This is a big year for the 2011-born players in New England. It's the 15O season. It's when USHL and CHL (mainly the QMJHL) teams will have scouts at 15O games, keeping notes on '11s all season in preparation for their drafts come the spring and early summer. Another big storyline will be the U.S....
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This is a big year for the 2011-born players in New England.
It's the 15O season. It's when USHL and CHL (mainly the QMJHL) teams will have scouts at 15O games, keeping notes on '11s all season in preparation for their drafts come the spring and early summer.
Another big storyline will be the U.S. National Team Development Program. Evaluators will watch '11s all season in preparation for Evaluation Camp in March.
And, of course, college coaches begin trickling into their games to get in viewings.
Now, it's time for our first watch list for the '11s.
A lot will change in the next 12 months. This time last year, there were some '10s who were high in our first Top 50 who I didn't know much about. That's normal — and the same with the '11s. There are plenty of players not in this watch list who will be in our first Top 50.
Players eligible for this are either from New England or are playing in the region this coming season.
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Let's dive in.
Sam Archibald
Team: Mount St. Charles
Position: D
Height/weight: 6-1/174
Hometown: Canton, Mass.
Archibald is arguably the top '11 defenseman in New England. He's an offensive force, and with his size, his defensive game should continue growing. He looked like an NTDP candidate at USA Hockey's Select 15 Camp this summer, and should strengthen that case this coming season.
Emmet Aufiero
Team: Belmont Hill
Position: D
Height/weight: 6-1/155
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.
Aufiero got experience against older, stronger players last winter for Belmont Hill — even as an '11. That should serve him well in his second season for Belmont Hill this coming winter. He's a defensive force with a high IQ and a great stick. His biggest strengths are shutting down opposing players and making reliable puck plays.
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Nicholas Best
Team: Islanders Hockey Club
Position: F
Height/weight: 5-9/155
Hometown: Bethesda, Md.
Best had a big season for Mid Fairfield last season with 39 goals and 101 points across 88 games. He will move to the Islanders Hockey Club for this coming season.
Alexander Bobrov
Team: Boston Junior Eagles
Position: D
Height/weight: 5-11/172
Hometown: Milton, Mass.
At Select 15 Camp, Bobrov boosted his stock from a stout, two-way defenseman to a potential NTDP candidate for next season. He does everything really well. He's hard to play against and physical, while also showcasing a nice puck-moving and offensive game.
Deacon Brackett
Team: Mount St. Charles
Position: F
Height/weight: 5-7/125
Hometown: Hingham, Mass.
Sure, he's on the smaller side. But the Mount St. Charles product is a slippery skater and has fantastic skill, navigating through coverage with relative ease. He finds ways to the net and has no problem finding the open man, either. He should be due for a strong season with Mount's 15O team.
Brayden Campanale
Team: Boston Junior Eagles
Position: F
Height/weight: 5-10/165
Hometown: Norwell, Mass.
A standout for the Islanders last season, Campanale is moving to the Boston Junior Eagles. He's an effective play-driver and passer who consistently makes creative plays and can feed teammates prime scoring chances.
Rhys Del Giacco
Team: Shattuck-St. Mary's
Position: D
Height/weight: 6-0/152
Hometown: Middlebury, Vt.
Del Giacco didn't play in the region last year, skating for Shattuck-St. Mary's 14U team, posting five goals and 40 points in 59 games. The Vermont native had a lamplighter and a helper at Select 15 Camp, and will be back with Shattuck this season.
Griffin Erickson
Team: Deerfield
Position: F
Height/weight: 5-10/156
Hometown: Keene, N.H.
Erickson has shown himself to be a 200-foot center in my viewings of him, doing the little things and making an impact at both ends of the ice. He starred for Keene (N.H.) High School last season with 20 goals and 46 points in 22 games. He was also a standout for the Islanders.
Team: Mount St. Charles
Position: F
Height/weight: 6-1/165
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Fox was huge for Mount's 14U team last season, putting up 39 goals and 95 points in 59 games. The Texan was also dominant at Select 15 Camp with four goals and nine points in five games. He's a player to circle on the Mount 15s squad this fall and winter.
Jack Irwin
Team: Boston Junior Eagles
Position: D
Height/weight: 5-11/165
Hometown: Windham, N.H.
Irwin is an incredibly cerebral defenseman who does a lot of things right. In his own zone, he keeps great gaps and has an active stick to break up plays. With the puck on his stick, he's elusive and makes both intelligent and creative decisions.
Jaxson Kilimonis
Team: Masters Academy International
Position: D
Height/weight: 6-0/165
Hometown: Westford, Mass.
Kilimonis boosted his stock quite a bit at Select 15 Camp, ranking second among defensemen for scoring with seven points in five games. Along with having great offensive skills, he's responsible defensively and a good skater. He should be a great fit at Masters.
Tyler Kyle
Team: Masters Academy International
Position: D
Height/weight: 6-1/160
Hometown: Cary, N.C.
Kyle is going from the Islanders and Hillside School to Masters this coming season. He exploded for three goals and six points in five games at Select 15 Camp. His blend of size and offense from the blue line is intriguing.
Peter Lyden
Team: Mid Fairfield
Position: F
Height/weight: 5-2/115
Hometown: Stamford, Conn.
Sure, Lyden is smaller. But he plays like it doesn't matter. He's a quick skater who has great skill and makes intelligent decisions with the puck. He knows how to drive play, especially down the middle, drawing defenders to him and kicking pucks out to space. I'm fascinated to see how he develops as he gains muscle and grows.
Arjun Mangadu
Team: Mount St. Charles
Position: F
Height/weight: 5-11/155
Hometown: Livermore, Calif.
Mangadu is a commanding presence down the middle. He has a high level of skill, and you can tell he wants the puck on his stick at all times. He has a wicked release on his shot, too. He put up 103 points in 59 games for Mount's 14U team last season, and followed that up with seven points in five games at Select 15 Camp. He's a potential NTDP candidate.
Robbie McCann
Team: Mount St. Charles
Position: F
Height/weight: 5-9/150
Hometown: Worcester, Mass.
McCann had a very nice season with Mount's 14U team last winter, posting 41 goals and 78 points in 59 games. Where McCann really boosted his stock, however, was at Select 15 Camp with three goals and nine points in five games. Simply put, he can shoot the freaking lights out.
Team: Winchendon
Position: F
Height/weight: 5-11/170
Hometown: Andover, Mass.
McGovern led all '11s in prep last season with 19 goals and 32 points in 32 games for Austin Prep. He's a threat to score whenever he's in the offensive zone, with a great release and an ability to get to high-danger areas. That should bode well at Winchendon this winter.
Ethan Nelsen
Team: Mount St. Charles
Position: D
Height/weight: 6-2/195
Hometown: Dix Hills, N.Y.
In his 14U season with Mount, Nelsen scored 23 goals from the point. He added two goals and an assist at Select 15 Camp. I pinned him as a potential NTDP candidate at camp. While his offense was great, he was terrific in his own zone, defending hard off the rush and the cycle.
Colin O'Connor
Team: Islanders Hockey Club
Position: F
Height/weight: 6-1/155
Hometown: Foster, R.I.
O'Connor was huge for the River Rats 14U squad last season with 16 goals and 41 points in 32 games, but he's slated to move to the Islanders for this coming season. His mix of size and skill is intriguing, and he had two points at Select 15 Camp.
Bryce Powderly
Team: Cape Cod Whalers/Falmouth High (MIAA)
Position: D
Height/weight: 5-8/148
Hometown: North Falmouth, Mass.
Powderly was a standout for the Cape Cod Whalers last fall and Falmouth High School in the winter. With the Whalers, Powderly showed himself as a creative puck-mover, notching 10 goals and 28 points in 38 games. At Falmouth, against older, stronger players, he put up 20 points in 25 games.
Less than a year out from NTDP Evaluation Camp, Prudovsky is the top '11 in New England. On a stacked Dexter team last winter, he found a way to score 10 goals and post 22 points in 30 games. He's immensely skilled, smart and a phenomenal play driver down the middle.
Julian Ruiz
Team: Seacoast Performance Academy
Position: D
Height/weight: 5-8/148
Hometown: Gardena, Calif.
Ruiz has been a standout at Seacoast Performance Academy for the last two seasons, most recently tallying 11 goals and 60 points in 70 games for SPA's 14U team.
Bryce Schaller
Team: Choate
Position: D
Height/weight: 5-8/140
Hometown: Cromwell, Conn.
Choate has an intriguing new crop of talent coming in, and Schaller is at the forefront. While still young as an '11, he should make an impact in prep this winter after starring for the Northern Conn. Nor'Easters the last couple of years.
Lucas Sposito
Team: Boston Junior Eagles
Position: F
Height/weight: 5-6/120
Hometown: Avon, Conn.
Sposito had a nice year for the Junior Eagles 14U squad last season, posting 32 goals and 88 points in 63 games.
Team: Seacoast Performance Academy
Position: F
Height/weight: 5-9/150
Hometown: Salisbury, Mass.
I tagged Taylor as a potential NTDP prospect when I watched him at Select 15 Camp. The biggest thing with Taylor is his speed. His phenomenal skating allows him to do whatever he wants in the offensive zone. He has fantastic hands, too. He had a staggering 66 goals and 119 points for SPA's 14U team last winter.
David Teply
Team: Mid Fairfield
Position: F
Height/weight: 5-8/145
Hometown: Stamford, Conn.
There's no disputing that Teply can score goals. The Stamford, Conn., native had 35 goals for Mid Fairfield's 14U team last winter, before potting three in five games at Select 15 Camp. He's back with Mid Fairfield this season.
Gavin Thomas
Team: Mount St. Charles
Position: F
Height/weight: 5-3/112
Hometown: Livonia, N.Y.
Thomas is a blast to watch. Sure, he's on the smaller side. But he's fearless with his compete, fighting hard to get to the net front to gain position. He has fantastic hands, can navigate through coverage and can get into high-danger areas. He had 69 points in 49 games for Mount's 14U team last winter.
Hunter Thompson
Team: Neponset Valley River Rats
Position: F
Height/weight: 5-10/155
Hometown: Salem, N.H.
Thompson was a standout for the 14U River Rats last season with 46 points. He followed it up with a strong showing at Select 15 Camp, notching a goal and four points in five games.
Watson was a standout for the Junior Eagles last season before carving out a role for himself on a stacked Dexter Southfield team, posting nine points in 30 games. He moved into NTDP territory for me at Select 15 Camp, consistently controlling the pace of the game when the puck was on his stick. He plays with power.
Chris Welby
Team: St. Sebastian's (prep)
Position: F
Height/weight: 6-0/195
Hometown: Westwood, Mass.
Welby showed himself as one of the top '11s at Select 15 Camp, playing with his typical ability to score (six goals in five games) and an edge, playing physically and being a pest to play against. He put up eight points for St. Sebastian's last winter and is due for a big breakout this winter.
Team: Mount St. Charles
Position: D
Height/weight: 5-9/135
Hometown: Fairfield, Conn.
Wood had a nice season for Mount's 14U team last winter with four goals and 28 points. He's an apt puck-mover and good skater who eludes pressure well in the offensive zone and on breakouts. He's back at Mount St. Charles this fall.
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Emmet Aufiero
Mason McGovern
Bryce Powderly
Max Prudovsky
Hunter Thompson
