Midget hockey in New England offers an alternative to prospects and their families who don’t want to play high school or prep school hockey. The following is a ranking of the top 15 uncommitted 2002-born midget hockey players from New England:
1. Mackie Samoskevich
Shattuck St. Mary’s 16U/Newtown, Conn., 11/15/02, Forward, Right Shot
Samoskevich doesn’t have an elite skill set, but he plays with pace and has above average hands and feet. He’s always moving his feet and his vision is underrated. He can make plays even in small areas and gets to pucks quickly. His sister Maddie is committed to playing college hockey for the women’s program at Quinnipiac.
2. Timmy Lovell, Jr.
Boston Advantage 15U/Kingston, Mass., 2/8/02, Defense, Left Shot
Lovell is extremely small, even for his age, but he’s as silky smooth of a skater as there is. He makes smart decisions with the puck and can sidestep oncoming forecheckers. His father and coach, Tim, played college hockey for the University of Maine for three years before finishing up at UMass Amherst.
3. Ryan Corcoran
Boston Advantage 15U/Duxbury, Mass., 4/4/02, Forward, Left Shot
Corcoran is the best forward on the Boston Advantage. He impressed in a few viewings last summer at the World Selects Invite and Junior Chowder Cup. Corcoran has a good skill set and can finish. He’s fast and gets to pucks and can generate chances by playing inside the circles.
4. Connor Bradford
Boston Advantage 15U/Kingston, Mass., 8/23/02, Goaltender, Catches Left
He’s a very good goalie in a deep crop of Mass. goalies in this age group. He has good size and athleticism. He moves well post-to-post and can make the highlight reel stop while also being fairly quiet in net.
5. Matt MacDonald
Boston Advantage 15U/Weymouth, Mass., 1/1/02, Forward, Right Shot
MacDonald doesn’t have the prettiest stride, but his compete level is off the charts. He’ll get in on the forecheck and he’s heavy on pucks. He likes to throw his weight around and he has a pretty good shot.
6. Ben Steeves
New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs/Bedford, N.H., 5/10/02, Forward, Left Shot
Steeves is the younger brother of Notre Dame freshman forward Matt and Dubuque Fighting Saints forward and Fighting Irish recruit Alex. He’s smaller than his two older brothers. He’s quick and a goal scorer, but the one knock on him is he doesn’t play in the defensive zone.
7. Colin Graf
Boston Jr. Bruins 16U/Lincoln, Mass., 9/21/02, Forward, Right Shot
He’s really small, but he’s quick and crafty. He can stickhandle and make plays even in small areas. He makes up for his lack of size with really good vision in the offensive zone. In each of his viewings, he makes a few really nice passes.
8. Tommy Aitken
Selects Academy 15U/Winchester, Mass., 8/30/02, Goaltender, Catches Left
Aitken is a really good student of the position. He’s very sound fundamentally and skates well. He makes some good saves every game you watch him. He has very quick reflexes.
9. Carson Whitman
Boston Jr. Bruins 16U/Holden, Mass., 6/4/02, Forward, Right Shot
Whitman is an extremely smart player who makes the most of his offensive skill set. He can explode and beat defenders wide. He always has his head up and is looking to make the pass. He’s a player who can play all 200 feet as he continues developing.
10. Will Rinaldi
Selects Academy 15U/Lynnfield, Mass., 1/14/02, Forward, Right Shot
Rinaldi had a nice season at South Kent after transferring from MIAA. He’s a good skater who has nice overall offensive instincts. He’s a player who was often overshadowed this year, but he’s someone to keep an eye on over the next few years.
11. Cam Lowe
Boston Jr. Bruins 16U/Lancaster, Mass., 2/28/02, Forward, Right Shot
Lowe has good speed and does a nice job finding seams to exploit opposing defense. He has the ability to make nice plays with the puck on his stick and he can also make the simple, smart decision.
12. Riley Bezeau
South Shore Kings 16U/Mansfield, Mass., 5/4/02, Forward, Right Shot
His vision and passing ability are his strengths. He’s a good fundamentally sound skater and once he gains more lower body strength, his speed should come. He’s not afraid to go digging for pucks and he’ll make good, quick passes out to the slot from below the goal line and in corners. His father is Montreal Canadiens amateur scout Andy Bezeau.
13. Jake Waterman
South Shore Kings 16U/Warwick, R.I., 2/9/02, Forward, Left Shot
Waterman had a really good USA Hockey Select 15 Player Development Camp last summer. He struggled to find the score sheet in USPHL 16U action this winter, but he’s a player to continue watching.
14. Mason Kucenski
Boston Jr. Bruins 16U/Boston, Mass., 4/8/02, Goaltender, Catches Left
He impressed in last summer’s Beantown NAPS and had some good viewings this season with Topher Bevis’ team. He has good size, moves well and has some athleticism.
15. Colin Oppelt
South Shore Kings 16U/Franklin, Mass., 6/21/02, Defense, Left Shot
Oppelt is a simple, stay-at-home defender with a high compete level. He has a good stick and he uses his reach to defend. He’ll retrieve pucks and make smart first passes out of the zone.
