Harvard University coaches hosted a group of approximately 50 players to the school’s Bright-Landry Hockey Center for the ‘04 Crimson Combine. This was the last in a series of four combines that also featured the '05 and '06 birth years.
The two-day event was held August 12-13, 2019. Many players at the '04 Crimson Combine had been at July’s USA Hockey Select 15 Player Development Camp at the Northtown Center in Amherst, N.Y. While none of the players here appear to be candidates for USA Hockey’s NTDP, there are prospects capable of playing junior and college hockey.
The players were split into four teams and took part in games, on-ice practices, off-ice informational sessions, and a campus tour. On Tuesday afternoon, White (Team 1) defeated Crimson (Team 4) by a score of 3-2 in the first game. The second contest was more lopsided with White (Team 3) coming away with a 7-1 victory over Crimson (Team 2).
New England Hockey Journal watched both games Tuesday afternoon and came up with the following list of standouts from the '04 Crimson Combine:
Forwards
William Moore
Culver 16U, 3/22/04, Left Shot, 5-7/151
Moore had three goals and an assist. He skates well, has skill, and knows where to go to find pucks. Two of his goals were just being in the right place at the right time. He was the clear standout and the top college prospect in the showcase.
Brendan Maher
LI Royals 15’s, 3/10/04, Left Shot, 5-4.5/142
Maher had a goal, but impressed for his speed, puck pursuit, quick release and playmaking ability.
James Shannon
Brunswick, 8/12/04, Right Shot, 5-7.5/152
Shannon, who had two assists, competes, plays physically, and has a hard shot. One of his assists was on a low, hard shot that was banged home for a rebound goal by one of his linemates.
Noah Eyre
Shattuck St. Mary’s 15’s, 6/22/04, Right Shot, 5-9.25/166
Eyre is a power forward with a hard shot. He had a goal on a hard shot that beat the goaltender cleanly from the right wing circle.
Bobby Landry
Dexter, 3/22/04, Right Shot, 5-9.75/140
Landry had a nice assist. He gave a behind-the-back pass to a linemate from the left wing circle. His ability to be heavy on pucks and create time and space for his linemates is notable.
Connor Welsh
Brunswick, 1/2/04, Right Shot, 5-9/146
Welsh has skill and skating ability. He scored a goal. Once he bulks up and plays more inside the circles, he could impact the game more than he does.
Ben MacDonald
Nobles, 2/24/04, Left Shot, 5-9.25/146
MacDonald, who plays the game the right way and with above average hockey sense, had a goal.
James Fisher
Belmont Hill, 4/28/04, Right Shot, 5-11.5/155
Fisher didn’t find the score sheet, but he displayed his usual ability to be a power forward who is hard to knock off pucks.
Beanie Richter
Brunswick, 8/20/04, Left Shot, 5-10.25/148
Richter skates well and is a prospect to keep an eye on. He’s the son of former New York Rangers goaltender Mike Richter.
Ian Spencer
Chicago Fury 15’s, 9/9/04, Left Shot, 5-8/151
Dylan Thorn
Team Maryland 15’s, 9/14/04, Right Shot, 5-7.75/153
Anthony Yu
Shattuck St. Mary’s 15’s, 7/10/04, Right Shot, 5-8/145
Yu skates well and is crafty. He scored a goal by finding a seam in the opposing defense and finishing.
Jake Manfre
LI Gulls 16U, 4/22/04, Left Shot, 5-10.75/203
Manfre wasn’t able to get much going offensively, but he did show a glimpse of his ability to be heavy and hard on pucks. He’s big and can protect pucks by using his strong core to fend off opposing defenders.
Perry Gaudreau
Mount Saint Charles 15’s, 9/22/04, Right Shot, 5-11/160
Gaudreau scored a goal on a nice play where he patiently waited out the goaltender before sliding the puck home. He has a hard shot and good size, but his feet and hockey sense are two areas that he can work on as he looks to continue improving.
Tyler Wishart
Westchester Express, 4/1/04, Left Shot, 5-8/145
Wishart has some skill and made a couple of plays, including one for an assist.
Antonio Arcaroli
North Jersey Avalanche 15’s, 7/12/04, Left Shot, 6-0/180
Arcaroli has good size and is able to use that to his advantage. He has a hard shot. If he can work on his feet and offensive instincts, he’ll become an even better player.
Zachary Wagnon
NJ Rockets 15’s, 3/26/04, Right Shot, 5-9.75/153
Wagnon had a goal.
Defensemen
Kazimier Sobieski
Shattuck St. Mary’s 15’s, 4/12/04, Right Shot, 5-10.25/167
Sobieski is a promising prospect who can play well both ways. He skates well, has a very good stick, and makes some good plays defending the rush.
Anthony Khaimov
Undecided, 6/19/04, Left Shot, 5-11/152
Khaimov is a defensive defenseman who is tough to play against. He closes quickly and limits opponents’ time and space. He’s able to get into shooting and passing lanes. While he’s not the most offensively gifted defenseman, he keeps things simple and plays within himself.
Bryceon Lago
North Jersey Avalanche 16U, 5/20/04, Left Shot, 5-5/122
Lago is a smaller, offensive defenseman. His mobility and puck skills allow him to be a force when rushing pucks up ice.
Asher Wites
Shattuck St. Mary’s 15’s, 6/25/04, Right Shot, 5-9.5/136
Wites is an offensive defenseman with above average size for this age. He’s not overly flashy, but he can move pucks up ice.
Ryan Buckley
St. George’s, 1/6/04, Right Shot, 5-11/150
Buckley is a solid defensive defenseman who skates well and has the potential to be a reliable force in his own zone. He looks to have added a little bit of size and a step since the prep season.
Matthew Biotti
EC Wizards 15’s, 8/27/04, Right Shot, 6-2.25/170
Biotti is a big, raw defensive defenseman. He skates well for his size and got in the way of a couple scoring chances.
Eddie Romano
LI Gulls 16’s, 2/24/04, Left Shot, 5-8.25/168
Romano is a rugged, physically mature defender. His mobility is above average and he has a hard shot.
Timmy Busconi
Boston Advantage 15’s, Right Shot, 5-10/140
Busconi made a couple of nice plays and is a player to keep an eye on moving forward as he enters prep or midget hockey.
Goaltenders
Jackson Reda
Chicago Fury 15’s, 8/29/04, Catches Left, 5-10/149
Reda isn’t overly big, but he’s a solid goaltender with good technique. He wasn’t tested a lot, but made a couple notable saves in his team’s 7-1 win.
Matthew Watson
Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs, 2/25/04, Catches Left, 5-10/150
Watson is a big goaltender who moved well. He takes up a lot of the net and gave up just two goals in his start.
