MARLBORO, Mass. — The 2005 birth-year class was the weakest of the three birth-year classes competing May 22-24 at the Massachusetts Hockey CCM High Performance Festival. However, there were still some good players, all uncommitted, who were vying for a spot at the 2021 USA Hockey Select 16 Player Development Camp that will take place in July at the Northtown Center in Amherst, N.Y.
Below are my rankings and evaluations of the top 32 prospects, broken down by position, from the ’05 portion of the Massachusetts Hockey CCM High Performance Festival. An asterisk denotes the player was chosen by the college coaches and NHL scouts evaluating for Mass. Hockey to advance to USA Hockey Select 16s.
Forwards
1. Cam Russo *
Governor’s/River Rats 15O, 1/3/05, RW, right shot, 6-1/181
Russo was the most skilled player here, and it really isn’t up for debate. The Middleton, Mass., native has good size and stick skills, and his skating is becoming more explosive. He produced a ton of offense here. He still has room to grow in terms of being a complete, multidimensional player.
2. Ethan Gardula *
Cushing/Junior Eagles 16-U, 2/28/05, LW, left shot, 5-11/165
Gardula is a power forward who can score goals and make plays below the dots. His skating still isn’t his best asset, but it’s gotten better. He’s hard to knock off pucks and does a good job of driving the net and playing in greasy areas. From Princeton, Mass., he showed very well here. I don’t want to completely compare him to Northeastern’s Aidan McDonough, but there are some similarities to the Vancouver Canucks prospect.
3. Cullen Emery
Reading/Junior Eagles 16-U, 8/2/05, C, right shot, 5-10/185
Emery is a good skater who can make plays and also showed a good shot. The Reading, Mass., native didn’t produce as much here as he’s capable of, but he’s certainly one of the top three forward prospects here. He has the smooth, fluid stride that will translate well. Emery is leaving the MIAA to play at Dexter Southfield.
4. Ryan Shaw
Pope Francis/Springfield Rifles 15O, 1/29/05, LW, left shot, 5-9/150
Shaw was very good here. He skates well and has quickness. His skill and compete level are both good. He hunts pucks and can make plays. He’s leaving Pope Francis to head to Westminster.
5. Ryan Flaherty
BC High/River Rats 15O, 4/25/05, C, right shot, 6-1/160
Flaherty generated a lot of chances here and produced some offense, scoring at least two goals. The Milton, Mass., native has good size, strength, skating and compete. He blocks shots and plays the game on an edge. Keeping his feet moving, improving his shot and becoming more assertive will make him an even better prospect.
6. Will Cannata
Milton/Junior Eagles 16-U, 5/17/05, C, right shot, 5-11/160
Cannata is another high-energy forward who blocks shots and gives an honest effort every shift. A good athlete, his skating is above average. The Milton, Mass., native didn’t produce a lot of offense, but he’s a 200-foot forward who plays a smart, complete game.
7. Isaac Mitchell
St. Sebastian’s/Junior Eagles 16-U, 2/28/05, RW, left shot, 5-8/170
Mitchell impressed me here with his skating, skill and offensive abilities. The Harvard, Mass., native has a good stick and a second gear when creating offense on the rush. I thought he did a good job of getting to pucks. I’d like to see him improve his ability to protect pucks and play between the dots on in-zone situations.
8. Landan Resendes
Junior Bruins 16-U, 12/10/05, RW, right shot, 5-6/120
Resendes is on the smaller side, but he’s getting better and is another player who likely will rise up in these rankings come next summer. From Marlboro, Mass., he showed skill, quickness and an ability to create offense while not backing down from opposing defenders.
9. Jake McManus *
Belmont Hill/Junior Eagles 16-U, 1/3/05, LW, left shot, 5-7/150
McManus has skill and produced some offense here. The Winthrop, Mass., native sometimes gets caught in the shadows on a loaded Junior Eagles team. He’s quick, shifty, made some plays, and finished here.
10. Matthew Egan
BB&N, 9/9/05, RW, right shot, 5-11/183
Egan scored a goal during the first two days and then added another one in the All-Star Game. The Waltham, Mass., native did a good job of playing hard, being heavy on pucks, and getting in quickly on the forecheck. I admittedly knew little about Egan coming into this weekend, but he impressed me with his game.
11. Matt Cataldo
St. Sebastian’s/River Rats 15O, 5/19/05, LW, left shot, 5-11/180
Cataldo got snubbed from the All-Star Game here. He’s a hard worker who is heavy on pucks and can play a north-south style as a power forward from the wing.
12. Kaden Freelove
Holderness/Northern Cyclones 15O, 1/28/05, LW, left shot, 6-0/185
Freelove didn’t produce a lot during my viewings here, but he showed some signs of potential, as he has in the past. His skating is above average and he has a good skill-set. He protects pucks and has an athletic toolset.
13. Colin Gorman
St. Sebastian’s/EC Wizards 15O, 5/18/05, C, left shot, 5-11/155
Gorman had a goal and a couple of assists here. The Arlington, Mass., native had a solid weekend, outperforming my expectations. He has the potential to turn into a power forward if he continues trending in this direction.
14. Ronan Locke
Boston Hockey Academy 15O, 4/23/05, C, left shot, 5-11/145
Locke showed his above-average stick skills here. The Swampscott, Mass., native skated well and had a goal and an assist. He’s a player who would be getting more attention if he was at the prep level instead of playing full-season Midget.
15. Brian Hall
St. Sebastian’s/Junior Eagles 16-U, 4/16/05, LW, left shot, 6-0/170
Hall showed some flashes here. The Sudbury, Mass., native has the size, strength and shot to be a power forward at the college level. If he can continue working on his skating, his stock will soar.
16. Marco Beshere
Belmont Hill/Junior Eagles 15O, 6/9/05, RW, right shot, 5-9/150
Beshere exceeded my expectations here. He produced offensively and showed well in terms of his skating and skill.
17. Lefty Markonidis
Belmont Hill, 4/29/05, LW, left shot, 5-9/140
Markonidis is a good skater with skill. If he’s going to climb these rankings, he has to become a more well-rounded player who can use his teammates better.
18. Michael Ranaldi
Governor’s, 1/1/05, LW, left shot, 5-11/165
Ranaldi was a player I didn’t know much about before the weekend, but he had good size, worked hard, and was around the play a good amount.
19. Jonathan Balzarini
St. Mark’s/River Rats 15O, 2/18/05, LW, left shot, 5-8/135
Balzarini was a late addition to the roster. He scored a goal during the first two days. His skating and skill are both above average. Becoming harder and heavier on pucks will make him a better player.
20. Danny Storella
Stoneham H.S., 5/18/05, C, right shot, 5-11/190
Storella gets credit here for being a hard worker, engaging in both zones and making some plays. He’s another MIAA player who should be watched by prep schools for the future.
21. Brendan Hirsch
Arlington H.S., 4/17/05, LW, left shot, 6-1/181
Hirsch is a little raw, but he has good size and can become a power forward, if he improves his skating.
22. Courtland Hare
Scituate H.S., 10/31/05, LW, left shot, 5-10/185
Hare had never stood out in any previous viewings. He was one of the more productive forwards among players who didn’t make the All-Star Game. He scored a couple of goals over the first few days.
Defensemen
1. Tommy Rose *
Junior Bruins 16-U, 8/31/05, right shot, 5-9/140
Rose is a smooth, mobile, puck-moving defenseman. He’s not overly offensive and does a good job of making simple, efficient passes on first touch. The Westford, Mass., native plays a mature game, and his skating will allow his game to translate to the junior and college game.
2. Jonathan Lanza *
Dexter Southfield/Junior Eagles 16-U, 3/10/05, right shot, 6-0/175
Lanza is a physically mature defender who contributed as much offensively as any blueliner here. From Winthrop, Mass., he has size and strength and likes to jump into the offensive attack. He has a good shot and protected pucks when carrying it up ice.
3. Jake Freelove
Winchendon, 1/4/05, right shot, 6-1/165
Freelove projects well, and I believe he’ll be higher in these rankings when Select 17s come around next summer. The Tyngsboro, Mass., native has good size, a good stick and vision to make plays and move pucks north. His skating isn’t bad, but it’s a work in progress, as he fills out his frame.
4. Matt Hanscom *
Pope Francis/Springfield Rifles 15O, 1/25/05, left shot, 6-1/175
Hanscom, from Hadley, Mass., has intriguing size and skill. He jumped into the rush and made some highlight-reel plays with the puck on his stick. His skating is above average, especially for a bigger blueliner. The one area I’d like to see him get better in is his hockey sense. He over-handles the puck at times. If he can learn to reel it in some, his stock will rise as he transitions from MIAA to prep at Westminster.
5. Shawn Leary *
Lawrence Academy/Junior Eagles 16-U, 5/12/05, right shot, 6-0/180
Leary has the physical tools to shine at an event like this. He had the puck on his stick a lot and jumped into the offense. I’d like to see him reel it in and pick and choose his spots more wisely. If he can limit turnovers and focus a little more on the defensive end, his upside will increase.
6. Brad Guden
King Phillip/Providence HC 15O, 1/1/05, left shot, 5-9/165
Guden is a converted forward who is now playing defense. He has skill, skates well and can break pucks out of his own zone. He’s heavy on pucks and is trending in the right direction. Prep schools should be all over Guden after he plays another season in the MIAA.
7. Stephen Kilcoyne
Belmont Hill/EC Wizards 15O, 5/25/05, right shot, 6-0/185
Kilcoyne was very good here, surpassing my expectations going into the weekend. The Belmont, Mass., native has good size, made some plays and skated well.
8. Curt Heath
Milton/Jr Eagles 16-U, 1/12/05, left shot, 5-10/145
Heath plays a simple game and brings some jam. This format isn’t the best to bring out his skill-set. He makes simple breakout passes, has tight gaps and competes.
9. Calvin Beard
St. Mark’s/River Rats 15O, 10/4/05, right shot, 6-1/165
Beard has good size and played a simple, steady style here. I liked that he played to his identity here and didn’t try to do too much.
10. Jack Harney
St. Sebastian’s/Jr. Eagles 16-U, 11/22/05, right shot, 6-2/168
Harney has gotten better. His skating and offensive skill aren’t the best, but he does a good job of getting in passing and shooting lanes and holding his own defensively. Keep an eye on Harney — who has a late birthday — to see if he gets better over the coming years.
11. Ben Cook
Deerfield/Springfield Rifles 15O, 1/31/05, right shot, 6-0/172
Cook is a good-sized, sturdy defenseman who plays a mature game. His footwork is a little awkward, but he should be a good prep school defender with NESCAC potential in a few years.
12. Jack O’Brien
Boston Advantage 16-U, 2/1/05, left shot, 6-0/170
O’Brien’s skating, stick and size are all above average. The Scituate, Mass., native has gotten better. He’s leaving the area to play for The Hill School in Pennsylvania.
13. Charlie Leverone
St. Sebastian’s/River Rats 15O, 2/18/05, left shot, 6-2/200
Leverone has good size and strength. He has potential as a defensive defenseman who can shut down opposing forwards. He needs to play more to his identity and be physical and reel it in when it comes to jumping up offensively.
Goaltenders
1. Pelle Russo
St. Sebastian’s/River Rats 15O, 3/9/05, catches left, 6-0/160
Russo is a little unorthodox and doesn’t have great size yet. However, he is a gamer who played well for most of the weekend. He’s athletic, has good reflexes and competes to track pucks and cover up rebounds.
2. Thomas Kiesewetter *
Thayer/Junior Eagles 16-U, 1/2/05, catches left, 6-5/190
Kiesewetter has the size and looks the part of a national camp-bound goaltender. From Plymouth, Mass., he skates well and is a prototypical butterfly goaltender of the modern era.
