The MIAA boys hockey state tournament is one of the most exciting spectacles on the yearly sports calendar.
The road to get there is pretty cool, too.
Lots has been made about the lack of high-end, Division 1 college hockey prospects in the MIAA in recent years. These days, players leave early for preps or the academies. That’s true.
But there are still plenty of quality prospects in the MIAA this winter. Some might go on to play Division 1 hockey one day, while others will be key cogs for state title contenders.
Year after year, it comes down to who wants it more. That’s the beauty of the MIAA.
Here are 14 players to keep an eye on this winter in the MIAA.
Noah Albright, sr., F, Framingham
Albright led Framingham in points last season with 38 and was featured on the Flyers’ top line. With Brendan Peck off to Brooks in prep hockey, Albright will be head coach Dan Riva’s go-to offensive weapon, as he has good hands and is very physical. At 6-foot-1 and 181 pounds, Albright has the size and strength to be one of the premier '06 forwards in the state this winter. He also will be the captain for Framingham. Another impactful forward will be senior Jeremy Auren, who posted 32 points last season.
Nick D’Olympio, soph., F, Catholic Memorial
D’Olympio made quite the impact as a freshman last season, scoring eight goals and 15 points. He plays with a lot of skill and he shows that off in tandem with his great vision, as he’s always able to find an open teammate in the neutral and offensive zones. CM lost Tyler Hamilton and Joe Marchi to prep hockey, so D’Olympio will be even more of a catalyst for head coach Larry Rooney’s team this winter. It’s worth it for Division 1 college recruiters to watch his games.
Cam Fahey, sr., F, Reading
Fahey was a big reason Reading went all the way to the MIAA Division 1 state semifinal last March. He posted 12 goals and 21 points while establishing himself as a strong two-way presence. He’s a smart player in the offensive zone with an ability to find and create space — for both him and his linemates. With Laz Giardina off to prep hockey, Fahey will be a go-to producer for Reading.
Jack Fitzpatrick, soph., F, Xaverian
Xaverian lost various impactful forwards from last season’s team that made it all the way to TD Garden. Standing at 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, Fitzpatrick has the power and puck-protection skills to be a force at the MIAA level. He enters the MIAA season fresh off a very strong fall for the East Coast Militia’s 16-U team.
Connor Fryberger, sr., F, Catholic Memorial
Fryberger was one of the strongest all-around players in the MIAA last season as a junior. He scored 13 goals and added 13 assists, sometimes centering the top line. At 6-foot-4, Fryberger uses his size to protect the puck from opponents and plow through defenses. He’s an early candidate for the best player in MIAA hockey.
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Chris Hanifan, sr., G, Reading
Reading went on an incredible run to the Division 1 state semifinal last March, and Hanifan’s strong play in net was a huge reason why. The senior has returned with another long run into the playoffs on the mind. He’s one of the top goalies in the MIAA.
Jake Jarrell, sr., D, Pope Francis
Jarrell, along with defensive partner Zachary Buffone, will be Pope Francis’ anchor on the blue line. Jarrell plays a hard-nosed game and put up five goals and 16 points last season. He’s a legitimate Division 1 college hockey prospect.
Evan Jones, soph., D, Arlington
Jones stood out quite a bit last year as a freshman for his smooth puck-moving abilities on the back end. Forechecking in the MIAA can be fast and physical, which is usually a lot for a freshman to handle. That wasn’t the case for Jones, as he calmly moved the puck out of his own zone with poise. What will be interesting to watch this season is just how good his offensive numbers will be with a young Spy Ponders squad.
Mossy Kearney, sr., F, Pope Francis
Pope Francis lost a lot of offense from last season’s title-winning team in CJ Watroba and Josh Iby. As good as those two were, it was actually Kearney who led head coach Brian Foley’s team in points with 40. He’s a natural producer who should continue to do that this winter.
Cole Pouliot-Porter, sr., G, Xaverian
Pouliot-Porter enters the winter as the best goalie in the MIAA for a reason. The athletic netminder carried Xaverian to the Division 1 state final last March, coming oh-so-close to getting his team a championship. He followed that by being one of the best goalies at the Mass. Hockey Festival and doing the same at USA Hockey’s Select 17 Camp, where he posted a 2.38 goals-against average and .922 save percentage in six appearances. His ability to get in position to stop anything makes him one of the better '06 goalies in the country.
Nick Ritchie, jr., G, Pope Francis
Is he the biggest goalie in the world? Far from it — he comes in at 5-foot-7. But he’s a competitor, extremely athletic and tracks pucks at a high level. He led Foley’s team to winning the Division 1 state title last season, so yeah, he’s pretty good. An ’07, he also had a strong showing in his age group at the Mass. Hockey Festival in May.
Christian Rosa, sr., F, St. John’s Prep
Rosa has a high offensive creativity level. He has great hands and can set up teammates with ease. The Boston native had 15 goals and 27 points last season. You can be sure that failing to get to TD Garden will be on Rosa and his teammates’ minds this season.
Peter Silverman, sr., F, Winthrop
Winthrop was one of the better teams in Division 4 last season, going 16-3-1. That was in large part because of Silverman’s dominant play up front. The 5-foot-10 North Suburban Wings product scored 26 goals and totaled a whopping 50 points as a junior. He’s projected to make an even greater impact this season.
Jake Vana, sr., F, St. John’s Prep
When the topic turns to high compete levels, it’s hard to overlook Vana. As a junior, the three-sport superstar tallied 13 goals and 27 points, playing a huge role in SJP getting the No. 1 seed in the state tournament. Hockey isn’t even his primary sport, as he’s committed to Princeton to play lacrosse.
