NE Prep: 2008 Beantown Classic Spring Tournament

The Beantown Classic is a showcase of the top players from local New England leagues. The tournament is separated into a Draft Division and Pre-Draft Division. Below are some of the players who participated in the Draft Division and those that should hear their name called on draft day, such as Mark Goggin, Patrick Mullane, Justin Daniels, Danny New, Nik Pokulok and Julien Cayer.

Top Forwards (Draft Division)

Mark Goggin (2008), F, Choate/ Team White (JR)

Ranked #142 on Central Scouting's Mid-Term Ranking .. committed to Dartmouth for 2009 .. took full advantage of all the NHL scouts in the stands and really had a tremendous weekend .. was really flying around with the puck and playing well in every zone .. has so much poise with the puck .. dangerous and shifty 1-on-1 .. moves the puck so quick in the offensive zone and like all good players, the puck seems to follow him around .. one thing that made his weekend even better was his physical mentality when battling for the puck .. he was throwing his weight around and had one big hit on Steven Moses in the defensive zone .. really showed more speed then last viewing during the season, which was evident every time he touched the puck and took it up the wing .. along with Mullane and Cayer, he should be one of the earlier prep players drafted.

Cam Atkinson (2008), F, Avon Old Farms/ Team Black (SR)

Listed on the Central Scouting Preliminary List (C Ranking) .. committed to Boston College for 2008 and looks ready for college .. recently named USHS's Prep Player-of-the-Year .. has tremendous speed that makes him dangerous for any defenseman to contain 1-on-1 .. scored against Team Red on a pure snipe off a feed from Avon teammate Paul Lee .. very dangerous around the net with the puck and has a goal scoring mentality .. has a heavy shot and showed good hand-eye coordination .. what sets him apart from other small, talented players is his willingness to go into the corners and traffic areas for the puck .. once again, should be considered a possible pick late in the draft.

Justin Daniels (2008), F, Kent/ Team Black (SR)

Ranked #102 on Central Scouting's Mid-Term Ranking .. committed to Northeastern for 2008 or 2009 .. has good size (6-2, 160) .. had a quiet first half against Team Red .. in the second half, he really shined by displaying his hands, speed and poise with the puck .. a strong skater with a long stride .. solid in the faceoff circle .. showed good hands in tight and ability to play through traffic .. still needs to get a bit stronger .. his overall talent and performance over the weekend may have secured him a strong position on many NHL team's draft rankings.

Patrick Mullane (2008), F, Avon Old Farms/ Team Black (JR)

Ranked #151 on Central Scouting's Mid-Term Ranking .. committed to Boston College for 2009 .. had a quiet first half against Team Red, while playing on a line with Avon teammates Paul Lee and Cam Atkinson .. in the second half, he was skating and showing his strength on the puck that makes him an attractive prospect for the upcoming draft .. very tough to knock off the puck and protects it so well .. has a strong stride and speed .. his best asset that seems to be more and more noticeable is his vision and playmaking ability, especially coming into the offensive zone with his linemates .. works well with offensive dynamo Cam Atkinson .. strong in the faceoff circle .. could be one of the first prep players drafted in June, along with Mark Goggin and Julien Cayer.

Alex Chiasson (2009), C, Northwood School/ Team Red (JR)

Despite not being eligible for the 2009 NHL Draft, Chiasson, a late 1990 DOB, had NHL scouts thinking about next year .. drafted by Val d'Or (QMJHL) .. has good size (6-3) and what seems to look like a solid build .. scored against Team Black on a quick release that went five-hole .. plays a physical game and finishes all his checks with power .. had a little tussle in the corner with Danny New .. his skating remains a concern, but not a major one by any means .. has a strong stride but lacks that extra gear .. moves the puck well in every zone .. has a heavy shot .. an intriguing prospect for next years draft.

Julien Cayer (2008), C, Northwood School/ Team Red (SR)

Ranked #77 on Central Scouting's Mid-Term Ranking .. committed to Clarkson for 2008 .. has very good size (6-4, 190) and showed a willingness to play physical and be aggressive on the puck .. uses his size well in protecting the puck .. has a long stride with decent speed coming into the offensive zone .. showed very good hands and skill with the puck .. has a quick release .. strong in the faceoff circle .. would like to see him move around more in the offensive zone, as he was a bit stationary around the net .. warrants the low ranking by Central Scouting due to his intriguing size and skill.

Drew Daniels (2008), F, Kent/ Team Black (SR)

Ranked #113 on Central Scouting's Mid-Term Ranking .. committed to Northeastern for 2008 or 2009 .. similar to his twin brother, he has good size (6-2, 160) .. unlike the last viewing during the season when his offensive talent did not shine as much as his brother, Drew played a very strong game against Team Red and proved that he has offensive talent .. showed a similar combination as his brother with speed and quick hands .. has good offensive instincts and showed vision with moving the puck well - mostly to his brother .. needs to get stronger on his skates .. might sneak on a few draft lists come June.

Paul Lee (2008), C, Avon Old Farms/ Team Black (SR)

Ranked #199 on Central Scouting's Mid-Term Ranking .. committed to Dartmouth for 2008 .. centered an all-Avon line with Mullane and Atkinson .. his size and strength are an attractive combination .. what might be the most surprising asset is his straightaway speed and powerful stride .. scored against Team Red on a tip-in shot that came from the sideboards that went five-hole .. when he drives to the net, he is very dangerous on any rebound chances .. making a strong case for a possible late round pick.

Joseph Campanelli (2008), F, Westminster Prep/ Team Red (SR)

Ranked #145 on Central Scouting's Mid-Term Ranking .. committed to Yale for 2008 .. decent size (6-1, 170) .. this being my first viewing of Campanelli, it was easy to see why he is a prospect for the upcoming draft .. his offensive abilities and ability to skate with the puck are impressive .. a smart player with the puck, although the execution was not there playing with linemates he has never played with before .. moves the puck quick, as evident on Chiasson's goal .. willing to go to the net hard and creates traffic in front as soon as the puck goes back to the point .. despite his modest frame, Campanelli mixes it up in the corners and battles hard along the boards .. looks to have very good upside and a potential late round pick.

Nicholas Prockow (2008), F, Berkshire School/ Team Red (SR)

Ranked #207 on Central Scouting's Mid-Term Ranking .. committed to Colgate for 2008 .. has good size (6-1, 180) .. still concerned with his skating, as he is a weak skater who seems to be knocked off the puck too easy .. could be a similar situation to defenseman Pokulok where he is growing and adjusting to his size .. drafted by Cape Breton (QMJHL) in 2006 .. do not see him being drafted, but should continue to develop in college.

Matt Zarbo (2008), F, Jr. Bruins (EJHL)/ Team Red

Listed on the Central Scouting Preliminary List (B Ranking) .. committed to Clarkson for either 2008 or 2009 .. good size (6-1, 190) .. his best asset continues to be his work along the boards and in the corners, as he is relentless and so tough to get the puck from .. his skating remains a concern, but looks to be improving, as he still lacks strength behind each stride .. strong on the PK .. if his skating improves, he could develop into a solid player and could be a solid signing as a free agent after college.

Steve Moses (2008), F, Jr. Bruins (EJHL)/ Team Yellow

Committed to UNH for 2008 .. lacks size (5-8, 155) but will be a fun player to watch on the Olympic size rink at UNH .. played his usual game against Team White, which he displayed an impressive set of skills with the puck and top-notch vision and hands .. still plays a chippy and aggressive style .. has explosive speed coming down the wing with the puck .. has an excellent outside 1-on-1 move that defenseman at this level find hard to handle .. has too big of a wind-up on his slapshot and has the tendency to hold onto the puck too long .. similar to BC's Joe Whitney, this diminutive talent will most likely be a free agent signing after college and leave NHL teams wondering how they missed him in the draft.

Wayne Simpson (2008), F, Lawrence Academy/ Team Yellow (JR)

Committed to Union for 2009 .. like his effort and skill that he brings every shift .. the puck seems to follow him around and he is so quick with the puck .. solid on both the PP and PK .. was aggressive on the forecheck, although he will never be mistaken for a power forward .. protects the puck well and unlike a few previous viewings, he was moving the puck quick and not over handling it .. always dangerous around the net with the puck and is shifty .. has an accurate shot with a quick release .. an underrated asset is his skating, as he is a fluid skater with good speed .. do not think he gets enough recognition and should be mentioned over a few players that are consider NHL prospects.

Jason Bourgea (2008), F, St. Paul's/ Team White (SR)

Committed to Dartmouth for 2009 .. lacks size (5-8, 175) but his speed is top notch .. does not have that game-breaking ability that other small players like Cam Atkinson or Steve Moses have, but does possess a lot of offensive ability .. has breakaway speed and can really turn on the jets coming down the wing .. has quick hands and quick moves .. can be physically out-muscled down low and in the corners, but that does not stop him from getting in on the forecheck .. will take a year of juniors (maybe USHL or EJHL) before heading to Dartmouth .. should be a solid contributor at the college level for Dartmouth.

Torin Snydeman (2008), F, Cushing Academy/ Team Black (JR)

Listed on the Central Scouting Preliminary List (B Ranking) .. despite decent size (5-11, 190), he plays a tough and physical game .. slippery along the boards and good hands in tight .. needs a few strides to get going .. should be a solid college player, but in terms of the draft, he does not do enough offensively to be drafted.

Chris Wieland (2008), F, Avon Old Farms/ Team Black (SR)

Wieland continued his impressive play from the prep playoffs and had a strong weekend displaying his solid two-way game .. strong and reliable defensively .. moves the puck well in the neutral zone .. strong in the faceoff circle, especially in the defensive zone .. scored against Team Red when his team was 5-on-3, as he slipped one under goalie Lessard .. showed good speed coming through the neutral zone with the puck .. a strong player along the boards and in the offensive zone .. continue to believe that he should find a lot of Div. I college teams interested, as he would be a solid addition to many teams.

Brian Yanovitch (2008), F, Bridgewater Bandits (EJHL)/ Team Red

Committed to Union for 2008 .. looks bigger than his listed size of 5-foot-11 .. liked his work in the corners and along the boards .. does not possess the puckhandling skill like many of his teammates in the showcase .. plays a physical game and gets in on the forecheck .. not many scoring chances but has a strong shot .. should be a solid college player.

Robbie Bourdon (2008), F, Taft/ Team White (JR)

Bourdon has not committed yet to a college, but his play at this showcase shows it might not be long .. lacks size (5-9, 162), so he will most likely never be mentioned as a draft prospect, but has all the tools to be a solid college player .. has good straightaway speed with the puck .. has good offensive instincts and is dangerous around the net .. despite size, he needs to be more physical on the forecheck and needs to get stronger with the puck.

Ben Albertson (2008), F, St. Paul's/ Team White (SR)

Committed to Vermont for 2009 .. has great size (6-3, 185), which makes him an intriguing prospect .. his best asset is his shot .. will need to pickup more speed before he heads off to the college level .. it takes awhile for him to get going .. will also need to move the puck quicker, especially in the neutral zone .. not scheduled for Vermont until 2009, so he will be taking a year in the EJHL or USHL to continue developing.

Top Defenseman (Draft Division)

Danny New (2008), D, Avon Old Farms/ Team Black (SR)

Ranked #157 on Central Scouting's Mid-Term Ranking .. committed to Providence for 2008 .. his skating and consistency continues to be impressive .. strong on the PK and solid when his team was down 5-on-3 and getting into the shooting lanes and blocking shots .. showed poise on the PP .. plays a physical game and showed that he is not willing to back down, as seen with his scrap with Northwood's Alex Chiasson .. held his own in the corners against bigger and stronger forwards .. shows more and more that he is a potential draft prospect.

Nik Pokulok (2008), D, Northwood Prep/ Team Red (JR)

Ranked #96 on Central Scouting's Mid-Term Ranking .. committed to Clarkson for 2009 .. has very good size and strength (6-5, 220) .. what stood out the most is his improvement in skating from earlier viewings .. it seems clearer that he hit a growth spurt recently and was adjusting to his size, but now he is more comfortable and his skating has improved tremendously .. played a strong, physical, defensive game .. tough to beat 1-on-1 and out of the corners .. he definitely plays within himself and never tries to do too much .. strong on the PK .. moves the puck well from the backend .. his ranking was a bit surprising, but definitely a possible pick in the later rounds.

Derrick Pallis (2008), D, Noble & Greenough School/ Team White (SR)

Ranked #139 on Central Scouting's Mid-Term Ranking .. committed to Princeton for 2008 .. paired with Taft's George Hughes, which complemented his game perfectly .. still needs to add weight and muscle to his frame .. his best asset is his poise with the puck in every zone .. solid puck moving ability in the defensive zone, but was off on a few of his passes in the neutral zone .. has ability to skate the puck himself and get into the offensive zone .. possess a good, low shot from the point .. has a long reach and uses it effectively 1-on-1, but would like to see him step-up earlier and be more physical .. has good anticipation in the neutral zone .. uses his own net well to shake off the forecheck and head up ice with the puck .. concerned about his defensive positioning.

George Hughes (2008), D, Taft/ Team White (SR)

Committed to St. Lawrence for 2009 .. one of the older players during the weekend, but continues to be impressive with his defensive play .. has good size (6-2, 178) .. a smart defenseman who is as consistent as they come on the blueline .. his best asset is his puck moving ability in the defensive zone with crisp, tape-to-tape passes .. he consistently makes the best plays to get the puck out of his zone .. does a very good job in keeping the shooters to the outside and is strong in front of his own net .. has good positioning defensively .. showed good anticipation in the neutral zone by picking off a few passes .. allowed Pallis to be more offensive because of his steady defensive presence .. will most likely not be drafted this summer because he is a 1988 DOB, but he could be a solid free agent pick-up after a few years at St. Lawrence.

Sean Whitney (2008), D, Cushing Academy/ Team Black (SR)

Committed to Cornell for 2008 .. has very good size (6-4, 215) .. strong on the PK and aggressive in the corners .. moves the puck up the ice well, but tries to skate the puck too much and over handles the puck in the neutral zone .. he gets away with it at this level, but the lack of foot speed will be a problem at the next level .. has a long stride, but has heavy skates, as his speed is an issue .. if he continues to develop, he could be a free agent after college.

Peter Starrett (2008), D, Catholic Memorial/ Team Black (SR)

Committed to Harvard for 2008 .. his play proved that he has the ability to play with some of the best players in New England .. strong in the defensive zone and tough to beat out of the corner .. unlike his play at Catholic Memorial, he played a sound defensive game and did not try to force any offense .. uses his size well .. showed good anticipation in the neutral zone and picked off a few passes .. still needs work with the puck and his decision-making .. in terms of the draft, cannot see a team drafting him out of Mass High School, but he could end up on Central Scouting Final Ranking.

Mike Daly (2008), D, St. Paul's/ Team White (SR)

Committed to Holy Cross for 2008 .. despite not having his size, Daly is in the similar mold of George Hughes – consistent .. dependable defenseman and showed good poise at the point .. moves the puck so well in all zones .. does not play on overpowering game, but has ability to make big hits .. makes smart plays with the puck .. will be a solid addition to Holy Cross next year and who knows what could happen after four years there.

Paul Dimitruk (2008), D, Jr. Warriors (EJHL)/ Team Red

Listed on the Central Scouting Preliminary List (B Ranking) .. remains uncommitted to a college and may have trouble finding a school after he lost a year of eligibility when he played a few games for Moncton (QMJHL) .. his best asset is his skating, but lacked the offensive game that was developing a couple years ago .. scored against Team Black on a weak shot from the point that managed to find its way through a maze of players in front .. makes strong outlet passes and played decent overall defensively .. should be a solid college player and if regains his confidence and ability to create offense, he could be a possible player to consider for next years draft.

Top Goalies (Draft Division)

Mike Condon (2008), G, Belmont Hill School/ Team White (JR)

Listed on the Central Scouting Preliminary List (C Ranking) .. has yet to commit to a college .. good size (6-2, 187) .. his best asset is his strength down low, quick reflexes, and making the first save .. his weakness remains up top and he is average in getting into position for second or third chances .. was vocal with his defensemen .. made a nice save when team on PK, as he went post-to-post to stop a backdoor chance .. handles the puck well .. allowed a weak goal that he would want back that went short side .. most likely will be overlooked in this year's draft, but a solid season next year could help him make his way on a few draft lists.

TJ Massie (2008), G, Cushing Academy/ Team Black (SR)

Listed on the Central Scouting Preliminary List (C Ranking) .. committed to UMass Lowell for 2008 .. played the second half against Team Red .. vocal with his defense .. still concerned with average rebound control and quickness post-to-post .. decent down low .. will run into a crowded net and competition next year at UMass Lowell with So. Carter Hutton, So. Nevin Hamilton, and So. Jon Dryjowicz-Burek.