FOXBORO, Mass. — Summer is over. Sorry, kids. Sure, the last day of the season isn't technically until Sept. 22, but the River Rats Jamboree/Beast Launch was Sunday through Tuesday.
Fall is here. And with that, fall hockey.
Several teams at the 14U, 15O, 16U, 18U, and 19U levels gathered at multiple rinks across southern Massachusetts. It's always one of the best events of the year, giving scouts a chance to watch so many birth years.
I spent the event focused on the 18U level, which was primarily the '08 and '09 birth years, with some '10s sprinkled in. Some players were missing because of junior hockey camps.
Here were the teams I saw:
- Neponset Valley River Rats
- Yale Junior Bulldogs
- Northern Conn. Nor’Easter
- Brookline Whalers
- Boston Hockey Academy
- Atlantic Coast Academy
- Neponset Valley River Rats East
- Holy Name Bears
- Hartford Junior Wolfpack
I've already covered the standout forwards. Let's dive into the standout defensemen and goalies.
Christian Capone
Yale Junior Bulldogs, 9/18/2009, G, catches left, 6-0/185
Hometown: East Haven, Conn.Â
In Monday's game, the River Rats peppered Capone, but he was perfect. The Salisbury netminder was great at corralling rebounds and keeping the River Rats' high-end forwards from getting second and third chances. He tracked pucks well and was especially good with his glove.
Tegan Gregory
Islanders Hockey Club West, 5/4/2008, D, left shot, 5-9/160
Hometown: DenverÂ
I've always liked Gregory, and that continued when I watched him on Tuesday. His elusiveness was impressive both on breakouts from behind his own net and defensive zone exits. He showed poise in transporting pucks through the neutral zone and in the offensive zone.
Matthew Koch
Northern Conn. Nor'Easter, 1/30/2009, D, left shot, 6-1/185
Hometown: New York, N.Y.
NCAA: YaleÂ
Koch played like a top defender at the event. He's a strong skater at his size, using that skating to get on top of forwards when they entered his zone and cut off lanes to the net. He showcased a good stick, too. I also really liked how and when Koch activated off the rush, driving play out of his own zone and making strong first passes to wings on either side of him.
Daniel Maglathlin
Islanders Hockey Club East, 3/7/2008, D, left shot, 5-8/175
Hometown: Newtown, Penn.Â
Maglathlin showed his ability to quarterback a power play with his mobility at the point and creativity in moving pucks low. He seemed to get every shot through in my viewing on Tuesday. He scored on one in the first half against the Nor'Easter. Maglathlin had five goals and 15 points as a junior at Winchendon last winter.
READ MORE: What’s the future of fall hockey?
Dylan Mallgrave
Yale Junior Bulldogs, 5/3/2008, D, right shot, 6-1/190
Hometown: Summit, N.J.Â
This is a big year for the senior at Kent, and he's off to a good start in the fall. Mallgrave looks much bigger and played stronger. He was physical, landing big hits. He did a good job of getting his stick on the puck when opposing players had it, before following through with clean hits. Mallgrave also reliably moved pucks.
Logan Moulton
Boston Hockey Academy, 4/3/2009, G, catches left, 6-1/174
Hometown: Grafton, Mass.Â
The first fall event can be ruthless on goalies, but Moulton looked great against the River Rats East squad. He made multiple good stretch saves across the crease. He robbed a River Rats East forward on a breakaway later in the game. His mobility really stood out. Moulton was on the BHA 16U team last winter.
Jack O'Dell
Neponset Valley River Rats, 7/30/2009, D, right shot, 6-2/185
Hometown: Wilmette, Ill.
NCAA: PrincetonÂ
NHL scouts were in attendance to watch O'Dell at every one of his games at the jamboree. Against the Yale Junior Bulldogs, he laid a big hit on his first shift. He transported pucks well, too. Continuing to do everything really well will improve his draft stock in the eyes of NHL scouts.
Tucker O'Neil
Islanders Hockey Club West, 4/18/2008, D, right shot, 6-1/190
Hometown: Duxbury, Mass.Â
O'Neil potted two goals against the Yale Junior Bulldogs. One was a seeing-eye shot from the point that snuck through. Shortly after, O'Neil got the puck at the point, skated in and ripped a wrister over the netminder's glove. He also laid a nice hit later in the game and was very physical.
Tyler Poti
Islanders Hockey Club East, 5/20/2010, D, left shot, 6-4/190
Hometown: Sandwich, Mass.
NCAA: QuinnipiacÂ
Poti recently turned heads at Rouyn-Noranda's (QMJHL) camp and, since the end of last prep season, has established himself as one of the premier '10 defensemen in New England. Against the Nor'Easter, he maintained great gaps and made phenomenal passes through traffic and in tight lanes. His skating for his size at his age is the basis of how good he is — and can be.
READ MORE: 11 standout 18U forwards from the River Rats Jamboree/Beast Launch
Ryker Rieling
Northern Conn. Nor'Easter, 7/16/2009, D, right shot, 6-0/185
Hometown: Washington, D.C.Â
Rieling's mobility was his best asset in my viewings. He was adept at puck retrievals, executing shoulder checks before calmly picking pucks up from behind the net, keeping his head up and making a smart first pass while evading forechecking pressure.
