It's been roughly five months since our first round of Top 50s. It was the first time I had ever ranked the birth years, even after watching them for years. It was both an incredibly fun and difficult exercise. We're back for Round 2. In April, we ranked the Top 50 '07s, '08s and '09s,...
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It's been roughly five months since our first round of Top 50s. It was the first time I had ever ranked the birth years, even after watching them for years. It was both an incredibly fun and difficult exercise.
We're back for Round 2.
In April, we ranked the Top 50 '07s, '08s and '09s, and did a watch list for the '10s. This time around will be a bit different. Since the '07s and '08s didn't have many big viewing events this summer, we're going to pause those for now.
That's not the case, however, for '09s and '10s, who will be ranked for the first time. And, later this week, there will be a watch list for the '11s.
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Among the '09s, there was quite a bit of movement. Players usually moved for strong showings at USA Hockey's Select 17 Camp or the festivals. These rankings are only for New England natives and those playing in the region this coming season. An example is former Avon Old Farms defenseman Max Yakub, who fell out of the Top 50 because he's not a New England native and is leaving Avon for junior hockey outside the region.
We know of a few non-New Englanders arriving for prep and full-season academy teams this season, but we don't know all of them. There will surely be breakout '09s in prep this coming season who find their way into our rankings.
Let's dive in.
1. Carter Meyer
Team: Quebec Remparts
Position: F
Height/weight: 6-0/176
NCAA: Boston University
Hometown: Winchester, Mass
Previous ranking: 1
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2. Finn Sears
Team: U.S. National Team Development Program U17
Position: F
Height/weight: 6-0/187
NCAA: Boston College
Hometown: Medford, Mass.
Previous ranking: 2
3. Sam Pandolfo
Team: U.S. National Team Development Program U17
Position: F
Height/weight: 6-4/205
NCAA: Boston University
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.
Previous ranking: 3
4. Jake Boguniecki
Team: Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
Position: D
Height/weight: 6-2/176
NCAA: Boston College
Hometown: Orange, Conn.
Previous ranking: 4
Top 10 notes:Â There was no reason to change the top five from our first rankings in April. The big question surrounding Meyer, Boguniecki and Pellegrino will be how they do in their transition to the QMJHL this winter. For Sears and Pandolfo, it will be about how they do in the ever-important U18 season at the NTDP. There was, however, quite the shakeup in spots 6-9. O'Dell was such a standout at Select 17 Camp that he made Hlinka Gretzky Cup Camp. And while he didn't make the team, his two-way abilities make him a player NHL teams will scout heavily this winter. Berard got a boost because of how mature he played at Select 17 Camp. I thought he deserved an invite to Hlinka Gretzky Cup Camp, too. Minella and Anello both dropped one spot through no fault of their own.
11. Kurt Beck
Team: Sherbrooke Phoenix (QMJHL)
Position: D
Height/weight: 6-2/181
NCAA: Providence College
Hometown: Arlington, Mass.
Previous ranking: 12
12. Joe Covelluzzi
Team: Dubuque Fighting Saints
Position: F
Height/weight: 5-10/174
NCAA: Maine
Hometown: Wakefield, Mass.
Previous ranking: 11
13. Ethan Gingeleskie
Team: Avon Old Farms (prep)
Position: F
Height/weight: 5-11/165
NCAA: Yale
Hometown: West Hartford, Conn.
Previous ranking: 21
14. Declan Wotton
Team: Baie-Comeau Brakkar (QMJHL)
Position: F
Height/weight: 6-1/203
NCAA: Uncommitted
Hometown: Windsor, Maine
Previous ranking: 6
11-20 notes:Â The big risers in this section are Gingeleskie, Paul and Hung. Up front, Gingeleskie was one of the most skilled, puck-dominant forwards at Select 17 Camp. If he's back in prep this winter, he has a real chance to be one of the region's top point-getters. Paul's shutdown defense was on display at Select 17 Camp, which can sometimes be rare for a summer showcase. Hung's two-way abilities should make him one of the best defensemen in prep if he's back at Hotchkiss. I'm really intrigued by his ceiling. Mazzola and Noonan both had good Select 17 Camps, which is why they jumped into a new section. Wotton slid because I want to see him produce alongside his power-forward game.
21. Peyton Collins
Team: Avon Old Farms (prep)
Position: F
Height/weight: 6-1/165
NCAA: Cornell
Hometown: Nashville, Tenn.
Previous ranking: NR
21-30 notes:Â Collins, along with his brother Ben, will be at Avon Old Farms this winter. Both committed to Cornell on Thursday. Collins was such a standout at Select 17 Camp that I was impressed enough to rank him right outside the top 20. Cleaves, White and Strug were the big risers in this section. Cleaves' skill and vision were enough to make him stand out. White's skill and ability to create offense against the best of his birth year boosted his stock. Strug's power-forward, pest-style should help him move up these rankings in the future. For goalies, Raycroft is consistently getting better, which is key at 17 years old.
Team: St. Mark’s (prep)
Position: G
Height/weight: 5-11/170
NCAA: Uncommitted
Hometown: Uxbridge, Mass.
Previous ranking: 40
31-40 notes: I have a prediction: Many of the players in this section will be in different ones come our next rankings around the winter. Someone like Taylor is a great example of a player with high-end upside who, if he has a big fall and winter, should rise. Bisson could do something similar for himself at Dexter this winter. Romano was impressive at Select 17 Camp and should be a top dog for the Winged Beavers. I'd love to see Watson produce even more at Salisbury this winter. He's such a fun player to watch.
Team: Brunswick (prep)
Position: F
Height/weight: 5-10/165
NCAA: Uncommitted
Hometown: Darien, Conn.
Previous ranking: NR
41-50 notes:Â Two players have the highest potential of moving up: Mogielnicki and Abbott. Mogielnicki is moving from Austin Prep to Winchendon. If he can maintain and build on his production from last season (29 goals, 49 points), his stock will grow, especially after he was at Select 17 Camp. Abbott is moving from New Hampton to Salisbury. He will have to round out parts of his game. But if he can be dynamic, produce and take care of business in his own end, his stock should rise, too. Guilderson, Hamelin and Jackson will be put in positions to produce more than last season.
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9. Easton Anello
25. Greyson Espenshade
34. Ryder Bisson
41. Ryan Mogielnicki
