This time of year, much of the focus is on the playoffs. Northeast Pack Playoffs just happened. New England prep playoffs are the week of March 1. State high school tournaments are about to get underway.
But there's another conversation I find myself having at the rinks: Who is going to the U.S. National Team Development Program Evaluation Camp?
That's not specific to this season. This is an annual thing, although camp is earlier this year, going March 10-14 at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich.
Last May, I wrote about how the local 2010-born players, who are the ones the NTDP will be inviting to try out for next season's U17 team, have the impossible task of following the '09s.
Among those '09s, Carter Meyer (Winchester, Mass.) is the only player north of a point per game (41 in 39) on the U17 NTDP team, has been playing up with the U18 team and is in top-five pick territory for the 2027 NHL Draft. Finn Sears (Medford, Mass.) ranks fourth on the U17 team with 30 points, while Sam Pandolfo (Winchester, Mass.) has 10. On defense, Jake Boguniecki (Orange, Conn.) has been a stalwart.
And while they're not technically locals, a slew of '09 prospects came from Mount St. Charles for Evaluation Camp. Ultimately, forward Rocco Pelosi, defenseman Christian Semetsis and goalie Nate Chizik made it.
That's seven players from one region among the '09s. That will not be the case this year for the '10s.
Who could be at camp?
The three best players on Mount St. Charles' 15O team (you can read about them here) are Thomas Boisvert, Wilson Boumedienne and Zaac Charbonneau. None are from the United States.
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The New England natives are a different story.
Back in May of last year, I wrote that Jack Queally (Milton, Mass.) was the one definitive U.S. National Team Development Program candidate in New England.
Queally's stock actually rose since then, especially during his season with St. Sebastian's. He leads the Arrows in points (29) and has been a stalwart No. 1 center for a team in the thick of the Elite 8 mix. His offensive instincts, vision and willingness to shoot the puck have all improved, while his defensive play hasn't suffered.
What has changed since my story in May is that other candidates have emerged. Belmont Hill forward Sam Lee (Woburn, Mass.) is chief among them.
The 5-foot-11, 161-pound winger has broken out with 15 goals and 31 points playing on Belmont Hill's top line. His hands, skill and offensive IQ are outstanding. He's easily able to beat defenders 1-on-1 and has a quick, accurate shot from in tight. He skates well with the puck. He oozes offensive potential.
Lee wasn't mentioned in that May 2025 story. But the next player mentioned after Queally was Blake Wilichoski (Danvers, Mass.).
Wilichoski has had a pretty good prep season with Milton Academy, posting seven goals and 14 points in 25 games. He's a fantastic skater who moves just as fast with the puck. He has a wicked shot and knows how to protect pucks. His routes into the offensive zone and scoring areas are terrific, too, sifting through defenses. A knock is that he can be inconsistent. He had a strong Select 15 Camp last summer, though. At the time, I wrote that he moved into my NTDP tier.
My guess is all three are at Evaluation Camp.
Who could make it if they're at camp?
Meyer was a slam dunk last year and was the best player at camp. Sears and Pandolfo were both highly likely to make the team. Defensemen are a bit more difficult to judge, but Boguniecki had all the qualities of someone the NTDP would want.
I'm not sure there's a slam dunk from New England this year.
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Queally and Lee both project differently. Queally looks like he will be a steady, dependable bottom-six center at higher levels. I expect him to play pro hockey someday. Lee, on the other hand, is a top-six wing at higher levels. If he's at camp and is one of the top guys, and the NTDP feels like he's one of the best offensive players there, I'd expect him to make it. If other players are better top-six fits, I'm not sure he'd make the cut.
With Wilochoski, it's all about potential. What he could be offensively as a right winger is intriguing enough that I wouldn't be shocked if the NTDP wanted to take a chance if he's at camp.
Again, this is all my opinion.
What about the rest of the local '10s?
In 2023, the '07s tried out for the NTDP. Only four locals were invited: Carter Amico (Portland, Maine), Anthony Bongo (Ridgefield, Conn.), Richard Gallant (Concord, Mass.) and Teddy Mutryn (Norwell, Mass.). Amico and Gallant were the two to make it.
But over the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, other local '07s emerged. Forwards like Rian Chudzinski (Needham, Mass.) and Justin Graf (Lincoln, Mass.), and defensemen like Myles Brosnan (Winchester, Mass.) and Everett Baldwin (Providence, R.I.). These four weren't nearly NTDP players when it was time for their birth year's Evaluation Camp, but grew their profiles into Division 1 prospects and NHL Draft picks, and arguably surpassed some players who made that initial NTDP squad.
This happens quite a bit. The NTDP is taking the best of the best at 15 and 16. Things change drastically between 16 and 19.
The local '10s will have quite a bit of this.
There are, of course, the '10s who are already standouts. Forwards like Rivers' Carter Felt (Natick, Mass.), Taft's Dylan Rothstein, St. Sebastian's Jameson Needham (Woburn, Mass.), St. George's Cam Daigle (East Greenwich, R.I.), Belmont Hill's Robert DeKleine and Cushing's Owen Frick (Holden, Mass.).
Defensemen like St. Mark's Logan Cotter (Marlboro, Mass.), Cushing's Colin Yandle (Dorchester, Mass.) and Brodie Anderson (Wayland, Mass.), Belmont Hill's Nick Ware (Weymouth, Mass.), Nobles' Kasen Walsh (Warwick, R.I.), St. Sebastian's Brendan Martin (Dedham, Mass.) and Sam Fishbone (Needham, Mass.), St. George's Jake Donatelli (Middletown, R.I.) and Winchendon's Tyler Poti (Sandwich, N.H.). Goalies like Rivers' Will Torres (Framingham, Mass.) and Catholic Memorial Jaxson Fleming (Waltham, Mass.).
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But there are numerous '10s whose names aren't as prominent who will leap to the front of the line over the next two years. Players we call late bloomers and wonder how we missed them early on. Names that aren't getting as much playing time right now, but are due to break out.
It's the way it's always gone, and will continue to be. It will just be a little more prominent with the '10s.
