MARLBORO, Mass. — There wasn’t a single player from the Bay State to make the NTDP from the 2004 birth year. However, a little over a year later and this ’04 group from Massachusetts is showing itself to be a deep and talented one.
There was plenty of talent on display last weekend at the Massachusetts Hockey CCM High Performance Festival. Players were competing for a spot at USA Hockey Select 17 Player Development Camp during the three-day event at New England Sports Center.
There were some ’04s who showed they are worthy of significant interest ahead of the 2022 NHL draft. Several others made a case for why they should have a commitment in the near future.
The defensemen in Massachusetts in the ’04 birth year are particularly strong and deep. I can make a strong case for several players who didn’t earn a spot at national camp. Below are my rankings and evaluations of the top prospects from the Massachusetts Hockey CCM High Performance Festival. Note: An asterisk next to a player’s name indicates he was selected to attend USA Hockey Select 17 Player Development Camp this June at Northtown Center in Amherst, N.Y., a suburb of Buffalo.
Forwards
1. Cam Lund *
Junior Bruins, 6/7/04, C, right shot, 6-1/165
NCAA commit: Northeastern
There was no doubt as to who was the best forward among the ’04s at the Mass. Festival. Lund had at least two goals and added a couple of helpers. The Bridgewater, Mass., native has the skating, skill, deception and size that make him a very intriguing pro prospect. He’s certainly in position to be a second- or third-round pick in the 2022 draft.
2. Michael Stenberg *
Des Moines Buccaneers, 9/22/04, RW, right shot, 6-2/185
NCAA commit: Penn State
Stenberg’s USHL experience this winter showed in terms of how he played here. The Needham, Mass., native found the scoresheet a lot. He was heavy on pucks, won battles below the goal line on the forecheck, and drove the net. Stenberg isn’t a poor skater, but it’s an area of his game that could catch up to his size, strength and compete.
3. Chris Delaney *
Junior Bruins, 9/25/04, C/LW, left shot, 5-6/134
Delaney isn’t the third best pro prospect among forwards here, but he earned this ranking by how he played over the weekend. The Hopkinton, Mass., native is on the smaller side, but he was around the puck and involved in the play. He had a goal and an assist in the All-Star Game. He’s quick, crafty and doesn’t back down from bigger opposing players. He might be undersized, but every school in Hockey East should be interested in Delaney.
4. Michael Callow *
St. Sebastian’s/CC Whalers 16-U, 1/15/04, RW, right shot, 6-2/170
NCAA commit: Harvard
Callow, from South Boston, Mass., is a power forward who oozes potential. He’s big, skates with explosiveness, and shows glimpses, as he did here. He scored a couple of goals and was more consistently noticeable than many of his peers. When Callow puts it all together, he looks like a legit prospect for the 2022 draft.
5. Grayson Badger *
Dexter Southfield/CC Whalers 16-U, 5/9/04, RW, right shot, 6-0/170
There is never any doubt as to the effort you’re going to get from Badger, who hails from Hyde Park, Mass. He brings energy and compete to each shift. He scored a goal in the All-Star Game. As it stands right now, Badger could be an effective bottom-six forward for several Hockey East programs. If he continues to work on his skating and hockey sense, as I believe he can, his projected ceiling could be higher.
6. Ben MacDonald *
Nobles/EC Wizards 16-U, 2/24/04, C, left shot, 5-11/160
MacDonald is a smart, two-way forward who is trending in the right direction. I thought he was good here, but there is still room for growth. He sees the ice well and can slow the game down. The Weston, Mass., native is a good skater who has become more dynamic over the past 12 months, as he showed here at times. I’d expect MacDonald to be committed to an Ivy League school in the near future.
7. James Fisher
Belmont Hill/EC Wizards 16-U, 4/28/04, RW, right shot, 6-2/170
Fisher was a little quiet here. The Wilmington, Mass., native is a power forward with good size, a strong skating stride, and an ability to impact the offense. In my viewings here, he was held off the scoresheet. I still thought he showed some signs and was around the puck some.
8. Andrew Garzone
Deerfield/CC Whalers 16-U, 5/30/04, RW, right shot, 5-11/160
Garzone continues to get better. I’ve said this many times over the past few months, but this weekend Garzone proved again that he’s one of the most improved players in the region. He plays a hard, north-south game. The Dover, Mass., native is around the puck a lot, disrupting the opposition’s breakout, and brings a physical element to the game. His offensive skill-set might be a little limited as far as college goes, but there is absolutely a role for him on several Division 1 teams.
9. Bobby Landry *
Dexter Southfield/CC Whalers 16-U, 3/22/04, C, right shot, 6-0/161
NCAA commit: Harvard
Landry is a forward whose skating and hockey sense are above average. The Hingham, Mass., native wasn’t as productive as some other forwards here. There’s still some potential, but he needs to be more consistent in terms of his production and involvement in the play.
10. Matthew Lewis
Mount Saint Charles 16-U, 3/16/04, RW, right shot, 5-10/174
Lewis, from Pembroke, Mass., isn’t the flashiest of players. He’s just average sized and his skating won’t blow anyone away. However, I thought he was unequivocally one of the 10 most impactful forwards over the course of the weekend. He scored a goal in the All-Star Game and grinded all weekend. He hunted pucks and was around the play a lot.
11. Henry Wilson
Junior Bruins 16-U, 5/13/04, LW, left shot, 6-0/161
Wilson is a very good skater whose physical tools always leave you wanting more. He scored a goal in the All-Star Game and had a couple of solid moments throughout the weekend. If he can work on his size, his skating and the physicality he brings are assets that could land him a spot on a Division 1 roster some day.
12. William Hughes
Dexter Southfield/CC Whalers 16-U, 1/14/04, C/RW, right shot, 6-2/185
NCAA commit: Harvard
Hughes has the potential with his size, skating and stick. The Andover, Mass., native was held off the scoresheet and didn’t impact the game enough, given his natural ability. With his physical tools, he’ll be a player on the radar of NHL scouts over the next 12 months.
Defensemen
1. Ryan Healey *
Sioux Falls Stampede, 5/19/04, right shot, 6-1/170
NCAA commit: Harvard
Even in a very strong defensive grouping, Healey clearly demonstrated he was the best blueliner here. His skating and ability to promote possession are elite attributes. The Hull, Mass., native oozes confidence and made a lot of great plays in transition. When he was on the ice, his team always seemed to be moving forward. His defensive-zone play is still a work in progress, but his impact on possession makes it so he’s not having to defend often. With another year in Sioux Falls, he’ll very likely be a second-round pick.
2. Jackson Dorrington *
Junior Bruins, 4/13/04, left shot, 6-1/185
NCAA commit: Northeastern
Dorrington has been a good player for a few years now, whether it be at Cushing or with the Eastern Mass. Senators. Here, I thought he showed the maturation of his game that was sped up by his jump to junior hockey. The North Reading, Mass., native has gotten bigger, stronger and started filling out. He brought a physical element and was solid defensively while maintaining his good stick and skating ability. He had the puck and made smart, efficient plays to get it north. He’ll be one of the most watched players in the region as the 2022 draft approaches.
3. CJ Foley
Thayer/CC Whalers 16-U, 2/11/04, right shot, 5-10/155
Foley is one of the most underrated players in the region. He absolutely deserved a selection to the national camp. The Hanover, Mass., native skates well, competes and likes to jump up into the offense. He does a good job filling holes and being a threat on the second wave of the attack. His defensive-zone play is an area that will need to continue getting better. It’s going to be the long game for him, but he’s going to make for a very good college player.
4. Michael Fisher *
St. Mark’s, 5/2/04, right shot, 6-3/194
NCAA commit: Princeton
Fisher is the most improved defenseman in the region over the course of the past 12 to 18 months. The Westboro, Mass., native is big and strong with a good defensive stick and gaps. He plays a mature game and certainly showed that he’s deserving of NHL draft attention prior to next June.
5. Brian Grant
Nobles/CC Whalers 16-U, 3/18/04, right shot, 6-0/161
Grant had a couple of goals in the All-Star Game, but I thought his best play came over the course of the first two days. He’s a player who keeps getting better. The Mansfield, Mass., native has good size, skates well and was involved in the game. I think he could do a little bit better of a job in terms of limiting turnovers, but he was strong here and is deserving of the increased college interest.
6. Chris Romaine
Milton/CC Whalers 16-U, 2/21/04, right shot, 5-10/150
Romaine, from Braintree, Mass., is a good skater with an elite ability to break pucks out of his own zone. He can sidestep oncoming forecheckers and likes to push the pace. He made a couple of really nice stretch passes over the course of the three days. He’ll land a Hockey East or ECAC Hockey commitment shortly.
7. Sean Keohane
Dexter Southfield/CC Whalers 16-U, 11/4/04, left shot, 6-3/165
I’m still shocked that Keohane didn’t make the All-Star Game. The big lefty from Milton, Mass., has a lot of potential as a late ’04. He delivered a huge hit on an opposing forward coming up the middle during action Saturday. His size and skating will make him a watched player ahead of the 2023 NHL draft.
8. Olivier Chessler *
Rivers/River Rats 16-U, 7/9/04, left shot, 5-11/165
Chessler is one of the best skaters in the age group. The Watertown, Mass., native has great mobility and can quickly transition up ice and follow the rush while filling gaps. His skating will absolutely land him a Division 1 commitment in the next couple of years. If he can improve on his hockey sense, his game will become even better.
9. Shaun McEwen *
Seacoast 16-U, 1/24/04, left shot, 6-0/181
NCAA commit: UMass
I’ve always liked McEwen, but didn’t think this was one of his better weekends. The South Hadley, Mass., native is big, strong and athletic. He skates well, shoots it hard and brings a physical element. I’d like to see him reel it in a little at times and not be quite as much of a rover.
10. Matthew Biotti
Belmont Hill/EC Wizards 16-U, 8/27/04, right shot, 6-4/181
Biotti, from Cambridge, Mass., is that shiny object on the ice. He’s big, skates relatively well, and is getting better. I still think he’s raw, compared to the other defenders here, but there is certainly some upside. I’d expect him to eventually land a commitment at an Ivy, such as Dartmouth, Brown or Princeton.
Goaltenders
1. Jackson Irving
Cushing/Islanders HC, 2/3/04, catches left, 6-0/161
Irving was the best goaltender here. He has just average size, but he’s technically sound and makes a lot of good saves. The Newbury, Mass., native should have been selected as the goaltender to represent the district at USA Hockey Select 17s.
2. Beau Lane *
Boston Advantage 16-U, 6/16/04, catches left, 6-2/154
Lane is a good goaltender and made a couple of nice post-to-post saves that showed off his skating and quick reflexes. The Pembroke, Mass., native is a good goaltender who has certainly seen his stock climb over the past season.
