The Olympics are the talk of the world right now. The NHL has paused its season for players to compete as all eyes shift to (hopefully) an eventual USA vs. Canada gold medal matchup on the men's side.
So what would a boys prep Olympics look like?
Fortunately, we did this last season with 4 Nations, and we're going to keep the same format. I know, I know — only one of these teams will be a country. But there aren't enough players in prep from countries other than the United States and Canada to make full teams. It wouldn't be nearly as fun.
What would be fun, however, is the four regions from last year: Massachusetts, New England (every state except for Massachusetts), New York/New Jersey and Canada.
Apologies in advance to players from other states that don't fit in those categories.
Last year, I said this would happen the week after the season ends — and it still could. But the season culminates on Championship Sunday. Everything probably should end then. So, what about right after Christmas? Or picking a random week in January or February to spice up the dog days?
In a perfect world, it would all be at one central location. I pitched Harvard last year, so I'll stick with that this season. That way, junior scouts, NHL scouts and college coaches would be able to drop in and watch the action.
Every team would play each other once, and then the championship would be between the two best teams.
This is purely fictional, but I love this idea.
Another cool thing about the four teams is that there's legitimate pride there. Mass. hockey kids want to prove they're the best. The New England region kids feel the same, and the New York/New Jersey kids, too. The Canadians want to prove overall supremacy.
This is my tournament, so I picked these rosters and lines. And since it's my world, injuries go away. I went off the hometowns listed on USHR.
Let's dive in.
Team Massachusetts
Evan Nee - Caiden Pellegrino - Noah Survilas
Will Manchuso - Billy MacAusland - Sam Lee
Owen McHale - Ty Hymovitz - Tommy Wilkinson
Carter Felt - Jack Queally - Patrick Woods
Extras: Matt Lacombe, Luke Sardone
Evan Jones - Myles Brosnan
Easton Anello - Brian McFadden
Matt Hines - Kaiden Donia
Extras: Matas Janulis, Colin Yandle, Kurt Beck
Vinnie D'Urso
Tommy Saulnier
Anthony Palmer
ANALYSIS: I like the forward group, but it's hard to top how crazy last year's lines were. That said, Nee and Pellegrino have worked wonders together for St. Mark's this season, and Survilas provides skill and vision on the right side. Neither MacAusland nor Manchuso could be outside the top six, so one had to move to left wing. I chose Manchuso because he's more of a scorer. Both have blazing speed and would be complemented well by Lee's high-end skill on the right side. The bottom six has a nice dose of offense and toughness. McHale and Felt can produce offense and get under opponents' skin, while Hymovitz and Queally are dependable centers. Wilkinson provides the skill for the third line, while Woods' strong, north-south game works well on the fourth line.
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That's a strong defensive core. Jones and Brosnan are an easy choice for the top pair. You could make a case that they shouldn't play together since they're both dynamic puck-movers, but they're not the only puck-movers on defense, so the two best go together. Anello and McFadden are both big, stout defenders. Donia provides physicality and speed on the third pair, while Hines was chosen for his reliable breakouts. Janulis, a recent Northeastern commit, is a reliable, two-way defenseman who can slot in, while Yandle's ability to jump on a power play makes him a solid replacement. Beck makes for an intriguing dynamic option that could slot in. I couldn't choose two between Janulis, Yandle and Beck, so I took them all (my rules).
Massachusetts is strong in net, too. D'Urso and Saulnier have the same save percentage and goals-against averages this season (.945 and 1.74), but D'Urso has a slight edge in shots faced, so I'll give him the first crack at starting. Palmer provides stability with a .937 save percentage and 1.93 GAA.
Team New England
Max Donatelli - Mason St. Louis - Lucas Husted-Edwards
Ethan Travis - Ethan Gingeleskie - Nico Ciardiello
Blake Cash - Rich Cavanagh - Jackson Smail
Timmy Donohue - Johnny Niemela - Giacomo Caliri
Extras: Owen Burke, Joey Dellacroce
Dylan Hall - Hampus Vandenberg
Ian Sherman - Tyler Roccas
Cal Gustafson - Blake Grislis
Extras: Jake Donatelli, Kasen Walsh
Kamden Jackson
Blake Truchon
Hunter Marshall
ANALYSIS:Â New England has deep talent throughout its forward group. Donatelli brings high-end offense, and Husted-Edwards brings heavy play with a skilled touch, while St. Louis can drive play and create quite a bit with good linemates. I wanted to put Gingeleskie and Ciardiello together since they're teammates with Avon Old Farms, and Travis' high-end offense would fit nicely with them. Cash and Smail are speedy with Cavanagh down the middle, who has 40 points for Pomfret this year. While the top nine is mainly focused on offense, I like that fourth line for its size and snarl. Donohue can get under opponents' skin, while Niemela is 6-foot-4 and a force. Caliri is having a strong season with 15 goals and 38 points for Pomfret.
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I'm sticking with ole reliable on the top defensive pairing. With Hall at 6-foot-3 and Vandenberg at 6-foot-2, both have an offensive side, but can mainly play hard minutes against other top players. Sherman and Roccas are also reliable, two-way defenders. Gustafson fits that mold as well, while Grislis brings a heavy dose of puck-moving and offense. Donatelli could slot in if New England felt they needed more offense from the back end, while Walsh is another two-way option.
Jackson is the clear starter in net, as he leads the region in save percentage (.949) and ranks second in GAA (1.61). Truchon (St. Paul's) and Marshall (Tilton) could both handle the load, too.
Team New York/New Jersey
Jack Broderick - Charlie Puglisi - Maddox Boyle
Andrew Migliore - JT Rothstein - Sam Gero
Liam Donnelly - Ben Marcolini - Jake Harrison
Austin Groves - Dylan Rothstein - Logan Ferrara
Extras: CJ List, Richard Shin
Max Yakub - Tommy Browne
Jack Mazzella - Justin Garvey
Quinn Brandell - Dominic Somma
Extras: Brody Latkin, Matthew Koch
Cody Hew
Brendan Petraco
Dean Repaci
ANALYSIS: I really like this forward group, especially the top nine. Puglisi has been dominant down the middle this season, so he gets the nod as No. 1 center. Broderick is a high-IQ creator of offense, while Boyle is a force with his size and ability to create, too. I also like that Broderick and Boyle are Kent teammates. That second line would also create quite a bit of offense, as Migliore brings speed, Rothstein is a gifted playmaker and Gero can produce, as he has 33 points in 27 games this season. Marcolini is a stable, reliable third-line center on this team, playing with Donnelly, a goal-scorer, and Harrison, who is a great set-up man. That fourth line is good, too, with Rothstein (one of my favorite, underrated '10s down the middle) and Groves and Ferrara flanking him.
Yakub and Browne are high-end producers of offense from the back end. They can move pucks, and both run a power play. Mazzella and Garvey have a little bit of that, too, but would get some more defensive zone starts, along with Brandell and Somma. Latkin and Koch are both stout, reliable defenders who would deserve playing time, too.
Given the season he's had, Hew is the obvious choice in net. He's kept Canterbury in the Elite 8 hunt all season with his 2.44 GAA and .932 save percentage. Petraco and Repaci have had strong seasons as well, but Hew is the clear choice.
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Team Canada
Elliott Bibeau-Rivard - James McMurray - Jackson Kimelman
Xander Boutilier - Luca Desjardins - Greg Najda
Mitchell Smith - Kaidan Sahajpal - Angus Proctor
Dylan Chery - Nate Moons - Domenico Clarizio
Extras: Lukas Machan, Alexis Gagne
Lucas Hannay - Zach Gill
James Buchan - Nasean Faria
Oliver Benoit - Nate Watson
Extras: Elliott Watson, Louis-Felix Beaulieu
Elliot Lennon
Edouard Lord
Jordan Rittenberg
ANALYSIS:Â One thing I ran into with Team Canada's forward: So. Many. Centers. McMurray has been so dominant this season (42 points in 26 games for Berkshire) that I opted for him with Bibeau-Rivard on the left and Kimelman, one of the only right shots in the lineup, on the right. That second line of Boutilier-Desjardins-Najda would be able to produce high-end offense, as all are Division 1 caliber players. On the third line, Smith and Sahajpal provide an offensive punch, while Proctor, at 6-foot-2, is a power forward who would create chances from winning battles in the corner. Moons should probably be higher in the lineup, but I like the offense he could provide between Chery and Clarizio, who have quite a bit of chemistry from playing together at Taft.
The defensive core is really good, too. I wanted to split up Hannay and Faria, as both have been big-time offensive producers for Kimball Union. Gill makes a lot of sense as the No. 1 right-shot option, as he's one of the top two-way defenders in prep. Buchan follows in the mold of Gill as a very good, two-way defenseman. I've always liked Benoit, who is 6-foot-3, as a shutdown defenseman, while Watson, who missed most of the season due to injury, has always been a force for Deerfield. Elliott, his younger brother, could be inserted as a dynamic offensive defenseman, while Beaulieu has proven to also be able to garner points.
Lennon, a Brown commit and an NHL Draft prospect, gets the nod. The 6-foot-3 goalie has all the qualities of someone who could lead Canada through this kind of gauntlet. Lord has had a good season, so he's a worthy backup. Rittenberg is a stable third option.
Final thoughts
I will always love this idea. It would be fun, get players to fight for something bigger than themselves and would provide a great scouting opportunity for everyone. Even if the NHL doesn't do some sort of best-on-best action next year, I'll do this again. It's also fun to look back on.
As for who I think wins, Team Massachusetts is the favorite among these four teams, which isn't a huge surprise. But a worthy championship opponent is New York/New Jersey. I think that team is sneaky good. There's a good mix of high-end offense, a do-it-allness to the defensemen, and Hew has proven to be a great prep goalie. New England and Canada would make things close, but I have a tough time not seeing a Massachusetts vs. New York/New Jersey final.
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Nothing like a Boston (well, Massachusetts) vs. New York (and New Jersey) matchup, right?
I'll go with Massachusetts as the winner.
