The 2004 birth year is a talented group across the United States with New England being no exception. There are a number of '04s from the region who will have successful college careers and close to a dozen who are likely to hear their names called at the NHL draft in 2022 or 2023.
Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire all have at least two to three players who could legitimately be in the discussion for best '04 by New England state. Maine, Rhode Island and Vermont have a clear-cut top player who is not a stretch for the nomination, compared to some of the other surrounding birth years.
When looking at the New England '04s, it’s interesting to note that many of the top players didn’t make the U.S. National Team Development Program and a few were even passed by entirely during the 2020 USHL Phase I draft. While the top players by state haven’t changed much, there have certainly been players in this age group whose development has soared and others who have stalled or regressed. It’s just another example of this whole process being a marathon and not a sprint.
MORE 'BEST OF NEW ENGLAND' BY STATE: '01s | '02s | '03s | '05s | '06s
Connecticut
Charlie Leddy
NTDP U18, 1/11/04, D, right shot, 6-1/176
NCAA commit: Boston College
Leddy is a good sized, strong, defensive defenseman. The Fairfield, Conn., native was a steadying presence on a NTDP blue line that was known for jumping up ice and being mobile puck transporters. Leddy brings a physical element to the ice and can make simple plays in transition. While he didn’t get much in the way of power play time with the NTDP, he’d have been afforded that opportunity if he had stayed in prep. That’s not to say he shouldn’t have gone to the NTDP. It’s more to point out that he would have put up better offensive numbers, if he hadn’t made the NTDP. He should be a solid four-year contributor for BC as a second pairing guy.
Maine
Brock James
Northfield Mount Hermon, 6/1/04, RW, right shot, 6-0/170
NCAA commit: Maine
James is a player who never made a USA Hockey national camp, but kept chugging away. The junior scored 12 goals and had 24 assists in 25 games for NMH. His strong play with the Hoggers and with GBL Bruins earned him an offer from his home state Black Bears. His skating, skill and compete are all strong, which should translate well to the USHL and then NCAA. From Falmouth, Maine, he’ll likely spend two seasons in junior before matriculating to Orono.
Massachusetts
Cam Lund
Green Bay Gamblers, 6/7/04, C, right shot, 6-2/185
NCAA commit: Northeastern
Lund’s development trajectory is an interesting one to look at. In large part due to COVID, he spent 2020-21 with three different teams. In 2021-22, his first full season of Tier 1 junior hockey, Lund scored 25 goals and had 25 assists in 60 games with Green Bay in the USHL. The Bridgewater, Mass., native is a tall, lanky center who skates well, sees the ice well, and has skill. He has the ability to play with jam and has a ton of potential, especially if he continues being more consistent in terms of playing in the middle of the ice. Lund should fit in well in Northeastern’s offensive system as he begins his college career with the Huskies. The Cushing and South Shore Kings product has a legitimate chance to be a second-round pick in the 2022 NHL draft. After late '03 Jack Hughes, Lund is projected to be the second New Englander taken in July in Montreal.
New Hampshire
Jackson Kyrkostas
Kimball Union, 8/19/04, C/RW, right shot, 5-10/165
NCAA commit: RPI
Kyrkostas is a skilled, slick forward who can play center or wing. While his skill set gets much of the attention, his vision and offensive creativity are underrated aspects of his game. After playing for the Islanders Hockey Club midget program for a few years, the Windham, N.H., resident made the jump to Kimball Union for 2021-22. In 28 games, he had 10 goals and 31 assists while helping the Wildcats to the NEPSAC Elite 8 semifinals. As a result of his strong offensive play, he began to receive college interest and eventually committed to RPI. As he bulks up and continues progressing away from the puck, his all-around game will get even better.
Rhode Island
Brady Berard
NTDP U18, 2/26/04, C/LW, left shot, 6-0/179
NCAA commit: Providence
Berard, hailing from East Greenwich, R.I., is an athletic, bottom-six forward who will compete hard, kill penalties and be hard on the forecheck for the Friars when he begins his college career in the fall. The former Bishop Hendricken and Mount Saint Charles standout just finished his second season with the NTDP. In 2021-22 with the program’s U18 team, he scored four goals and six assists in 47 games played. He’ll be following in the footsteps of his brother, Brett, and father, David, when he skates for PC.
Vermont
Owen Benoit
Maine Nordiques 18-U, 6/17/04, D, left shot, 6-3/181
The St. Albans, Vt., native came up through the Vermont Dynamo Hockey Club youth organization. The 2021-22 season was his first outside of that group since before bantam hockey. He was a relative unknown until the 2021 New England District Festival. In 49 games for the Maine Nordiques 18-U, Benoit scored five goals and had eight assists while racking up six penalty minutes. Benoit has good size, skates well, and has some potential to blossom into a reliable, steady, bottom-pairing defenseman at the Division 1 level. He’s still a project, but if he learns to play with more jam, his stock will go up over the coming years as he progresses through junior hockey.
