COVID, it didn’t go as planned when a lot of the older prep guys came to our team, so some opportunities were lost, but it was good for my game to build a new role. Once I got my opportunities to show what I can do I had to capitalize.”
Beyond his work ethic, it’s those experiences that have helped Resendes get a step ahead, regardless of his size.
“It’s helped me a lot,” he said of facing older competition. “Even before ‘05s started hitting, I was already used to it because of the years past when I was playing with older kids.”
Now, playing on a roster comprised of all ’05s, Resendes has carried his productive summer into the fall, continuing to show his development is moving at an upward trajectory on the River Rats 16-U.
“Landan was always the smaller guy with skill,” Flaherty said. “I think he's now coming into that age, size and strength where he’s not the biggest kid on the ice, but he still has a high level of skill. He's effective, he makes plays. He actually can make a defenseman look stupid on a few occasions when they watch the puck because he's so gifted with the puck.
“He’s a guy that twice a game, you kind of scratch your head and say ‘how did he pull that one off?’”
While burning defenders and scoring goals are always nice, there’s more to the game as the levels increase. That fact is one Resendes is well aware of, Flaherty said.
“He plays the game the right way. For a guy with his skill level, to see him blocking shots, back-checking, finishing checks, it shows that he's understanding that it's a 200 by 85-foot game and it’s not just about possessing the puck and making plays, it's about the other parts of the game, too, so I think he's a really complete player, despite being on the smaller side.”
With the River Rats, Resendes has been adjusting to a new position at left wing as he continues to work on increasing his size.
“Definitely getting bigger, getting strong,” he said of his main focus over the summer and into the fall. “I think that's one aspect of my game that needs to get better: getting quicker off the walls and getting pucks out. I’ve been playing a lot of wing lately, too, so just getting used to that position, knowing my role and all of that stuff. I love learning new stuff about the game so I think it’s been great for my play.”
Time to shine
Although he continues to play games with the River Rats on the weekends, the school year has begun, and because Resendes is a five-day boarding student at Cushing, he isn’t able to practice with the team.
Instead, he spends his weekdays at Theodore Iorio Arena practicing with the Central Mass Penguins 18-U, the split-season team comprised mostly of Cushing's from the prep squad.
“Since I can't go to the practices with the River Rats I pretty much practice with (the Penguins) all the time,” Resendes said. “It’s been good playing with those guys and getting to know them because that's practically our team for the upcoming season.”
While Resendes is in the early stages of his time at Cushing, so, too, is first-year head coach Paul Pearl (Winthrop, Mass.).
Pearl, a former D-1 player at Holy Cross, has coached the NCAA level for more than 30 years. After leaving his post as Boston University's associate head coach, he was hired by the Ashburnham, Mass., prep school in July to take over as head coach in the wake of longtime bench boss Steve Jacobs stepping away.
While not as head coach, Jacobs, who served as Cushing’s head coach for the past two-plus decades and mentored a slew of D-1 and pro prospects, will remain with the program in 2021-22. The Hudson, Mass., native will work closely with Pearl as Director of Boys’ Hockey.
“They're both awesome,” Resendes said of the coachings staff. “They’re both really into it so it’s been great. It’s a glorified hockey school here so everybody's really into it."
With the prep hockey season inching closer by the day, it is time for Resendes to put his work ethic to the test. He’s stepped into new levels and shined before. Now, he's looking forward to his chance to do it again and bolster a talented Cushing squad.
“I think it's a great fit for Landan,” Flaherty said. “It's an academic place where he can step in and thrive. Paul Pearl being there is a huge added bonus and you still have Steve Jacobs. So Landan, a kid who loves to learn, loves to play hockey, he's going to have the opportunity to be around two of the very best and he's going to be there playing at a level where he can show his skillset twice a week.
“Now he's going to be on a big stage. Cushing doesn't shy away from anybody. They play everybody and Landan’s going to get an opportunity to step in and play against some of that better competition and show what he can do. He's in great hands."
Although there are still a few months to go until the official drop of the puck, prep hockey season will be here in no time and Resendes knows it.
“It's going to be awesome,” he said, imagining his first time throwing on the Cushing sweater.
“Just going to the games in the past and seeing what the atmosphere is like, I can't wait.”
Liam Flaherty can be reached at liam.flaherty@hockeyjournal.com and on Twitter @_LiamFlaherty.
