After a 2020-21 season that didn’t crown a state champion due to the coronavirus, Massachusetts high school hockey is expected to be back to normal this winter.
Ryan Leonard, the top player in high school hockey the past two seasons, has left Pope Francis to play for USA Hockey’s NTDP. A number of other promising underclassmen, including Pope Francis teammates Ryan Shaw and Matt Hanscom, Austin Prep’s Ty Wood and Reading’s Cullen Emery, are off to Westminster, Lawrence and Dexter Southfield, respectively. Melrose winger Brendan Fennell and Pope Francis center Brandon Spaulding graduated and are off to do postgraduate years at Hill and Avon Old Farms, respectively.
While Leonard leaves a tremendous void in high-end talent, there remains a handful of Division 1 college hockey prospects across the MIAA landscape. Arlington center Jack Sadowski (Arlington, Mass.) and Malden Catholic defenseman Owen Keefe (Saugus, Mass.), both sophomores and teammates with the Boston Junior Eagles 16-U, are the clear-cut top prospects skating in the MIAA.
Sadowski and Keefe certainly will receive a lot of phone calls on Jan. 1 when sophomores are legally allowed to be contacted by college coaches. The pair will be leaders of two of the top teams north of Boston. Junior center Ryan Flaherty (Milton, Mass.) and sophomore left wing James Marshall (Weymouth, Mass.) will bolster a BC High program looking to regain its perch atop the MIAA.
By watching a lot of hockey over the past 12 months, whether it be last year’s regular season, fall hockey, or summer showcases, I’ve come up with a “Super 8,” a look at eight notable young prospects who will turn heads during the 2021-22 MIAA season.
1. Jack Sadowski
Arlington, 7/29/06, so., C/LW, left shot, 5-8/140
Sadowski scored numerous big goals for the Spy Ponders as a freshman in 2020-21, including an overtime strike in the Middlesex League playoffs. Sadowski won’t blow opposing defensemen away with his skating, but his hockey sense and shot are lethal. He overcomes his lack of explosiveness by knowing where to be and being one step ahead of opposing defenses. Sadowski goes to the scoring areas and knows where to find pucks.
Sadowski’s high school coach is John Messuri, a former star at Arlington who went on to play at Princeton. Sadowski had an excellent summer at USA Hockey Select 15 Player Development Camp in Buffalo and continued that throughout the fall with the Boston Junior Eagles 16-U. Longtime hockey fans might remember his father, John Sadowski, who played at New Hampshire from 1996-2000.
2. Owen Keefe
Malden Catholic, 3/26/06, soph., D, left shot, 5-11/175
Keefe always has been a good defenseman in this age group, but the Saugus, Mass., native has taken huge steps over the past few months. He’s grown a few inches and bulked up in the gym. That’s helped his skating become more fluid and given him more confidence. Keefe does a good job of skating with his head up and making plays with the puck. He’s poised and lets the play come to him.
Keefe will play for head coach Chris Kuchar, who was previously at Amesbury and Andover. He’s had some very strong showings in the fall season with the Boston Junior Eagles 16-U. Keefe’s dad, Jerry, is the Northeastern head coach and was a good player in his own right at Providence College from 1996-2000.
3. James Marshall
BC High, 4/5/06, soph., LW, left shot, 5-10/150
Marshall is a gifted offensive player with a dynamic skill set. From Weymouth, Mass., he has a long, silky stride that allows him to get around the sheet with ease. He has a good stick and can control pucks in small areas and finish with dazzling moves. An underrated part of his game is his vision, as he sees the ice well and can make some big-time plays. Marshall’s play away from the puck has made drastic improvements over the past few months. He was the second-leading scorer for the River Rats 15 Only. His father, Chris, played at Michigan State before transferring to Boston College.
4. Ryan Flaherty
BC High, 4/25/05, jr., C, right shot, 6-1/165
Flaherty is back for a third season in the high school circuit. The Milton, Mass., native has good height, skates well and plays with jam. He’ll be a first-line center at BC High, but his skill-set will lead him to be an impactful bottom-six center when he gets to the college level.
His speed and physical presence make him a threat on the forecheck, and he succeeds on the penalty kill. Flaherty’s energy and compete level earned him a spot at USA Hockey Select 16 Player Development Camp this past July in Buffalo. His father, John, is the longtime bench boss at BC High.
5. Brad Guden
King Phillip, 1/1/05, jr., D, left shot, 5-10/165
Guden is a dual-threat who can play forward or defense at the high school level, but his future is up front. From Norfolk, Mass., Guden is a poised, puck-moving defenseman who can break pucks out with ease. He has mobility and can be hard to knock off pucks. He had over a point per game as a sophomore in 2020-21. This fall, Guden played for Rhode Island Hitmen 16-U. Guden’s high school coach is New York Islanders scout Paul Carlow. Guden’s father, Dave, played at Providence College from 1986-90.
6. Christian Rosa
St. John’s Prep, 12/1/05, soph., C, right shot, 5-10/155
Rosa is a good skater who was one of the more promising players this fall on the upstart North Suburban Wings 16-U. His edges are good, allowing him to quickly accelerate and separate from opposing defensemen. As a freshman in 2020-21, Rosa earned more and more playing time as the Covid-shortened season went along. Expect Rosa, from Lynnfield, Mass., to get even more ice time this winter for Kristian Hanson’s club.
7. CJ Watroba
Pope Francis, 2/2/07, fr., LW, left shot, 5-7/135
Watroba is a strong, physically mature youngster who will jump right into the top six for Brian Foley’s perennial powerhouse at Pope Francis. He’s a strong skater who can power his way to scoring areas and drive the net. There might be other '07s around the state who are slightly better, but Watroba will get plenty of chances to flaunt his skill right from the beginning as Pope Francis looks to rebuild after losing its entire top line. The West Springfield, Mass., native played this fall for Springfield Rifles 15 Only after coming up through the Minuteman Flames organization.
8. Jacob Duval
Austin Prep, 1/19/06, soph., RW, right shot, 5-10/160
Duval had a big role as a freshman in 2020-21, scoring at a clip of nearly a goal per game. The Andover, Mass., native has been one of the better finishers in his birth year for at least a few years. Duval’s goal-scoring prowess comes from his strength and heaviness. He’s hard to knock off pucks and can shoot it with zip. Duval will be part of a solid young team as head coach Bill Pappas looks to rebuild the Cougars into the team they once were.
Honorable mention
Colvin Callahan (Lexington), Emerson Marshall (Gloucester), Cam Caron (Dracut), Joe DiMartino (Xaverian), Nick Hubbard (Malden Catholic), Anthony Palmer (St. Mary’s), Brady Bullock (St. Mary's)
This article appears in the November/December print edition of New England Hockey Journal.
