USHL is here in New England…

Just as we wrote back in our post, “Is the climate of Junior Hockey about to change in New England?….” on March 10, 2012 Hockeyrecruits4u believes the USHL needs to find a way to make inroads into the hockey rich east. It’s good for the league, its fans, the players, colleges and for hockey in the US and they have!

Jeff Jauch, President and CEO, of the USHL Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and the RoughRiders Hockey Club announced a partnership with the Connecticut Oilers of the EJHL, EJHL U-16 and the EmpireJHL.

“As a new Junior Hockey organization, we knew we would face challenges related to player acquisition
and recruiting in our inaugural season. Being proactive in this regard, we reached out to our existing contacts, and those with similar experiences. We imparted our plans for the upcoming season to the RoughRiders organization and the dialogue continued to what is now the beginning of what we believe will be a beneficial relationship for both organizations”, said Stephan Seeger, Oilers General Manager.

“The dialog that opened was extremely comfortable, and on the issue of player development, it was clear that we shared similar views, as well as an organizational philosophy dedicated to player advancement, skill development, and educational opportunities. At the end of the day, Junior Hockey is truly developmental, and relationships that can foster and promote this notion in a way that benefits young Junior players, are not only good for the related parties, but also for the developmental model itself,” Seeger said.

Hockeyrecruits4u welcomes our friends from the USHL to the hockey rich east and encourages our readers to watch the synergy grow between EJHL, EJHL U-16 and the EmpireJHL and USHL.

USHL draft results from yesterday…

Our scouts were right again! In the recent post, “It’s not just hockey its the USHL draft...” yesterday before the USHL draft Hockeyrecruits4u wrote “look for some teams to take a younger player like Hockeyrecruits4u, Noah Hanifin, D, ’97 or Cam Askew, F ’97 to hold their rights for three years”.

A total of 210 players were selected in the 2012 USHL Entry Draft, including Hockeyrecruits4u players:

Rd6 #89 INDIANA Ice select Cam Askew from South Boston, MA

Rd9 #131 DUBUQUE Fighting Saints select Noah Hanifin from Norwood, MA

Rd18 #266 DUBUQUE Fighting Saints select Duncan MacIntyre from Sydney, N.S.

Complete listing here

It’s not just hockey. It’s the USHL entry draft….

Hockeyrecruits4u is pleased to announce, The United States Hockey League will conduct the 2012 USHL Entry Draft tonight, May 22^ndbeginning at 4:00 PM (Central).  Draft selections for each team will be posted on www.USHL.com.

Fifteen USHL Member Clubs will participate in the 2012 USHL Entry Draft and select players in the 1992 birth year age group and younger.  Players selected in Tuesday’s draft will be invited to the tryout camp of their respective teams and have the opportunity to earn a roster spot for the 2012-13 USHL season. Although the recent USHL Futures Draft…took many 1996 birth year players off the Hockeyrecruits4u listing look for some teams to “gamble” and take a younger player like Hockeyrecruits4u, Noah Hanifin, D, ’97 or Cam Askew, F ’97 to hold their rights for three years.

2012 USHL Entry Draft Order

1.    Sioux Falls Stampede

2.    Muskegon Lumberjacks

3.    Des Moines Buccaneers

4.    Chicago Steel

5.    Tri-City Storm

6.    Sioux City Musketeers

7.    Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

8.    Fargo Force

9.    Youngstown Phantoms

10.  Waterloo Black Hawks

11.  Dubuque Fighting Saints

12.  Omaha Lancers

13.  Lincoln Stars

14.  Indiana Ice

15.  Green Bay Gamblers

The USNDT does not participate in the Entry Draft as they conduct a separate player selection process, held separately but in cooperation with the USHL

source: www.ushl.com

Follow your dream because somebody has to make the NHL, and it might as well be you….

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Central Scouting next entry draft will be held at the Pepsi Coliseum on Saturday, June 9th. The draft list includes players from Quebec, the Atlantic Provinces and New England including many from the Hockeyrecruits4u listing.

Hockeyrecruits4u has already published the New England players in our feature post  QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE Draft list….. Some will get drafted, but the question is, will they go?

We don’t want this to be another story about NCAA vs. Canadian Juniors either but rather what can the QMJHL do to get more Americans playing on their teams. The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is divided into three leagues, the Western Hockey League (22 teams), the Ontario Hockey League (16 teams) and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (16 teams). The CHL is widely regarded as the top teenage developmental league in the world and is the most proven route to the NHL. One of the reasons the CHL is so highly regarded by professional recruiters is the level of competition.

Elite New England hockey players have been traveling North to play against Canadian competition since they were very young. Many of these Americans played against the very same Canadians who eventually end up in QMJHL and the tournaments have been competitive, the best players on both side of the border are equal.

The QMJHL needs to promote their league better to draw players north. There are some ficticious obstacles holding the players back, like, the language factor, the perception that the QMJHL is a weaker league than OHL/WHL and New England is a hotbed of college hockey. Hockeyrecruits4u has been asked to help.

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of three leagues that make up the Canadian Hockey League. It is comprised of 16 teams in four Canadian Provinces, split into three divisions. Last season, over 2.5 million fans attended QMJHL games, averaging close to 3000 at each game. Each major junior hockey team is a business in which the stars are 16-to-20 year-old hockey players. Their expenses are covered. They receive a weekly allowance, from a rookie’s $100 to between $300 to $400 for three “over-age” 20-year-olds. The love of the game is in the culture. If you make one of these teams, you’re treated like NHLers. Everything is provided from equipment, training, player support program, food and housing. They are expected in school and the teams have tutors. The players are chasing the dream, to play in the NHL.

The odds are tough but players who are drafted and then stick on an NHL roster will go from that weekly allowance to $500,000 to $1 million in their first season. Every year one or two players per Canadian Hockey League team will go on to an NHL career. On a really good team it’s not unusual for five players to be drafted to the NHL. Those that don’t make the NHL have an educational award to fall back on. For every year in major junior, they receive a one year post-secondary school scholarship covering tuition fees. If they play four years then the receive a “full-ride” at a university. In 2010/11 $4.45 million in scholarships were awarded to more than 1,000 players. Eighty-nine players were invited to professional camps.

Follow your dream because somebody has to make the NHL, and it might as well be you.

source : http://theqmjhl.ca

Player Evaluations….

With the USA Hockey programs, the Hockey Canada programs, the NCAA and Jr Hockey, young players are now exposed to so many facets of the game. Lifestyle, conditioning, training and coaching make a much better prepared and educated athlete.

The pipeline of players being developed for our new Hockeyrecruits4u listing from all the leagues and programs we scout, puts our players in a really good place when you look to their future.

Right now the important identification phase of player evaluation is being done. All of our players will continue to get the recruiting attention they deserve.

Hockeyrecruits4u is always open to innovation and are never afraid of change. We constantly wonder if there is a better way to approach things or a better way to do things and we hope to build upon that and take it to another level if at all possible.

Upcoming player evaluations at:

EJHL Spring Showcase.

East Coast Futures Tournament

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE Draft list…..

It’s been a busy week for players from Hockeyrecruits4u list because the drafts in the world of Junior A hockey. Two nights ago, the USHL conducted their Futures Draft for 1996-born players.

Yesterday, the WHL held their bantam draft for 1997-born players and earlier this week, the QMJHL released their final scouting list of players for their draft, which will be held in early June.

Hockeyrecruits4u is pleased to have provided our list to the QMJHL for review and you know how long we had these players listed.

Below are ALL the ’96 players selected from New England. Hockeyrecruits4u players are in bold.

Beaudoin, Brent New Hampshire Monarchs

Bird, Tyler  St. John’s Prep

Bliss, Ryan  St. Paul’s School

Borges, Brandon Mt St. Charles Academy

Carlson, John Hingham HS

Carpenter, Robert Governor’s Academy

Crinella, Peter Springfield Cathedral

DiMaio, Benjamin Boston College HS

Dray, Bobby Cardigan Mountain School

Dudek, Joey Pinkerton Academy

Eichel, John Boston Jr. Bruins

Garland, Conor Boston Jr. Bruins

Gendron, Miles Rivers School

Giuttari, Zachary Moses Brown

Jadovich, Austin  Avon Old Farms School

Lee, Mike  Hamden HS

Lemos, Bryan Rhode Island Saints

Lundholm, Mitchell  Selects Hockey Academy

MacLeod, John Kimball Union

McCarthy, Jake St. Sebastian’s School

McCarthy, Jack St-John’s Prep

Megnia, Eric Baystate Breakers Empire

Nazarian, Ara Malden Catholic

Paolo, Gianni South Shore Kings

Pecararo, Liam Boston Advantage U18

Provost, Andrew Springfield Jr. Pics

Ricci, Austin St. Paul’s School

Sanchez, Nicolas Brunswick School

Schinabeck, Logan Springfield Jr. Pics

Smith, Will Springfield Jr. Pics

Sodergren, Connor St-Paul’s School

Tucker, Sam  Choate

White, Tucker  Wachusett Regional

Winkler, James  Berwick Academy

Here’s the complete QMJHL draft list. This is the first year of the QMJHL’s new rule that every team has to draft at least two Americans. Also, the list has many ’95 players but we are about ’96 and younger. Next years list will contain many of our other 96′s and of course, 97′s. 

NHL size—which is an attribute that can’t be taught, as the cliché goes…

Look in the middle of this picture and clearly #4 stands above everyone else, that’s because he is listed at 6’6” and still growing. Tucker White, D, ‘96 is an offensively gifted defender. He displays good skating ability for his frame and makes that all-important first pass out of the defensive zone that coaches love.  His defensive play has improved by leaps and bounds as he plays with more experienced teammates. Although his physicality remains low for a player of his size, White has all the physical tools and raw talent to be star defender. Coupled with a booming left-handed shot, Tucker’s size and defensive ability make him an intriguing prospect.

2009-10 Hockeyrecruits4u saw him at the Chowder Cup and instantly listed him as a player to watch.

2010-11: White became a regular on Wachusetts H.S. as a ninth grader helping his team to the District Championship game.

2011-12: White played with the Junior Bruins squad at the World Selects Invitational Tournament in Saco, Maine and received far more exposure. He played great against many of the world’s top ‘96 born players and demonstrated defensive dominance.

2012-2013 White will be playing with the Junior Bruins U18 team.

Setting his bloodline aside for a moment—his father, Bob White played 4 seasons in the NFL during his career in the late 1980s— Tucker has the style of game that has endear him to pro scouts too.

He’s only 16 years old and is still growing into his 6’6″, 185 pound body— has NHL size—which is an attribute that can’t be taught, as the cliché goes, just think of how he’ll be able to command the defensive zone when he fills out.

When the term “sleeping giant” is thrown into the scouting report for a particular player, it tends to get the interest of D1 programs, as well as, general managers league-wide. When referring to Tucker White, this is exactly how NHL scouts view him.

U.S. National Under-17 Team update…

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Forwards Anders Bjork (Mequon, Wis.), Nolan Stevens (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) and Joe Wegwerth (Brewster, N.Y.), along with defensemen Ryan Collins (Bloomington, Minn.) and John MacLeod(Dracut, Mass.) and netminder Blake Weyrick (Ojai, Calif.) have committed to join USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program for the 2012-13 season, it was announced Monday. The players, all from the 1996 birth year, will compete as members of the U.S. National Under-17 Team. The 2012-13 U.S. National Under-17 Team will play in the USHL, the top junior league in the U.S. It will also compete in three international competitions, including the 2013 World Under-17 Challenge. The roster currently stands at 11 forwards, seven defensemen and one goaltender, having previously announced commitments by forwards Jack Eichel (North Chelmsford, Mass.), Jared Fiegl (Parker, Colo.), Ryan Hitchcock (Manhasset, N.Y.), Dylan Larkin (Waterford, Mich.), Ryan MacInnis (St. Louis, Mo.), Sonny Milano (Massapequa, N.Y.), Alex Tuch (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) and Chris Wilkie (Omaha, Neb.), along with defensemen Louis Belpedio (Skokie, Ill.), Nathan Billitier (Spencerport, N.Y.), Ryan Bliss (Bedford, N.H.), Jack Glover (Golden Valley, Minn.) and Joshua Wesley (Raleigh, N.C.). “We are proud and excited to welcome these six players,” said Peter Ward, director of player personnel for the NTDP. “The character and commitment level on each of these young men is outstanding.” Hockeyrecruits4u players listed in bold. Forwards (x11): F - Joe Wegwerth (Brewster Bulldogs) F - Jack Eichel (Boston Jr. Bruins Jr. B) F – Anders Bjork (Chicago Mission Midget Minor) F – Jared Fiegl (Colorado Rampage Midget Minor) F - Ryan Hitchcock (NJ Rockets Jr. B) F – Dylan Larkin (Belle Tire Midget Minor) F – Ryan MacInnis (St. Louis Blues Midget Minor) F – Sonny Milano (Cleveland Barons Midget Minor) F – Nolan Stevens (LA Jr. Kings Midget Minor) F – Alex Tuch (Syracuse Stars Jr. B) F – Chris Wilkie (Omaha Lancers Midget Minor) Defenseman (x7): D – Louis Belpedio (Culver Academy) D – Nathan Billitier (Rochester Stars Jr. A) D - Ryan Bliss (St. Pauls School) D – Ryan Collins (Benilde-St. Margaret’s) D – Jack Glover (Benilde-St. Margaret’s) D - John MacLeod (Kimball Union Academy) D – Josh Wesley (Carolina Hurricanes Midget Minor) Goalies (x1): G – Blake Weyrick (Shattuck St. Mary’s) According to the two press releases from USAH on the official signees, the team will have 12 forwards, 8 d-men, and 2 goalies. So right now, there’s still room for 1 forward, 1 d-man, and 1 goalie. Although, it sounds like there’s probably a player or two Hockeyrecruits4u is unaware of at this point.

USHL Futures Draft…..

For the first time ever, fans could watch live coverage of the USHL Futures Draft on USHL.com. The USHL has partnered with FastHockey to bring the show to fans at no cost. The “Voice of the Stampede” Jim Olander was host of the show from Chicago. The live show had the official announcement of all selections in the 2012 USHL Futures Draft and include player interviews, analysis, highlights, and much more from the USHL.

Each USHL member club has six selections in the Futures Draft, unless the club has used one of two available tenders available to all teams under the league’s new tender system.  The tender offer option, available for the first time this year, gives each Member Club the opportunity to sign as many as two 1996 birth year players in advance of the Futures Draft.

Every one of the 78 players that will be selected in the 2012 Futures Draft is automatically placed on the Affiliate List of the USHL team that selected him.  The Club retains the draftee’s rights for three years and can add the player to its active roster at any point during the season.  In general, players selected in the USHL Futures Draft have not reached the level to play in the USHL for the next season, but USHL Member Clubs will regularly monitor their players’ progress. Hockeyrecruits4u is pleased to have provided our list for review.

Players selected in the 2012 Futures Draft from the Hockeyrecruits4u list:

RD 1

#2    LIAM PECARARO • LW • Boston Advantage •  Waterloo Blackhawks

#14  BRANDON FORTUNATO • LD • Long Island • Greenbay Gamblers

RD 2

#3   DANIEL WILLETT • LD • New Jersey Rockets Jr. B • Lincoln Stars

#7   MITCHELL LUNDHOLM • LW • Selects Hockey • Sioux Falls Stampede

RD 3

#10 CONOR GARLAND • F • Boston Junior Bruins Jr. • Muskegan Lumberjacks

RD 4

#4   BRYAN LEMOS • LW • Rhode Island Saints U16 • Youngstown Phantoms

Rd 6

#1    ARA NAZARIAN • C • Malden Catholic HS • Des Moines Buckaneers

#15  RYAN DONATO • F • Dexter School • Omaha Lancers

Click here for all the picks. For all the players that aren’t drafted, they can continue grow as a player and as a person. Every season, there are guys that would be an asset to any team that can sign them and they get signed. The key to all of these acquisitions is that the teams don’t have to give up anything to pull a good prospect into their system. Hockeyrecruits4u will have others from our list playing in the USHL.

All league logos used on this website are copyright of their respective owners. We would like to thank the USHL for use of their logo on this site.

Jack Eichel ’96, F, commits to Boston University….

Jack Eichel ’96, F, committed yesterday to Boston University. Eichel uses his reach to create space. As he fills out, he will be able to create even more space to the  consternation of his opponents, who already have to deal with his tremendous skating, puck and shooting skills.

“He is one of the most talented kids in that birth year,” said Tim Taylor. “He is a very good candidate for the National Team Development Program. He has a good combination of skills and hockey sense and he has a very good body for the game.”.

He’s a real special player with tons of talent,” said Junior Bruins coach Chris Masters (Lexington, Mass.), who has guided scores of Div. 1 players and NHL players such as Bobby Butler, Greg Mauldin and Adam Pineault through the program. “In the 10 or 12 years I’ve been coaching, I’m not sure there’s a player I’ve coached that’s as talented as he is. If he’s not the most talented, he’s certainly in that discussion.”

“There’s a reason why he’s as good as he is and a big part of that is the time and effort he puts into it,” said Masters, who has known Eichel since he was 8 and playing on summer tournament teams. “He’s always been one of the best ’96s, but over the last several years he has continually distanced himself from his age group.

“His greatest asset is what he can do with the puck, whether he is setting plays up or finishing. He has a vicious release. His snap shot is really heavy. A couple coaches, when we’re shaking hands after a game, are talking about a shot he took. He’s a natural goal scorer, but he’s not a kid that’s going to have 40 goals and 10 assists. He’ll have 40 and 35.”

Jack is another Hockeyrecruits4u player making his college selection.

Jack Eichel 1 ‏ @Jack_Eichel11
There’s no better feeling than the one that I have right now. I am so excited and thankful for everything that has happened to me.

MHG Ice Centre To Co-Host Selects World Invitational…

Select Sports Management and the Portland Pirates (EJHL) are hosting their World Selects Invitational tournament to be held in Saco, Maine starting tomorrow, April 12th-15th. The tournament will feature many top players born in 1996 and 1997* (all 97′s already on our list) at the MGH Ice Centre. Hockeyrecruits4u will be there watching players already on our prestigious list as well as scouting others.

The following teams will be at ‘96  the World Selects Invitational; CSKA Moscow, AK Bars, Mettalurg, Czech Republic Selects,  Sweden Selects, Latvia Selects,  Pro Hockey Development 1 and 2, East Coast Selects,  Selects Hockey Academy,  Selects Hockey BC,  Detroit Belle Tire, Junior Bruins , Boston Advantage.

Click here for schedule, rosters and results.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*97′s playing  (Jeremy Bracco, F, Cal Burke, F, Robbie Roche, D, Connor Sundquist, F.)

Here are the future players…

This weekend in Foxboro, Massachusetts Hockeyrecruits4u will be watching the Shamrock Elite Tournament for the “next ones” to make our prestigious list. These are the players who go out and have fun and play their game, give an honest effort every time they hit the ice and be accountable on and off the ice.

The 2nd Annual Shamrock Elite Invitational Hockey Tournament, April 13-15th, Iorio and Foxboro Arena. Mites thru Bantams 04′s – 98′s. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Jr. Knights ’97′s, last years Bantam Tournament Champs, went on to win the USA Hockey 14-and-Under Tier I National Championship this year. The second annual tournament is featuring many talented players. Green pucks will be used and awarded to two players on a team elected as players of each game.

Schedule, results and scores here.

Leprechauns too

2012 Tier 1 National Championships….

The Valley Warriors ’97 Elites, ’99 Elites and ’99 Selects have earned the right to compete at the 2012 National Championships, which will begin next week. The Valley Warriors ’97 Elites, which will be making their second appearance in the USA Hockey Tier I National Championship in three years. This is a very strong team with Cameron Askew, F, Noah Hannifin, D, Colin White, F, Casey Fitzgerald, D, Ryan Lacroix, G, Lincoln Griffin, F. Here is a schedule of play for the VJW ’97 Elites that begins on March 28th in Williamsville, NY.. March 28 @ 11:40 a.m. LA Selects vs VJW ’97 Elites March 29 @ 8:00 a.m.VJW ’97 Elites vs Ohio Blue Jackets March 30 @ 8:00 a.m. VJW ’97 Elites vs Dallas Stars Elite The ’97 Long Island Gulls are there with players we have been writing about for along time; Grant Jozefek, Jeremy Bracco, Charles McAvoy, Troy Conzo, Steven Ruggiero, and Nolan Aibels.  Mid-Fairfield’s ’97′s, Anthony Vincent, will draw attention in this bracket too. Click here for entire schedule and results Also, the U16 Rhode Island Saints Tier 1 team with Bryan Lemos,’96 (goal scorer with a solid two-way game), Brandon Borges,’96 (very fast, intelligent, goal scoring forward) Zach Giuttari, ’96, D. The RI Saints U16 Tier 2 team is in with John Laurito, ’96 (Fast, sniper, we like this player alot), F, Liam Watkinson,’96, D, and Dominic Franco, ’96, F. John McCleod, ’96, D, is playing for ’96 Cleveland Barons. Here is a schedule of play for the U16 RI Saints that begins on March 28th in Williamsville, NY.. March 28 @ 1:30 p.m. RI Saints vs North Jersey Avalanche March 29 @ 3:45pm. Shattuck St Mary’s vs RI Saints March 30 @ 5:30 pm. RI Saints vs Amherst Knights Click here for entire schedule and results ALL GAMES STREAMED LIVE HERE or view past games. Hockeyrecruits4u players in bold

Final Empire Junior action today at Foxboro….

2012 National Tournament at Foxboro

The final round of the Empire Playoffs will be incorporated into the National Tournament at Foxboro, with the Semi Finals today and the Championship game tomorrow.

Game Schedule

Is the climate of Junior Hockey about to change in New England?….

Hockeyrecruits4u is hearing up to 6 USHL teams could be coming to New England playing a mixed schedule against EJHL and USHL.  Although there has been many rumors over the years this really seems to have substance. Here are some facts we understand:

The Green Mountain Glades have been sold to the ownership group that owns the Portland Jr. Pirates. The Portland Pirates, Maine Hockey Group and Firland Management, owner of the Androscoggin Bank Colisee, unveiled an alliance on 3/6 to bring upper-level hockey back to the Colisee (you need at least 2000 seats for USHL).They will move the Glades to Saco, Maine and rename them the Portland Jr. Pirates. The new Pirates will be members of the Eastern Junior Hockey League.

The EJHL Pirates will play some of their games in Lewiston next season at the Colisee . “We realized we needed to bring to this market junior hockey at its highest level,” Cain said. “The USHL. Both Brian (Petrovek, CEO and owner of the Pirates) and I were working parallel, and we joined forces over the last several months to see how we could make this thing happen. We’re a year and a half away from executing that plan. It’s going to happen. That’s great news for this market, great news for people that like to attend hockey games, and junior hockey at its highest level is a great fit for Lewiston-Auburn.” Firland owner Jim Cain said.

The EJHL’s Capital District Selects have been sold by Jim Salfi to a group including former University of New Hampshire star Eric Lind. Lind, a Connecticut resident, will move the team from Albany, New York to Norwalk, Connecticut. The franchise will play out of a new arena, the SoNo Ice House as the Connecticut Oilers.

Long time head coach of the Eastern Junior Hockey League’s New Hampshire Junior Monarchs, Sean Tremblay,  is leaving the organization after this season.  Tremblay will take over the New England Huskies. They will be changing their name to Middlesex Islanders and play at Merrimack College (you need at least 2000 seats for USHL).

New York Apple Core is heading north from Long Island to Brewster, N.Y.

EJHL’s New Jersey Hitman led the league in attendance, averaging 3300 in attendance per game, yet most EJHL teams often play to half-empty and many times empty rinks. The EJHL is not a league in which revenue is generated through attendance, but rather from player fees and U18 (Empire), U16, youth and spring/summer teams, the very same tiered avenue used for player development. A scenario where every player will have an opportunity to compete and develop at the level he is best suited for.

All New England Sports Center would need to do is expand and add the 2000 seats or build a new rink for the Junior Bruins.

While the USHL has no formal relationship with the National Hockey League, a few USHL teams are already owned by current NHL owners and General Managers. Talks have started for a formal player development agreement between the two groups but at this point one can only speculate what such a deal would mean.

USHL presence in New England would attract Quebec and Maritime players, like Hockeyrecruits4u featured in our Red Bull Rookies Cup story, to come south impacting the QMJHL Also, with this many choices in New England, hockey players wont have to go away to prep school or move away to play junior hockey. They can now stay closer to home and develop playing against high level of competition, ipso facto, increasing a talented player pool for Juniors.

As stated before, Hockeyrecruits4u believes the USHL needs to find a way to make inroads into the hockey rich east. It’s good for the league, its fans, the players, colleges and for hockey in the US.

U17 USNTDP list to be released this afternoon…

This afternoon, USA Hockey will release their roster for the U17 NTDP Final 40 Camp, which is the tryout camp for the players that will be selected for the 2012 NTDP U17 team.

See our picks from February 4, 2012

Remember, to check out Hockeyrecruits4u player list, these players could have been picked as well and will certainly be college hockey players.

Here’s the full breakdown: MN — 7; IL, NY — 6; MI — 5; WI, CO — 4; CA,MA, MO, NC — 3; NJ , PA — 2; IN, NE, NH, OH, VA — 1, Hockeyrecruits4u—6

2012 Roster
Here are the players invited to the camp in Ann Arbor:
Pos Name Hometown 2011-12 Team
F Paul Bittner Crookston, Minn. Crookston (Minn.) High School
F Anders Bjork Mequon, Wis. Chicago Mission Midget Minor
F Blake Clarke Wildwood, Mo. St. Louis Blues Midget Major
F Kyle Connor Shelby Township, Mich. Belle Tire (Mich.) Midget Minor
F Christian Dvorak Frankfort, Ill. Chicago Mission Midget Minor
F Scott Eansor Englewood, Colo. Culver Academy (Ind.) Midget Minor
F Jack Eichel N. Chelmsford, Mass. Boston Jr. Bruins Jr. B (EMJHL)
F Jared Fiegl Parker, Colo. Colorado Rampage Midget Minor
F Dylan Gambrell Colorado Springs, Colo. Colorado Thunderbirds Midget Minor
F Shane Gersich Chaska, Minn. Holy Family (Minn.) High School
F Will Harrison Springfield, Va. Washington Little Caps Midget Minor
F Ryan Hitchcock Manhasset, N.Y. NJ Rockets Jr. B (EMJHL)
F Laythe Jadallah Raleigh, N.C. The Gunnery School (Conn.)
F Alex Jasiek St. Louis, Mo. St. Louis Blues Midget Minor
F Dylan Larkin Waterford, Mich. Belle Tire (Mich.) Midget Minor
F Ryan MacInnis St. Louis, Mo. St. Louis Blues Midget Minor
F Nick Magyar Mentor, Ohio Cleveland Barons Midget Minor
F Seamus Malone Naperville, Ill. Chicago Mission Midget Minor
F Sonny Milano Massapequa, N.Y. Cleveland Barons Midget Minor
F Tyler Nanne Edina, Minn. Edina (Minn.) High School
F Dylan Pavelek Marysville, Mich. Belle Tire (Mich.) Midget Minor
F Liam Pecararo Canton, Mass. Boston Advantage Midget Major
F J.J. Piccinich Paramus, N.J. NJ Avalanche Midget Minor
F Nolan Stevens Manhattan Beach, Calif. LA Jr. Kings Midget Minor
F Ryan Tait Santa Clarita, Calif. Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minn.)
F Alex Tuch Baldwinsville, N.Y. Syracuse Stars Jr. B (EMJHL)
F Joe Wegwerth Brewster, N.Y. Brewster Bulldogs Jr. B (EMJHL)
F Chris Wilkie Omaha, Neb. Omaha Lancers Midget Minor
D Adam Baughman Chicago, Ill. Chicago Mission Midget Minor
D Louis Belpedio Skokie, Ill. Culver Academy (Ind.) Midget Minor
D Nathan Billitier Spencerport, N.Y. Rochester Stars Jr. A (EJHL)
D Ryan Bliss Bedford, N.H. St. Paul’s (N.H.) School
D Brandon Carlo Colorado Springs, Colo. Colorado Thunderbirds Midget Minor
D Ryan Collins Bloomington, Minn. Benlide-St. Margaret’s (Minn.) School
D Luke Davison De Pere, Wis. Notre Dame (Wis.) High School
D Jack Glover Golden Valley, Minn. Benlide-St. Margaret’s (Minn.) School
D Joshua Jacobs Shelby Township, Mich. Honeybaked (Mich.) Midget Minor
D Kevin Kerr Bensalem, Pa. Team Comcast (Pa.) Midget Minor
D Jake Linhart Brookfield, Wis. Chicago Mission Midget Minor
D Duncan MacIntyre Chicago, Ill. Notre Dame (Sask.) Academy
D Johnathan MacLeod Dracut, Mass. Kimball Union Academy (N.H.)
D Ryan Mantha Clarkston, Mich. Belle Tire (Mich.) Midget Minor
D Blake Siebenaler Fort Wayne, Ind. Cleveland Barons Midget Minor
D Peter Tischke Hinsdale, Ill. Chicago Mission Midget Minor
D Jack Walker Edina, Minn. Edina (Minn.) High School
D Cooper Watson Appleton, Wis. Appleton (Wis.) High School
D Joshua Wesley Raleigh, N.C. Carolina Jr. Hurricanes (NAPHL)
G Chris Birdsall Glen Rock, N.J. NJ Avalanche Midget Minor
G Logan Halladay Holly Springs, N.C. Carolina Jr. Hurricanes (NAPHL)
G Joseph Lissak New York, N.Y. Ramapo Saints (N.Y.) Midget Minor
G Ed Minney Wind Gap, Pa. Washington Little Caps Midget Minor
G Chase Perry Andover, Minn. Andover (Minn.) High School
G Blake Weyrick Ojai, Calif. Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minn.)

Colin White ’97 commits to BC…..

Hockeyrecruits4u has learned Colin White ’97, F, eighth grader at Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, MA will soon commit to Boston College. Colin is 5′ 11″ 170, and another Hockeyrecruits4u player making his college selection.

Eaglebrook Varsity Ice Hockey Tournament this weekend..

“Hockey in some form or another has long been a part of this winter sports school.  As soon as the pond was an integral part of the campus, the game achieved sport status and in the late thirties…”  (Eaglebrook: The First Fifty Years,  C. Thurston Chase).

Today, the program has developed into offering teams at the Varsity, Varsity “B” and Junior Varsity levels.  The teams competitive schedules are against other junior boarding school teams, secondary school teams, select teams, and club teams.

Teams travel from all across the United States and Canada to compete in the on-campus McFadden Rink at Alfond Arena, affectionately called “The Nest”. Hockeyrecruits4U believes this is an extraodinary academic school with a celebrated hockey history. Student/Athletes improve the skills needed for the challenges of secondary schools and upon graduation are completely prepared to attend a boarding school. This is an ideal option for the student/athlete to get ready for the rigors of Prep school and at the same time continue playing hockey at an advanced level.

2012 Eaglebrook School Annual Varsity Ice Hockey Tournament

Friday, February 24th – Sunday, February 26th, 2012 1997 & 1998 Birth Year Tournament Founded in 1922, Eaglebrook is a Leading Boarding and Day School for Boys in Grades 6 through 9 State-of-the-Art Ice Arena on Beautiful 750+ Acre Campus! NHL Dimensioned 200′ x 85′ Playing Surface

click for 2012_TOURNAMENT_SCHEDULE_with scores update 2/26 4:05 FINAL Boston Advantage Champions~!

click for directions.

source: www.eaglebrook.org

Empire Jr Hockey League playoffs begin…

The playoff games are set and can be found by clicking on “schedule” and then finding EmpJHL Playoffs 2012.

The Eastern Conference seeds in order are Junior Bruins, Monarchs, Kings, Glades, Huskies, Bandits, Pics, and Breakers.

The Western conference seeds in order are Stars, Applecore, Bulldogs, Wildcats, Revolution, Hitman, Maksymum and Patriots.

Players to watch: Alex Tuch, 96, F, Stars, Luke Kirwan, 97, F, Stars, Anthony Angelio, F, Stars, Conor Garland, 96, F, Jr Bruins, Jack Eichel, 96, F, Jr Bruins, Joe Wegwerth, 96, F, Bulldogs, Brent Beaudoin, 96, F, Monarchs, Robby Marcinico, 96, F, Hitman, Haralds Egle, 96, F, Glades, , Brandon Fusaro, 96, F, Applecore, Gianni Paolo, 96, D, Kings, Willie Smith, 96, F, Pics.

Hockeyrecruits4u predicts the Junior Bruins as Champions.

Click on team name for up to date playoff rosters & stats                                                                                           All Times Local
#	AWAY	HOME	DATE	TIME	SCORE	BOXSCORE
	Baystate Breakers	Junior Bruins	Fri, Feb 24	4:30 pm	Tri-Town
	Baystate Breakers	Junior Bruins	Sat, Feb 25	10:30 am	Tri-Town
	Baystate Breakers	Junior Bruins	Sat, Feb 25	1:00 pm	Tri-Town

All Times Local
#	AWAY	HOME	DATE	TIME	SCORE	BOXSCORE
	Springfield Pics	New Hampshire Jr Monarchs	Sat, Feb 25	7:00 pm	Tri-Town
	Springfield Pics	New Hampshire Jr Monarchs	Sun, Feb 26	1:00 pm	Tri-Town
	Springfield Pics	New Hampshire Jr Monarchs	Sun, Feb 26	3:30 pm	Tri-Town

All Times Local
#	AWAY	HOME	DATE	TIME	SCORE	BOXSCORE
	Boston Bandits	South Shore Kings	Fri, Feb 24	7:00 pm	Tri-Town
	Boston Bandits	South Shore Kings	Sat, Feb 25	1:30 pm	Tri-Town
	Boston Bandits	South Shore Kings	Sat, Feb 25	4:00 pm	Tri-Town

All Times Local
#	AWAY	HOME	DATE	TIME	SCORE	BOXSCORE
	New England Huskies	Green Mountain Glades	Sat, Feb 25	4:30 pm	Tri-Town
	New England Huskies	Green Mountain Glades	Sun, Feb 26	10:00 am	Tri-Town
	New England Huskies	Green Mountain Glades	Sun, Feb 26	12:30 pm	Tri-Town

source; Empire Junior Hockey

JUNIOR NATIONAL TOURNAMENT COMING TO FOXBORO, MA The Foxboro Sports Center will be a busy place the second weekend in March as the top teams from the ESHL and Empire Leagues come together to vie for the National Championship. Schedule

2012 Red Bulls Hockey Rookies Cup, Salzburg

The 2012 version of the Atlantic Hockey Showcase will feature Team Canada U16 ID Camp.  In August of 2012 they will be taking Canada’s top 1997 born players to Austria to compete against the Under 16 National Programs from some of the World’s top hockey powers including Russia, Czech Republic, and Finland at the Red Bulls Rookie Cup. 

Hockeyrecruits4u, as well as the rest of us, wonder why is the US Team is not in this contest? Last years tournament teams closely resembled that country’s Youth Olympics team, maybe this is another reason why the US team didn’t do as well in the Youth Olympics?

Even though this Hockeyrecruits4u blog is mostly about New England players, we feel its necessary to list some of Atlantic Canada top players too, some in consideration for Team Canada U16’s.

96’s

Duncan MacIntyre NS, Nic Blanchard NS, Zach Moody NS, Tanner McCabe PEI, Kameron Keilly PEI, Alex Gallant PEI, Matthew Highmore NS, Mitchell Vanderlaan NB

97’s

Luc Deschenes NB, Will Thompson NB, Alex MacDonald NS, Nathan Noel NL, Layton Parsons NS, Colby Tower NS, Hugo Robichaud NB, Lucas Sangster NS, Curtis Scales NL

98’s

Keith Getson NS, Alex Hambly PEI, Morgan Nauss NS, Mitchell Balmas NS