Although high school hockey in Massachusetts is not what it used to be, there are still a handful of underclassmen in the MIAA with the potential to play college hockey down the road.
Just last month, Albany Academy PG Andrius Kulbis-Marino committed to Sacred Heart after playing four seasons at Lowell Catholic. The Methuen, Mass., native is an exceptional skater who helped the Crusaders to the MIAA Division 2 State Championship in 2017.
Just last season, three underclassmen committed to playing for Hockey East teams after playing two seasons in the MIAA: St. John’s Prep’s Brian Carrabes (Boston University), Malden Catholic’s Riley Duran (Providence), and St. John’s Prep’s David Sacco (New Hampshire).
There don’t appear to be any players the caliber of Carrabes, Duran or Sacco in the MIAA this season, but there are a few underclassmen who could certainly end up playing in Hockey East someday.
Here’s a look at 12 underclassmen in Massachusetts high school hockey who could earn a commitment in the future:
Matt Copponi
Mansfield, So., 6/4/03, C, Right Shot
Copponi is a hard-working center who hunts pucks with his speed and tenaciousness. He’s always had some potential, but he had a huge fall with the Neponset Valley River Rats 15 Pure team and it has carried over to this winter with the 9-2 Rams.
Dhillon Wilde
St. John’s Shrewsbury, Jr., 7/10/02, LW, Right Shot
Wilde is a speedy winger who creates offense with his skating ability. He does a good job getting to pucks along the wall and making plays on the rush. He had a good fall with the Neponset Valley River Rats 16-U club before the start of the high school season.
Shane Baker
Grafton, Fr., 1/1/04, RW, Right Shot
After being a standout with the Minutemen Flames 14U club this fall, Baker has put on a goal scoring clinic as a freshman. He’s found the twine 10 times in 11 games. He’s got a good shot and is strong on his skates. Baker has a solid base and will make a good addition for a prep school team in the future.
Declan Loughnane
BC High, Fr., 11/22/03, D, Right Shot
Loughnane first caught the attention of this observer at last May’s Massachusetts Hockey CCM High Performance Festival. He has good size and puck skills and his skating has come along some over the past year. He’s logging significant minutes, including being on the team’s top power play unit.
Ryan O’Halloran
Burlington, Jr., 1/2/02, C, Left Shot
O’Halloran is a three-sport athlete who plays a very smart, cerebral game. He’s a good skater who plays a complete 200-foot game. He can be used in any situation and he’s finally starting to put up huge numbers for the Red Devils in his third season.
Pete Kramer
BC High, So., 8/8/02, RW, Right Shot
Kramer is the younger brother of BC High senior center Thomas Kramer and Merrimack forward Patrick Kramer. His speed and vision in transition allows him to create offense on the rush. He played split season hockey with the Cape Cod Whalers 16-U.
Joseph Kramer
BC High, So., 8/8/02, LW, Left Shot
Joseph Kramer, the twin brother of Peter Kramer, skates well and competes hard. He’s been on the left wing for the top ranked Eagles and also plays for the Cape Cod Whalers 16-U club. Both Kramer twins do a good job hunting pucks.
Jack Kennedy
Pope Francis, Gr. 8, 5/14/04, D, Right Shot
Kennedy is a good skater who has a strong base. He logged a lot of minutes with Joey Salvon out of the lineup at the Pete Frates Winter Classic. PF coach Brian Foley holds him in high regard.
Robbie Barletta
Xaverian, So., 11/16/02, C, Left Shot
Barletta is a smaller center who uses his quickness and ability to stick-handle and make plays in small areas to his advantage. Against Xaverian, he played the point on the power play and provided the team with a boost of secondary scoring after the veteran-laden first line.
Matt Myers
St. John’s Shrewsbury, Jr., 2/19/02, C, Left Shot
Myers is a nice complementary center for the Pioneers on the top line with Wilde. While he’s not the elite playmaker or skater that Wilde is, he’s a good player who could undoubtedly play a solid role at a prep school or USPHL NCDC team in a couple of years. He’s definitely a college hockey player in the future — the question is whether it’s at the Division I or Division III level.
Matt Gallagher
Reading, Jr., 1/1/02, D, Left Shot
Gallagher is a smooth, puck-moving defenseman for Mark Doherty’s Rockets. He has a good stick and can make nice passes in transition as well as quarterbacking a power play. His own zone still needs to be shored up, but there’s potential.
Brandon Spaulding
Pope Francis, So., 8/8/03, C, Left Shot
Spaulding first got some looks after a solid fall with the Springfield Rifles 15 Only team, but he’s provided some secondary scoring for the Cardinals this winter. He is a strong skater and can see the ice well.
