USA Hockey: 2007 New England Summer Roundup

The New England area was busy all summer with hockey tournaments and displayed some of the best players from all-around North America. In a three-part series, McKeen's correspondent Vincent Montalbano reviews several players who participated, beginning with the Chowder Cup.

CHOWDER CUP

Michael Ward (TB), D, (Lewiston - QMJHL) (3 – 1 – 0 – 1)

Recently drafted by Tampa Bay in the seventh round ..showed good poise in the neutral zone and defensive zone .. strong 1-on-1 with a long reach .. solid on the PK and strong in the defensive zone .. against the Jersey Wildcats, he had some mental mistakes with the puck .. needs to get the puck in deeper when at the point .. took a bad penalty when he jumped to hit an opponent in the head .. scored when he pinched-in from the point and released a shot from the slot area .. overall, showed solid offensive instincts despite having only seven assists in 58 games for Lewiston.

Alex Noel (2010), F, (Moncton Midget AAA) (3 - 0 - 2 - 2)

Youngest member of the team by far (1992) .. has excellent upside .. despite size (5-9,160), he is strong and quick on the forecheck .. moves the puck well on the PP .. showed good vision and moved the puck quickly .. had both of his assists in the 8-1 win against the Florida Eels .. held his own against players up to 4-5 years older than him .. a definite player to watch in a few years.

Anthony Pisano (2008), D, (St. John (NB) - QMJHL) (5 - 2 - 2 - 4 incl. playoffs)

Stands at 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds and has a mean streak .. played forward in the game against the Mass Mariners and created havoc in front by making himself very difficult to move .. scored his only two goals of the tournament in that game by getting into position in front and waiting for the puck .. in the playoff game against Champlain Valley, Pisano returned to defense and played strong defensively .. physical in the corners but does have a tough time against the smaller, quicker forwards and is going to need to work on his positioning defensively to overcome that flaw in his game .. his size and strength make him an intriguing package.

Cory Conacher (2008), F, (Canisius College - NCAA) (5 - 6 - 8 - 14 incl. playoffs)

A late 1989 and a small forward (5-8, 165) .. played last year for Burlington (OPJHL) and had 62 points (22 goals 40 assists) in 48 games .. consistently creating offense and scoring chances every shift .. against Team Minnesota, he had two goals and two assists .. one goal came from a 2-on-1 with Brent Vandenberg who slid the puck over to Conacher for the easy tap-in .. one assist also came from a 2-on-1 when he faked a shot, froze the goalie and quickly slid it over to linemate to make it 6-3 .. also showed good defensive awareness .. against the NJ Jr. Titans, he was flying all game and creating numerous scoring chances but only came away with one assist .. has very good speed and a quick, strong stride .. despite putting up high numbers in lopsided games, in the playoffs, Conacher continued his offensive tear including a three-point performance in a 6-5 loss against CanAm .. a quick start at Canisius could create some draft buzz for him.

Alex Dzielski (2008), D, (Kitchener - OHL) (6 - 0 - 3 - 3 incl. playoffs)

A 1989 with very good size and strength (6-3, 220) .. plays a physical game and is strong on his own blueline .. has a heavy shot and decent hands .. moves the puck well up the ice with crisp passes .. showed good poise at the blueline and good offensive instincts .. has the ability to shake checks in the corners .. needs to work on making better decisions defensively - for example, his bad cross-ice pass that ended up bringing the play back into the defensive zone after his team was on the ice for a long time.

Mike DiMare (2008), F, (Avon Old Farms) (6 - 3 - 5 - 8 incl. playoffs)

A 1989 and a small forward (5-9, 165) .. taking a PG at Avon Old Farms after playing for Malden Catholic .. really stood-out on a team that had some OHL players and even a recent draft pick (Nick Palmieri) .. DiMare showed explosiveness with the puck .. in the playoff game against the eventual champions (Real McCoy's), he was excellent in the faceoff circle (winning a very high percentage of them) .. moves the puck well with tape-to-tape passes and then moves to get himself open .. has a quick stride with strong acceleration .. drives hard to the net .. strong on his skates and has the ability to battle through checks .. in the playoffs, he was buzzing around the offensive zone all game and creating numerous scoring chances for his linemates and himself .. looks to be very strong and smart on the PK .. needs to work on getting in on the forecheck and despite his size, be willing to bang in the corners .. the playoff game against the Real McCoy's went into a shoot-out and DiMare scored a goal when he made a quick move from the backhand to the forehand ala Tony Amonte and Doug Weight .. if he has a strong year with Avon, he should attract some Division 1 interest.

Paul Jaskot (2008), F, (Salisbury) (6 - 5 - 1 - 6 incl. playoffs)

A 1989 and a decent-size forward (5-11, 185) .. taking a PG at Salisbury after a great year for Central Catholic .. his game is all about speed .. has a good stride with lots of power behind it .. played on a line with DiMare and CJ Lee as the only Americans on the team .. moves the puck up the ice quickly .. has a strong slapshot off the rush .. created many chances in OT in the playoff game against the Real McCoy's .. had a chance in the shoot-out but the goalie made a nice save when he made a deke to the forehand .. against New England Prep, he showed good work down low and an aggressive side .. needs to work on not telegraphing his passes and backcheck harder at times .. scored against New England Prep when he went to the net and quickly knocked in a rebound .. if he has a strong year at Salisbury, he should attract some Division 1 interest (mostly Ivy league schools).

John Muse (2008), G, (Boston College - NCAA) (3 - 1 - 1 - 0 7 GA 2.33 GAA)

Hard to believe he was passed over again in the draft .. a technically sound goalie with no glaring weakness except an average glove .. strong down low and very good quickness with pads .. covers everything up .. handles the puck well .. made an incredible point-blank stop against Pro-Skills .. tremendous job finding the puck around the traffic in front .. does not play at the top of the crease, but does not sit back on the goalie either .. was the only reason the game remained tied against Pro-Skills .. he is extremely talented and should expect some bumps in the road next year, but definitely my pick for BC top goalie by the end of the year.

Matt Marshall (TB), F, (Nobles) (3 - 0 - 0 - 0)

Recently drafted by Tampa Bay in the fifth round, 150th overall .. a combination of size, strength and skill .. has poise with the puck and a good skater with powerful first few strides .. showed quick, smooth stickhandling skills along with toughness down low .. has a good shot and the ability to take it in mid-stride .. tough to take the puck away down low and in the corners .. showed good anticipation .. not as physical as previously seen, but still strong along the boards.

Paul Carey (COL), F, (Indiana - USHL) (3 - 1 - 0 - 1)

Recently drafted by Colorado in the fifth round, 135th overall .. committed to Boston College for 2008 .. played last year for Salisbury and will be playing in the USHL (Indiana) next year ..played that quiet game with lack of interest in the beginning, but with his team down by a goal and needing the win to move onto the playoffs, Carey shined and dominated .. he was very hot and cold all game against Pro-Skills .. he is effective when he forechecks, protects the puck and executes his passes .. early in the game, he was lacking the execution and many of his passes were being picked-off .. uses his body very well to protect the puck .. very strong in the faceoff circle .. won a draw with a little over a minute left when he went around the opposing center on the draw and fired a shot on the net that created a scrum in front .. when he decides to hit, he hits hard .. showed good hands, especially in tight .. with his team down 1-0, he made a nifty move around one defender to create a 2-on-1 and slid it over to Brian Gibbons for an excellent scoring chance .. his biggest effort came with under one minute left (38.1 seconds left to be exact) and still down 1-0, Carey scored on a turn-around shot that went top corner .. his team needed the win to advance but had to settle for the tie.

Thomas Middup (2008), F, (Aurora - OPJHL) (4 - 0 - 4 - 4 incl. playoffs)

A 1990 and was an eighth round selection by Brampton in 2006 .. played for the Richmond Hill Stars and will look to make the jump into the OPJHL with defending champion Aurora .. has decent size (5-10, 165) but is willing to go to the net and battle in front .. has good hands .. would like to see him shoot more .. his progress and how quickly he can adjust to the higher level will determine his status for the college level and possibly pro.

Julien Demers (2008), D, (Ottawa - OHL) (6 - 0 - 4 - 4 incl. playoffs)

Played in 31 games last year for Ottawa and had six points (2 goals) .. 1989 DOB .. has a great build to him (6-2, 205) .. skates very well with and without the puck and can really get up the ice with the puck .. has a powerful, smooth stride .. has a strong, low shot .. moves the puck well from the backend and makes crisp, tape-to-tape passes .. does extremely well on the PP and never holds onto the puck for too long .. if he plays well this upcoming season and earns more playing-time, he could find himself on some draft lists as a potential late round pick.

Ryan Stroz (2009), F, (Undecided) (7 - 6 - 0 - 6 incl. playoffs)

Named to the All-Tournament Team .. a 1991 with decent size (5-10, 175) .. in the championship game against the Real McCoy's, Stroz played very good .. he is very good with the puck and has great speed coming down the wing .. a good skater with a smooth stride and gets in on the forecheck quickly .. scored in the game when the opposing defender coughed up the puck and Ryan received a quick one-touch pass and fired it glove side .. moves the puck very well .. scored against the Northern CT Wings on an easy tap-in off Chris Christiani's shot .. a definite player to watch.

Danny Baco (2008), F, (Lincoln Stars - USHL) (7 - 5 - 7 - 12 incl. playoffs)

Named to the All-Tournament Team .. 1988 who is 5-foot-8 and 165 .. played the last two seasons with the Lincoln Stars (USHL) .. in 2005-06, he had 10 points in 41 games and last year had 15 points (8 goals) in 57 games .. has two speeds - fast and faster .. has a wide stride with lots of power behind each one .. forechecks and backchecks hard .. has good hands, but does have a tendency to lose the puck when going full speed .. in the playoffs against Can Am, Baco, he scored when the defense lost the puck and his linemate quickly sent it over to Baco who put it five-hole .. needs work on his 1-on-1 ability and to use his speed more in those situations .. scored in the shoot-out against Can Am when he faked the shot and froze the goalie and made a quick move to put it in .. during the championship game against the Future Pros, Baco displayed good offensive instincts and vision, but was over handling the puck when he should have shot a few times .. should have a stronger year and produce more points with Lincoln.

Evan Zych (2008), D, (Georgetown - OPJHL) (7 - 2 - 1 - 3 incl. playoffs)

Named to the All-Tournament Team .. 1989 with decent size (5-11, 185) .. played for Milton (OPJHL) last year and had 18 points (3 goals) in 38 games .. plays with poise in every zone and has a good first pass .. moves the puck well in the neutral zone and can stretch the ice with a long pass .. has a strong shot when he has time, but will mostly fire a low shot toward the net for rebounds and tips .. defensively he is solid, as seen in the championship game .. a good skater .. not too many flaws in his game .. very consistent and very dependable .. will be a solid college player with possible upside.

Spencer Abbott (2008), F, (Hamilton - OPJHL) (7 - 5 - 6 - 11 incl. playoffs)

Named to the All-Tournament Team .. 1988 who is 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds .. played in 49 games last year for Hamilton and had 75 points (32 goals) .. has a combination of quick hands and feet .. scored against the Network Capitals on the PP .. he was around the crease, pulled away a bit, and put a one-timer into the back of the net .. has a good shot that he gets off quickly .. scored the game-winning goal in the shoot-out against Can Am when he faked the forehand and quickly pulled to his backhand .. scored the game-tying goal in the championship game .. backchecks hard .. needs to get stronger along the boards .. should be a definite Division 1 college prospect.

Wes Consorti (2008), F, (Hamilton - OPJHL) (7 - 4 - 5 - 9 incl. playoffs)

Late 1989 with decent size (5-10, 185) .. played in 49 games last year for Hamilton and had 63 points (31 goals) .. a good skater who lacks that extra gear when he has the puck, but still has ability to beat defenders 1-on-1 .. has a very good shot with a quick release .. has good hands, poise and a nice touch around the net .. made a nice saucer pass when coming down 2-on-1 for a scoring chance .. against the Network Capitals, he did all the work to set-up the second goal .. solid on the PK .. was the first shooter for the Real McCoy's in the shoot-out but the goalie saved it when he tried to go five-hole .. in the championship game, he was absolutely flying and creating numerous scoring chances .. shifty in the corners and has the ability to get himself loose from being pinned in the corner .. when he does not have a play, he gets the pucks to the net .. scored the OT winner when he took a long pass and made a move in which he ended up running into the goalie, but the referee called it a goal .. called upon when the team needed him the most .. a definite Division 1 prospect with high potential.

Johnny Szasz (2009), F, (Hamilton - OPJHL) (7 - 1 - 2 - 3 incl. playoffs)

A 1991 with good size (6-1, 200) .. one of the youngest players on the team, but someone with high potential .. drafted by Kingston (OHL) .. willing to go to the net and battle for loose pucks .. showed good hands and ability to shake checks .. played very well in the championship game, was consistent with every shift, and did not try to do too much .. a definite player to watch and someone with good potential.

Alex Velischek (2009), D, (Delbarton School - NJ) (3 - 0 - 2 - 2)

A late 1990 .. has decent size (5-11, 200) .. an offensive defenseman who seemed to get better as the game went on against a stronger, more powerful Neponset Valley team .. likes to move in from the point, especially on the PP and has good offensive instincts .. strong at the blueline and really poised .. moves the puck well after struggling earlier and what seemed like a lazy effort .. in the first half, he had a few bad shifts mixed in with some good ones .. seemed to be trying to do too much at times .. has good anticipation in the neutral zone .. strong, quick shot from the point .. has good positioning and support for his defensive partner.

Cam Atkinson (2008), F, (Avon Old Farms) (3 - 2 - 2 - 4)

Committed to BC for 2008 .. 1989 DOB .. small but very skilled .. has lightning-fast strides and explosive speed .. does not go full speed the whole shift but turns on the jets when needed .. has incredible hands in tight and if he gets one-step on a defenseman, he is gone .. despite size (5-9, 165), he will play physical and battle for the puck .. has very good vision and will drive to the net with the puck .. looks to pass first .. needs to bury more of his chances because he could have easily had four goals against the New Jersey Express .. showed good anticipation and was reliable defensively .. has quick moves .. scored on a breakaway while on the PK .. never gives up on a play and will give that extra effort every shift to regain control of the puck .. this kid should not be overlooked again at the draft and a solid year at Avon will only help his draft status.

Steven Whitney (2009), F, (Lawrence Acad.) (3 - 2 - 2 - 4)

1991 DOB and a heavily recruited player by the NCAA .. led the Select-16 in scoring and participated in the 2007 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament .. has all the intangibles to make him extremely dangerous with the puck (vision, speed, hands, smarts) .. can handle the puck at a fast pace and make quick plays or slow the play down and set-up plays .. vocal on the ice .. moves the puck very well in the offensive zone and has the ability to fake a pass and release a quick shot on net .. he is incredibly shifty .. has a very strong shot but consistently shoots high and at times, misses the net, but his release is so quick and the puck comes off his stick with lots of velocity .. had an ENG against the NJ Express on a great set-up by his brother, Joe Whitney .. has high draft potential for the 2009 NHL Draft.

Joe Whitney (2008), F, (Boston College - NCAA) (3 - 1 - 3 - 4)

1988 DOB who has been passed over in the last two drafts, but a solid year with Boston College could possibly change that or he could become a targeted free agent after four years in college .. has the talent and feistiness to be effective despite his size (5-7, 175) .. plays a chippy game, but when he is more worried about scoring goals, he is one of the most talented players on the ice .. has superior hands, quickness, and vision to make him deadly anytime he is in the offensive zone .. he is vocal and poised with the puck .. he moves the puck well and can quarterback a PP .. scored the fifth goal against the NJ Express in a 6-4 win on a 5-on-3 advantage .. may remind some of a young, Theo Fleury, but will need to see how he does moving up to the college rank.

Connor Anthoine (2011), F, (Jr. Pirates – Empire) (3 – 0 – 0 – 0)

A 1993 with tremendous upside and by far the youngest player at the tournament .. moves the puck well up ice and was able to keep pace with players as much as 6 years older than him .. has good speed .. a little timid on the forecheck, which can be expected .. should be a highly touted prospect in a few years.

Chris Tanev (2008), D, (Durham – OPJHL) (5 – 0 – 3 – 3 incl. playoffs)

A late 1989 .. played in 40 games last year and had nine points (all assists) .. has good size (6-2, 170) .. a solid defender with high upside and 2008 draft potential .. strong 1-on-1 with good defensive position and presence .. not the strongest upper body, but still remains effective in the corners .. has a good shot that he keeps low .. smart with the puck in the offensive zone and can definitely help a PP .. his best asset is his skating both forwards and backwards, as he is smooth and a strong skater with a long stride that he really stretches out .. logged a ton of icetime .. a player who is concerned more with his plus/minus than the points .. makes solid outlet passes .. will get Division 1 recognition and maybe some draft buzz.

Dustin Laren (2008), F, (Stouffville – OPJHL) (4 – 1 – 5 – 6 incl. playoffs)

A 1990 .. moves puck well and goes hard to net .. scored when battled for positioning in front and went five-hole off a pass by Jake Reid .. good hands and deceptive speed .. good hand-eye coordination .. scored the second goal against East Coast Express on a nice deflection from a Spivak shot .. smart with the puck .. definite college prospect and possible NHL draft prospect

Marc-Anthony Zanetti (2009), D, (Markham – OPJHL) (4 – 0 – 4 – 4 incl. playoffs)

1991 DOB .. sees the ice well and has good positioning .. uses the high glass to clear when in trouble .. needs more poise with the puck in certain situations .. almost coughed up the puck in front of his own net .. strong offensive with good ability at the point .. has a small stride with average speed .. moves the puck well but with some risky passes .. good job below the goal line and at shaking checks .. good one-timer and low shot .. if he goes the college route, he will be a Division 1 player, but more likely to go Ottawa (OHL) and with NHL draft potential

Corey Trivino (2008), F, (Stouffville – OPJHL) (4 – 3 – 0 – 3 incl. playoffs)

1990 DOB .. strong on faceoffs and so smooth in the offensive zone .. physical in the corners and a strong upper body .. scored a SHG against East Coast Express with a quick move and shot the rebound into the corner and Domingues passed it back out front and Trivino had an empty net .. used when up by a goal with two minutes left to protect the lead) .. skates so well with the puck and has poise and solid puck possession .. very good passer .. decent on PK but needs to get stronger in the passing lane .. likes the physical play and takes hits to make plays .. has very good hockey sense and good outside moves .. goes to net .. committed to BU for 2008 .. very high potential and definite pro potential with high 2008 NHL draft potential

Ethan Werek (2009), F, (Stouffville – OPJHL) (4 – 1 – 0 – 1 incl. playoffs)

1991 DOB .. good poise along the boards with the puck and battles hard every shift .. playing against older players but still asserting himself .. his offensive game will only get better .. nothing flashy but a north/south player who crashes the net .. scored his only goal when he took the puck from behind the net and stuffed it in five-hole .. very good in the faceoff circle .. in the second half, he showed more offensive ability with quick hands and moves down low .. aggressive and not afraid and doesn't back down .. creates chances for linemates .. defensive awareness and a good skater but a bit awkward when at full speed .. crisp passes .. excellent prospect .. committed to BU for 2009 and drafted by Kingston (OHL) .. pro potential all the way and very high 2009 NHL draft potential.