The 2022-23 boys prep hockey season came to a close three months ago. It was a great one that saw Avon Old Farms win the Elite 8 title, Taft snag the Large School trophy and Lawrence Academy steal the Small School championship.
Seven players finished the season with 50 or more points. A plethora of goalies put on outstanding performances. Many strengthened their cases for playing Division 1 or Division 3 college hockey some day.
But what did the coaches think?
We surveyed coaches across the NEPSAC to get their input on all things prep hockey. From the best players this season, to the best next season, to the direction of prep hockey — we asked about everything. All coaches were granted anonymity in their answers.
This story will be focused specifically on these topics from this season:
- Best overall player
- Best goalie
- Most surprising player
- Best newcomer to prep hockey
- Toughest team to play against
- Best and worst rinks in the NEPSAC
There will be future stories on different topics we asked the coaches about. This is Part 1.
The range of answers for each question signaled the theme of this prep season — there was a ton of depth around the region.
MORE SURVEY: Part 2: Most surprising team? | Part 3: Changes in prep hockey?
Who was the best overall NEPSAC player last season?
Eight players received votes for this, but the overwhelming favorite was Cushing's Landan Resendes (Marlborough, Mass.).
"He played the game at a different pace than any player we saw all year," one coach said. "As a coach, you were constantly looking to see when he'd be back out there for his next shift. He was a threat every time he was on the ice."
The Boston College commit finished the season with 27 goals and 54 points in 32 games, leading the Penguins to the Elite 8 title game.
"He plays with pace and skill but competes hard every shift," said another coach. "He does not take any shifts off and this is hard for a 17-year-old to do."
The other player who received a fair number of votes was Kimball Union's Jackson Kyrkostas (Windham, N.H.). Two different coaches even compared him with Resendes. Kyrkostas, an RPI commit, finished the year with 58 points — good for the most in New England.
"They made big plays for teams in big games and consistent production," said one coach.
Joe Connor (Amherst, N.H.) posted 21 goals and 43 points and was a driving force behind Avon Old Farms' Elite 8 title. That helped the Northeastern commit earn votes for this category.
"He was the player that made that team and his line have as much success as they did," one coach said.
Ryan Shaw (East Longmeadow, Mass.) also earned votes. The junior forward burst onto the scene with 18 goals and 45 points in 26 games, guiding Westminster into the Elite 8 Tournament.
"Every time he stepped on the ice, he was the most dangerous player out there," said a coach. "Played hard, controlled the puck and made plays."
Others receiving votes were Richard Gallant (Concord, Mass.), Ryan Philbrick (Concord, N.H.), Rudy Guimond and Jackson Holl (Avon, Conn.).
Who was the best goalie?
There wasn't much debate in this area. Guimond of Taft had no trouble gathering the most votes.
"No goalie was more important to their team than Rudy," one coach said. "He gave Taft the ability to steal games and keep them in games that they were outmatched."
That coach is correct. Guimond finished the season with a great 2.34 goals-against average and a .943 save percentage. But he also finished the season with the most saves (959).
"Taft was a very good team, but Guimond seemed to steal a handful of games that he had to make 40-plus saves," said a coach.
Guimond was the only goalie to face over 1,000 shots this season. He also made 40 or more saves in 11 games. In four of those 11 games, he stopped 50 or more shots.
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"Every game, he did what he needed to not just keep [Taft] in it, but to win them games," another coach said.
Coming in second place was Stephen Peck, who led Avon Old Farms to an Elite 8 title.
"He was outstanding all season," said a coach. "Especially in the playoffs."
Peck did bring it in the postseason. He guided the Winged Beavers past Westminster in the quarterfinals, Belmont Hill in the semifinals and then Cushing in the final.
Sam Caulfield (Needham, Mass.) garnered votes, too. The Milton Academy netminder finished the season tied with Peck for best save percentage in the region at .948.
"He had composure and technique," one coach said. "He was a stabilizing force for what was a very difficult team to play against."
Others receiving votes were Thatcher Bernstein (Brookline, Mass.), Beau Lane (Pembroke, Mass.) and Matthew Pimentel.
Who was the best newcomer to prep hockey?
There were a wide range of answers for this question, but two players tied for the most votes.
The first was New Hampton's Cam Caron (Dracut, Mass.), who flew onto the scene with 18 goals and 47 pints in 34 games as an '07 freshman.
"For a freshman to come and produce like that in the Lakes Region is pretty impressive," one coach said.
The other was Peck, who entered Avon Old Farms as an '04 senior. He had previously been playing for the North Jersey Avalanche.
"We didn't play Avon but based on the number, it seems Peck was the best new player in the league at any position," another coach said.
Defensemen in the Lakes Region did well in this category. Kimball Union's Andrew O'Sullivan (Boston, Mass.), one of the top '06s in the region, impressed in Year No. 1 with five goals and 26 points in 34 games.
"Being an '06 and being able to step in and be KUA's best defenseman," one coach reasoned. "He is undersized, but well-built and a smart player."
Another was Caeden Herrington (Manchester, Vt.) of Holderness. The University of Vermont commit posted five goals and 21 points in 29 games.
"I was very impressed with his skating and his ability to control the puck," said a coach. "He played a lot of minutes and was consistently good at both ends of the ice."
Marco Senerchia also got a vote. Senerchia skated for New Hampton this winter but will be a big part of St. George's blue line next winter. Everett Baldwin will also be a big player for St. George's next year, as he was this year, earning a vote in this category.
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"He's a young kid that has tons of potential," a coach said of Baldwin.
Others receiving votes were Sam Ciappa, Evan Nee (Arlington, Mass.), Tyler Russo (Hamilton, Mass.), Jack Sadowski (Arlington, Mass.), Marcus Macchioni (North Kingstown, R.I.) and Jack Taylor (Framingham, Mass.).
Which players from opposing teams surprised you the most?
This question got the most responses, and that was expected. It can be interpreted in multiple ways.
Berwick's Eli Chilicki got the most votes. Chilicki went from four points in a season shortened by injury in 2021-22 to posting 20 goals and 48 points in 28 games in 2022-23.
"This kid can score," one coach said.
Another coach pointed to his high IQ and playmaking abilities as to why he was effective.
After Chilicki, 15 other players got a vote. One of the more interesting responses came regarding Taft.
"I certainly underestimated Taft's top group of forwards — Holl, [Derek] Tremblay and [J.J.] Lemieux — and how good they were," said the coach. "I think Guimond was getting so much attention that it was just assumed that they didn't have much in front of him. But they clearly did and they proved that."
Holl finished the season with 50 points, while Lemieux had 37 and Tremblay posted 35. All three were vital in getting Taft the Large School championship.
In the ISL Keller division, one player who stepped up was Matt Cataldo. The Norfolk, Mass., native scored 19 goals and posted 39 points during the season. That helped him earn a commitment to Brown.
"He has clearly put in a lot of work," said a coach. "We were not ready for his combination of size and skill. He is by far the most improved player in prep."
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Others receiving votes were Justin Massa, Aidan D'Urso, Christian Day (Barre, Vt.), Zach Walsh, Charlie Gollob, Brian Judge, Teddy Lally (Braintree, Mass.), Will Rassier (North Andover, Mass.), Brock Cummings, Connor and Guimond.
Who was the toughest team to play against?
I was surprised at the disparity in answers to this question. The expectation was for the answers to mainly be Cushing and Avon Old Farms — the top two teams in the Elite 8 — and both teams did receive votes.
"Avon always has high-end talent," one coach said. "But they have gone older and played with more discipline than I've seen in the past. They deserved to be the New England champs this year."
But 12 other teams got votes. Dexter Southfield received the same number of votes as Cushing and Avon Old Farms because, in terms of "tough" teams to play, Dexter fit that bill.
"Their defensemen were fantastic," a coach said. "They controlled every minute of the game."
Belmont Hill was the other team to receive the same number of votes.
"A very well-coached team that has structure," one coach said. "They can beat you in many different ways."
Other teams receiving votes were Frederick Gunn, Taft, Salisbury, Loomis Chaffee, St. Mark's, Brunswick, Tabor, Deerfield, Northfield Mount Hermon and North Yarmouth Academy.
The best and worst rinks in the NEPSAC
Every player and coach has a rink in the NEPSAC they always look forward to playing in. On the flip side, they also have rinks they see on the schedule and groan at.
That's life with New England rinks.
Fourteen rinks got votes as the best option in the survey, but the school that got the most was Berkshire with its Jackman L. Stewart Athletic Center, which features two ice sheets — one Olympic size and one NHL regulation size.
"Best rink in New England," one coach said of Berkshire.
Dexter Southfield received multiple votes for its rink at the Kraft Fieldhouse and Fusco Arena.
"I think it's the perfect prep hockey rink," said a coach.
The other school that received multiple votes was Avon Old Farms for the Jennings-Fairchild Rink.
"As a coach, the temperature is perfect," another coach said. "The ice is good. And their students do a great job of bringing energy to the building."
Other schools receiving votes among the best rinks were Pomfret, Holderness, Westminster, Thayer, Andover, St. Sebastian's, Deerfield, Kent, Cushing, Roxbury Latin and Governor's Academy.
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As for the worst rinks to play in, Northfield Mount Hermon's McCollum Ice Arena received the most votes.
"Terrible locker room facilities," said a coach. "COLD."
Another coach added its remoteness and lack of atmosphere as a reason it's their least favorite.
Phillips Exeter, Vermont Academy and Nobles all received multiple votes.
Other schools receiving votes were Worcester Academy, Taft, Berkshire, Millbrook, Belmont Hill and Choate.
