ROCKLAND, Mass. — From Thursday through Sunday, prospects in the 2008-2014 birth years competed across the state in the Eastern Exposure Cup, playing in various different rinks throughout Massachusetts.
The tournament brought teams from around the continent to the northeast, as many college coaches, scouts and agents took in the action. You can bet representatives from the United States National Team Development Program were there, too.
It was fascinating to watch, as there were lots of top '08 prospects in attendance. Many of them will be considered for NTDP evaluation camp spots.
I focused mainly on the '08s with one '09 game sprinkled in.
Here are the players who caught my attention.
Luke Allen
Boston Jr. Eagles 15O, 5/20/2008, F, right shot, 5-foot-8/150 pounds
Hometown: Billerica, Mass.Â
Allen set the tone early Friday night. The Lawrence Academy student intercepted a Mid Fairfield pass at the offensive blue line within the first moments of the game, got a breakaway and scored. He almost scored another goal later in the second half when he made a really nice play coming out of the corner — using his good hands to find the high slot — and fired a shot off the crossbar. He forechecked really hard and played with an edge.
William Bent
Mount St. Charles 15O, 3/12/2008, F, right shot, 6 feet/165 pounds
Hometown: Dover, Mass.Â
Bent has a pro frame and is very assertive — two strong traits when it comes to projecting players. In Saturday morning's game, he was great in his own zone, using his good stick and ability to get under opposing players to break up plays. He drives play well and is great at gaining zone entries.
David Bosco
Boston Jr. Eagles 15O, 2/8/2008, F, right shot, 5-foot-10/150 pounds
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.Â
Bosco's compete impressed me most on Friday night. The Eagles were on the penalty kill quite a bit, which means Bosco saw a lot of time down a player. He was aggressive on Mid Fairfield's puck-handlers at the top of the zone and interrupted breakouts well. At one point, he earned a shorthanded breakaway. He showed good vision quite a bit, too, when he was able to successfully find open teammates in the offensive zone.
Maximus Crete
Upper Canada Cyclones, 4/24/2004, F, left shot, 5-8/163
Hometown: Ottawa, Ont.Â
He was the Cyclones' best and most dynamic player in my viewing of them. He was great at protecting the puck and had a ton of offensive confidence. Early in the second half against Mount St. Charles, he dangled a defender and sniped one past the opposing goalie. Overall, he was Crete's primary offensive weapon.
Dylan Dean
Long Island Gulls 15O, 5/14/2008, F, left shot
Hometown: Maple Grove, Minn.Â
Dean, a former member of the Mount St. Charles program, drove play well for the Gulls. Throughout my viewings of him, he's highly effective off of the rush and has good hands, which is how he generates many of his chances.
BEANTOWN: 9 uncommitted 18U standouts from Beantown Classic
Oskar Drabczynski
Mid Fairfield 15O, 2008, D, left shot, 5-foot-10/181 pounds
Drabczynski moved the puck with ease no matter where he was on the ice. His good skating and great vision allowed him to do so. Even under pressure, Drabczynski consistently made smart puck plays. Mid Fairfield had Drabczynski at the point running the power play and he was either able to set up teammates or get his shots through. He plays with a ton of confidence.
Jameson Glance
Mount St. Charles 15O, 9/23/2008, F, right shot,
Hometown: West Newbury, Mass.Â
Friday night was the most dynamic I've seen Glance this fall. He has a really good release on his shot, as he demonstrated on his goal late in the game. He also showcased great hands in tight when coming off the half wall with the puck, as he was able to sift through players and either get to interior ice or make a smart pass. He followed that up with a strong performance Saturday morning when he posted another goal. Glance is trending upward.
Carter Meyer
Boston Jr. Eagles 14U, 4/10/2009, F, left shot, 5-foot-9/150 pounds
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.Â
The lone '09 game I watched came on Thursday night when the Jr. Eagles battled the North York Rangers at Harvard. Meyer was terrific. Every time he got possession of the puck, he was able to slow the game down and skillfully weave his way through the opposition. He scored a beautiful goal that exact way — dangling through defensemen and then faking out the goalie. Meyer continues to be one of the top '09 prospects in the region.
Tommy Saulnier
Boston Jr. Eagles 15O, 2/15/2008, G, catches left, 5-foot-10/145 pounds
Hometown: Medfield, Mass.Â
Mid Fairfield didn't get a ton of shots on Friday night, but the ones that reached Saulnier were Grade-A chances. He stopped all but one, with Mid Fairfield's lone goal coming late on a net-front scramble to tie the game, 1-1. It looked like the puck just kept finding him as the game wore on. That's all thanks to his strong positioning in the crease.
Luke Schairer
Mount St. Charles 15O, January 2008, D, right shot, 6-foot-3/174 pounds
Schairer has the advantage of being a 6-foot-3 defenseman and uses it well. He had strong gaps on Friday night and used his stick well to break up plays off the rush. At the offensive blue line, he showcased a quick release on his shots from the point.
Brady Sloper
Boston Jr. Eagles 15O, 5/21/2008, D, right shot, 6-foot-0/175 pounds
Hometown: North Andover, Mass.Â
Sloper made life difficult in front of his own net in both viewings I had of the 15O Eagles. In Saturday morning's game, he got chippy with a Team Illinois forward in front of the net and before the ensuing faceoff, Sloper was poking at him with his stick. Getting under his skin worked, as that Team Illinois forward took a penalty seconds later when the puck was dropped. Sloper also skates well and makes smart plays with the puck.
Nick Sumner
Boston Jr. Eagles 15O, 2/13/2008, F, right shot, 5-11/146
Hometown: Hingham, Mass.Â
Sumner stood out to me a bunch on Saturday morning. He skates with power and has a nice stride. His size allows him to protect pucks well and overpower defenders. He has a good release on his shot, too. He potted a goal while I was watching him when he got to a high-danger area and finished off a nice play.
Matthew Wallace
Carolina Jr. Hurricanes 15O, 4/2/2008, F, right shot
Hometown: Seminole, Fla.Â
I didn't watch a ton of the Jr. Hurricanes, but when I did, Wallace stood out. He was super dynamic and showed off a great pair of hands. When he had the puck in the corner, he was patient and waited for passing seams to open up. He scored a really nice goal on Saturday morning, showcasing a great release off of the rush.
FALL VS. PREP: What's more important in college recruiting?Â
Easton Wallos
Mount St. Charles 15O, 12/28/2008, F, left shot, 5-10/161
Hometown: Hartland, Wisc.Â
In Friday night's game, Wallos continued to impress with his ability to be an elite 200-foot player, which isn't something always seen from the best players at this age level. He supports plays and recognizes the best ways to help out his linemates. He's dangerous with the puck on his stick. On one sequence, he gained the offensive zone, protected the puck well as he skated around the offensive zone and made a smart, one-handed pass as a Gulls defender was holding him, which led to a Mount St. Charles power play. He also notched an assist later in the game on Matthew Krayer's (Concord, Mass.) goal. Wallos is a prospect to watch for NTDP evaluation camp in the spring.
