New England Hockey Journal is reflecting back on the calendar year 2021, identifying top regional natives who made their mark in Division 1 hockey.
It has been a tale of two seasons for the most part, as 2020-21 was heavily disrupted by the global coronavirus pandemic, while there was a return to (somewhat) normalcy in the fall months. A recent spike in COVID cases has caused postponements of games or restrictions of spectator presence in recent weeks during 2021-22.
The cancellation of the Ivy League season a year ago cost players without junior eligibility an entire year in their development. Other college hockey conferences had seasons in 2020-21, but restrictions and protocols, no fans in the venues and other challenges created an unprecedented environment for the participating schools and their student-athletes.
This list recognizes players who were difference makers in ’21, with the majority having played college hockey in both seasons, but a few who did not and have either moved on to the pro ranks like Spencer Knight (Darien, Conn.), or came from juniors, but have found a way to elevate their individual and collective play in the first semester.
The 2021 series will continue to recognize key performers from the area at other levels of hockey.
1. Matty Beniers (Hingham, Mass.)
Michigan, C, 11/5/02, left shot, 6-2/175
The former Milton Academy center and current Michigan Wolverine had a heck of a year, parlaying an excellent freshman campaign into the second-overall draft selection in 2021. Originally committed to Harvard, no hockey for the Ivy League resulted in his departure to Ann Arbor, where he has scored 21 goals and 46 points. After winning a gold medal a year ago at the World Junior Championship (WJC) tournament, he is back with Team USA to defend the title as the No. 1 center and offensive catalyst. Surrounded by top talent and coaching at Michigan, look for him to turn pro when his season ends and begin his path to becoming the Seattle Kraken’s franchise cornerstone.
2. Spencer Knight
Boston College/Florida Panthers, G. 4/19/01, catches left, 6-3/192
Knight played most of the 2020-21 hockey season with the Boston College Eagles, completing his sophomore season before signing with Florida, and going 4-0-0 in his first NHL stint with the Panthers. The 13th overall selection in 2019 was in net to key USA to victory at the 2021 World Junior competition, and went 16-4-1 with BC, posting a 2.18 goals-against average and .932 save percentage. Although his rookie season in the NHL has had its ups and downs behind veteran Sergei Bobrovsky, Knight’s sensational first half of the year saw him be a dominant force in net both in the Hockey East and in international play.
3. Brett Berard (East Greenwich, R.I.)
Providence College, RW, 9/9/02, left shot, 5-9/165
Berard was more of a secondary scorer and complementary piece coming out of the U.S. National Team Development Program. After a solid freshman campaign with the Friars, has emerged as one of college hockey’s most dangerous and consistent scorers this season with 12 goals and 24 points, making the New York Rangers look smart after taking him 134th overall in the 2020 NHL draft. Berard is playing with Beniers and Mackie Samoskevich (Newtown, Conn.) for an all-region trio in the WJC, and all three bring an intriguing mix of different attributes that should create matchup problems for opposing defenses.
“Tenaciousness, attacks the net well, very good down low,” Providence College and Team USA head coach Nate Leaman said when asked about Berard. “Offensively, when he’s two or three steps away from the net, he’s really dynamic around those areas. When he’s on pucks, when he’s tenacious, when he has the puck he has very good edges, he can hold pucks. I really like his playmaking I’ve seen so far in the five skates we’ve had and he’s made some really nice plays.”
From a college hockey standpoint, Berard has made a clear case for the most improved player on this list.
4. Aidan McDonough (Milton, Mass.)
Northeastern, LW, 11/6/99, left shot, 6-2/205
The Vancouver Canucks seventh-rounder in 2019 has 13 goals in his first 18 games to lead the conference and has been a consistent threat with the puck on his stick. With his height, strength, shot and natural knack for getting to the net and creating time and space for himself, he has the look and feel of a solid pro. His consistent offensive touch going back to his freshman season in 2019-20 bodes well for his chances to continue to climb the ladder and eventually reach the NHL, with a chance to eventually establish himself as a scoring presence.
5. Marc McLaughlin (North Billerica, Mass.)
Boston College, C, 7/26/99, right shot, 6-0/210
With 12 goals in 16 games, the Eagles captain has already eclipsed his previous single-season best of 10 markers. Although he could have turned pro after his junior season, he opted to return for one more year and it is paying off, as he has shown off some skill and agility in his hands not previously seen or appreciated. At a minimum, he looks like he could eventually develop into a capable fourth-line pivot in the NHL, but his scoring touch could give him a shot at being more of a middle-of-the-roster option if he takes that next step after college hockey. With 22 goals and 41 points and counting in his last two collegiate campaigns, McLaughlin will have even more suitors when winter gives way to spring and he plays his final game at the Heights.
“He made a real good decision to go back for his senior year,” a local scout for a Western Conference NHL team said. “His game has always been straight ahead, north-south and get to the net, be hard to play against. Now, he’s taking pucks through traffic and scoring with a fast release that’s caught some good goalies off guard. He’s playing his way into some options.”
6. Scott Morrow (Darien, Conn.)
UMass, D, 11/1/02, right shot, 6-2/195
An outstanding year at Shattuck-St. Mary’s Prep turned into the 40th overall selection in 2021 by the Carolina Hurricanes, but it looks like that club knew what it was doing. Morrow’s six goals and 15 points in as many games with the Minutemen put him behind fourth overall pick (New Jersey) and Manchester, N.H.-born, Michigan-raised Luke Hughes as one of the top freshmen rearguards in points (18). Morrow’s excellent vision and hands combine to make him a threat to score in any situation, and he’s needed no time to adjust to the increased speed and pace of the college game. We will see if he can sustain the production over the season’s second half, but so far, so good.
7. Henry Thrun (Southborough, Mass.)
Harvard, D, 3/12/01, left shot, 6-2/190
A star two-way defender and former St. Mark’s prep star before heading to the NTDP, the Anaheim Ducks fourth-rounder in 2019 is a model of consistency. He has very good size and skating, which allows him to both defend effectively and move pucks/join the attack up the ice. An impact freshman two years ago on the Crimson with 21 points from the back end, he played a portion of last season in Dubuque of the USHL, while being another member of Team USA’s gold medal-winning WJC squad. He’s shown no signs of rust, with 11 points in the same number of games to start 2021-22, and projects as a second-pairing ‘D’ with the Ducks one day.
8. Drew Commesso (Norwell, Mass.)
Boston University, G, 7/19/02, catches left, 6-2/180
The NTDP alumnus and Chicago Blackhawks prospect (46th overall in 2020) has done his part between the pipes on a struggling Terriers club to start the year. He’s given them a chance to win most nights and will be integral to BU getting into gear in the second half of the season. He has the size, tracking, and fluid athleticism to steal goals and games. Off to a good start at the WJC, he won his first game for Team USA against gritty, hard-working Slovakia by a 3-2 score.
“Come the third period, I felt like I was still mentally engaged,” Commesso said via Zoom after the win. “The ‘D’ did a good job of not allowing a lot of shots in the second and allowing me to see a lot of them in the third.”
9. Matt Boldy (Millis, Mass.)
Boston College/Iowa Wild, LW, 4/5/01, left shot, 6-2/201
Yet another NTDP product and WJC champion, Boldy finished inside the top-15 for NCAA scoring last season, leading the Eagles and then going pro. The 12th overall selection of the Minnesota Wild in 2019, Boldy went on to be an immediate point-per-game performer at the AHL level with the Iowa Wild based in Des Moines. With his size, speed and ferocious shot, Boldy has yet to make his presence felt in the NHL, but it is only a matter of time. He’s battled injuries that have limited him to just seven games in 2021-22, but he was one of the most impactful area natives in college hockey and has a bright future ahead of him.
10. Parker Ford (Wakefield, R.I.)
Providence, C, 7/20/00, left shot, 6-0/180
Highly competitive, and has been scoring more consistently after getting off to a bit of a slow start. After putting up 19 points a year ago, he’s sitting at 18 and will likely establish new highs. You always know what you’re going to get with Ford, who is more of an opportunistic scorer who uses his wheels and knack for making big plays to impact games at key moments. Like McLaughlin, he impressed at Boston Bruins development camp and will have a lot of interested NHL teams in him at season’s end, though he has one more year of eligibility left.
"I don't know how much of a scoring ceiling he has in pro, but I think Ford will play NHL games," the NHL scout said. "He's hard and loves to fight for pucks around the net. With the style he plays, you wish he were a little bigger, but he's definitely not afraid to stick his nose in and grind."
Honorable mentions
Jordan Harris (Haverhill, Mass.), D- Northeastern; 7/7/00, 5-11/185: A slow start offensively has done too much to take the luster off of the Montreal prospect and former 2018 third-rounder. He’s a savvy defender and leader by example- look for him to have a strong second half for a Huskies team that was getting healthy again and stringing wins together before the holiday break.
Mike Hardman (Hanover, Mass.), LW- Boston College/Chicago (NHL)/Rockford (AHL); 2/5/99, 6-2/205: Heavy on pucks winger signed with Chicago after his 19-point sophomore season and has already inked an extension on his entry-level deal.
Ben Meehan (Walpole, Mass.), D- UMass Lowell; 4/20/01, 6-0/190: Kings prospect has put up respectable numbers in his first 1.5 years in the Hockey East, but his plus-11 is an indicator of the strong start the RiverHawks have had, and his potential to develop into a two-way presence at the college level and beyond.
Mark Gallant (Concord, Mass.), F- Dartmouth; 5/1/00, 6-1/185: With six goals in nine games, he’s pacing the Big Green in scoring as a junior, having played a few NCDC games in 2020-21 after no Ivy League path.
Tim Rego (Mansfield, Mass.), D- Cornell; 10/31/00, 6-0/180: Freshman late-bloomer after a couple of years in juniors with the Brooks Bandits, a top program in the Alberta League, is playing a strong two-way game right away for the Big Red.
