The Independent slate in New England boys prep hockey is crazy. Many of the top teams are among that group.
So, too, are many of the top players. That's what makes it such a fascinating club.
Nine of the listed 12 players are Division 1 commits. The other three have strong cases, as well as various other prospects throughout the Independents. That's what makes many of these teams must-watch.
Here are our First and Second Independent teams entering the winter.
Let's dive in.
First team
Noah Survilas | Dexter Southfield | F
Survilas is one of the best ’08s in New England and proved that last winter when he had 18 goals and 40 points in 28 games. The crafty, skilled right wing opted to stay for his junior year, which should be a huge one on Dexter’s top line. He committed to Northeastern on Aug. 1. In Dexter's season-opening win over Andover, Survilas had a goal and two helpers.
Mason St. Louis | Brunswick | F
St. Louis rode with Joe Salandra last season and ranked ninth in the region in points with 53. As a two-way, do-it-all center, St. Louis, a Dartmouth commit, will be looked at to drive offense and be Brunswick’s biggest threat. He should have no problem doing so. St. Louis notched a goal in Brunswick's first game of the season: a 6-1 win over St. George's.
Joe Covelluzzi | Cushing | F
Even after having a season-ending injury in February last season, Covelluzzi still finished second in goals (18) and points (31) for Cushing. The Penguins will have some new faces up front, but the Maine commit should be a steady leader all season. He has a fantastic shot and such a high level of offensive awareness.
PRESEASON ALL-STARS: ISL Keller | ISL Eberhart | Housatonic | Holt
Myles Brosnan | Dexter Southfield | D
No question here. Brosnan is arguably the top defenseman in prep this winter. NHL Central Scouting gave him a ‘C’ rating as a fourth- or fifth-round candidate. He had nine goals and 36 points last winter, and should break (and go way past) 40 this season. In Dexter's first game of the season, he tallied identical stats to Survilas — a goal and two assists.
Easton Anello | Williston Northampton | D
This is asking a lot of Anello, but he should have no trouble handling it. At 6-foot-2 and 174 pounds, Anello is a fantastic puck mover who makes a big impact at both ends of the ice. Williston should be much better this season, and Anello will be a big reason why. The ’09 committed to UMass over the offseason.
Brady Knode | Winchendon | G
Knode had a strong junior year last season with a 2.73 GAA and a .908 save percentage. Knode, however, should be even better this winter, as Winchendon takes the next step into likely contending for the Elite 8. The senior is 6-foot-2 and 181 pounds, so he certainly has the size to make him an intriguing college and junior hockey prospect.
Second team
Matt Lacombe | Berkshire | F
Berkshire lost quite a bit of scoring up front, but the Bears are fortunate to still have Lacombe. The ’07 had 20 goals and 42 points in 33 games last season, helping his team get all the way to the Small School final. He will be expected to take an even bigger step as a senior this winter. He's 5-foot-11 and 161 pounds.
READ MORE: 17 standouts, takeaways from St. Paul’s Jamboree
Blake Cash | Cushing | F
Cash should make a big difference for Cushing. He’s coming off a 34-goal, 80-point season for Seacoast Performance Academy’s 16-U squad last year. The UNH commit brings a heavy dosage of speed and skill to a relatively young Cushing team. There are questions with Cushing on defense and in net, but Cash is a big reason why there is no reason to fret about scoring.
Alex Theodore | Andover | F
Theodore had a very nice season for Andover as a sophomore ’08 with 12 goals and 31 points en route to a Large School title. He committed to Dartmouth in August and missed most of the fall season with an injury. At 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, he has nice skill and is still very raw. Being a primary scorer for Andover should be big for his development this season. He potted a goal in Andover's season-opening loss to Dexter.
Ian Sherman | Pomfret | D
It’s hard to poke holes in Sherman’s game. Stable, reliable, steady. After the ’08 tallied eight points last season, the next step will be increasing his offensive impact. He's committed to Sacred Heart and should be a big reason why Pomfret contends for the postseason come March.
Hampus Vandenberg | Brunswick | D
Vandenberg has the chance to be a force this winter. As Brunswick’s top defenseman, he will play in all situations. The Princeton commit is 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, and had four goals and 21 points last season. His impact in the offensive and defensive zones should jump quite a bit this winter.
READ MORE: What's the state of boys prep hockey?
Brendan Petraco | Exeter | G
Petraco was a force in the second half of last season with a 2.60 GAA and a .931 save percentage. The ’07 senior is a big reason why Exeter should be much improved from last season. At 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds, he has the size colleges and junior teams look for in goalies. I didn't include him in my breakout goalies to watch for this season because his numbers were too good in a small sample size last season, but he absolutely should continue breaking out from last year.
