New England Hockey Journal recently looked at some of the rising goaltenders in the fall hockey season and continuing from the net out, there are defensemen who have impressed with their play in early 2021-22.
This post focuses mostly on 2005 birth year players in 16-U play (one ’06 we overlooked in our previous recap of that birth year gets an honorable mention on this list.) While not a complete representation of every player seen live, we continue to watch as many games and different teams as we can. In that context, these are the players who have been standout performers.
Here is a top-12 of the most successful blueliners in our viewings (some teams seen more than others), along with a host of honorable mention players. We’re eager to see how these individuals continue to develop as the season goes on and they either move to their respective prep teams or continue on with their full-season clubs.
1. Sloan Farmer (Old Greenwich, Conn.)
Mid Fairfield, 6/2/05, left shot, 5-11/165
Undrafted in the USHL last May, the smart and skilled two-way defender has been a revelation since summer hockey and keeps getting better each time we watch the Jr. Rangers 16 squad. His puck poise is outstanding, and he plays with a combination of steady simplicity and dynamic playmaking from the back end with a powerful first couple of strides. Power play weapon with his vision and pinpoint passing.  He can close quickly on puck carriers and plays with the kind of urgency you want in a top-pairing guy. It was a bit surprising that no USHL team that had the ability to add a player after losing phase 1 picks to major junior added Farmer, but expect someone to jump on him in the 2022 league draft when the time is right to build the affiliate list.
2. Lucas St. Louis (Riverside, Conn.)
Mid Fairfield, 3/30/05, left shot, 5-10/160, NCAA commit: Harvard
High IQ and details are unmistakable for the fourth-round USHL futures draft pick by the Dubuque Fighting Saints. He’s fluid in his footwork and doesn’t try to do too much, getting back quickly to retrieve pucks and either move them to safe areas, or break them out himself. Plays with good pace and sees the ice, making quick reads and adjusting to the play around him. Has the look of a star two-way player at the next level, just has to keep building his strength and experience in the fall/spring games and at Brunswick this winter.
3. Kyle Kim
Long Island Gulls, 1/6/05, left shot, 6-1/175
Tall, rangy Californian joined the Gulls from Honeybaked after winning the 15-O national championship last spring. He’s not a flashy package but does everything well, showing good quickness and acceleration. Makes a simple, but hard first pass. Doesn’t make a lot of risky plays and has the athletic ability to be an effective, high-minute performer at the next level with his length, mobility, stick and solid instincts.
4. Lenny Greenberg
Bishop Kearney Selects, 3/7/05, right shot, 5-11/165
First saw the Californian and Sioux Falls Stampede futures draft pick at the EAK, and he was impressive with an advanced offensive game but a hard-edged, physical element as well. Smart and sees it, finding soft seams in the offensive zone with passes and getting his shots through from the point for tips and deflections. Intriguing potential at this and subsequent levels with his all-around game playing for a talented team.
5. Jake Freelove (Tyngsboro, Mass.)
NV River Rats, 6/25/05, right shot, 5-10/175
Not the biggest dog in the fight, but plays like it most nights. Superb defender who closes off lanes and anticipates the play so well- he’s always in position. Turns pucks quickly on the counterattack. Plays with poise and swagger. Everytime we watch him, we see more and more out of him. Winning hockey player who does a lot of little things that coaches value. Winchendon prep has a good one- his developmental curve is headed straight up.
6. Luke Malboeuf
Pittsburgh Penguins Elite, 1/7/05, right shot, 6-0/160
While not the most dynamic skater, the Dubuque Fighting Saints prospect stands out for his vision and ability to get pucks out of his own end and up the ice in transition. He’s solid in his own end as a player who will lay out to block shots and does a good job along the walls- needs to get faster and stronger, but the tools are in place for him to be an impact performer in juniors and beyond.
7. Charlie Kinsman
Buffalo Jr. Sabres, 3/17/05, right shot, 5-8/183, NCAA commit: Vermont
Built like a fire hydrant, Kinsman can wheel and move pucks with authority. A good player who went undrafted in May, the Tri-City Storm added him to their protected list this summer per league rules. The future University of Vermont Catamount has promise as a strong defender with a good stick, but his ability to break out and aid the offensive attack intrigues. More than the sum of his parts.
8. Jonathan Lanza (Westwood, Mass.)
Boston Jr. Eagles, 3/10/05, right shot, 5-11/165
With good size, wheels and strength, he likes to play a physical game with open-ice hits and strong play along the walls. His balance and footwork can improve, but when he’s moving in a straight line, he can escape forechecking pressure and rifle passes with real zip. There’s some untapped offensive upside here, and room for more consistency, but deserves his ranking as a player trending up.
9. Tommy Rose (Westford, Mass.)
Little Bruins, 8/31/05, right shot, 5-9/135
Smooth skater is so effortless in the way he motors around the ice. He makes a lot of plays with the puck on his stick and is difficult to beat 1-on-1 because he’s so agile and mobile. On the lower end of the height/weight curve, he has to make up for it by being smarter with his stick/angling as opposed to trying to physically match up with bigger, stronger opponents. Still, he moves pucks effectively, supports the rush and can do a lot of things others can’t.
10. Matthew Desiderio
NJ Rockets, 8/16/05, left shot, 6-4/220
Man mountain at age 16. Went undrafted, but with his raw physicality, better days are ahead if he can get quicker off the mark and improve his lateral mobility. He’s got a powerful stride and holds his gaps well, but plays like a force along the walls and in front of his net. Throwback-type player, but has the physical package you can’t coach in a player- will need to see how quickly he processes the game going forward, but he should be on radars.
11. Aiden Farro
Boston Hockey Academy, 3/7/05, left shot, 6-2/165
With his size, he stands out right away on the ice. However, he impressed with his mobility/range and sound positional play in a tight game and win over Mid Fairfield over Columbus Day weekend. Georgia product is raw, but has the length, feet and brain to develop into a good D-1 prospect.
12. Matej Teply (Stamford, Conn.)
South Kent Selects, 3/2/05, left shot, 6-0/175
Noticeable athletic defenseman who gets up and down the sheet with ease and activates aggressively to join the offensive rush. Deft puckhandler who hits on his passes and has a hard shot he works through from the point. Undrafted like Farmer, he’s the bookend on this list as a player who should make a nice backfill pick in the USHL’s phase 2 draft in May.
Honorable Mention
Shawn Leary, Boston Jr. Eagles (Dorchester, Mass.); 5/12/05, right shot, 5-11/190
Jason Zaccari, Boston Jr. Eagles; 6/2/05, left shot, 5-11/185
Michael Hagens, Mount St. Charles- Inj/DNP
Curt Heath, NV River Rats (West Bridgewater, Mass.); 1/12/05, left shot, 5-8/160
Stephen Kilcoyne, EC Wizards (Belmont, Mass.); 5/25/05, right shot, 6-2/200
Jason Fritz, Buffalo Regals; 6/29/05, right shot, 5-9/170
Matthew Hanscom, Springfield Rifles (Hadley, Mass.); 1/25/05, left shot, 6-1/185
Lucas Karlsson, Washington Little Caps; 4/25/05, left shot, 6-1/210
Hudson Miller, Conn. Jr. Bulldogs; 7/14/05, right shot, 6-2/175
Ben Cook, Springfield Rifles; 1/31/05, right shot; 6-0/180
Joshua Player, BK Selects; 5/13/05, right shot, 6-0/170
James Mackey, GBL Bruins; 10/15/05, left shot, 6-5/201
Parker Fleury, North Shore Wings (Nottingham, N.H.); 8/30/05, right shot, 6-0/165
Dylan Peterson, Philly Jr. Flyers; 1/1/05, right shot, 6-0/176
Calvin Beard, NV River Rats (Southboro, Mass.); 10/4/05, right shot, 6-2/180
Jack Harney, Bos Jr. Eagles (Needham, Mass.); 11/22/05, right shot, 6-4/175
Charlie Leverone, NV River Rats (Sudbury, Mass.); 2/18/05, left shot, 6-2/205
Jake McIntosh, Cape Cod Whalers (Duxbury, Mass.); 6/2/05, right shot, 6-0/165
Cam Wolf, Islanders Hockey Club (Brentwood, N.H.); *11/8/06*,left shot, 5-7/145
