Established 1996
 
 

 

 
NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings

* O'Brien, Harris, Kesselring Top Listed Prep Players

The NHL Central Scouting Services released its Midterm Rankings today, and here they are.

These are downloadable, printable and contain official heights and weights taken by Central's scouts, as well as birthdates, left/right shot, etc. 

The top-ranked US player is Boston University LW Brady Tkachuk, who is #3 overall.

Among the 15 New England prep and high school players listed, the top ranked are Thayer RC Jay O'Brien (#44 OA, Rd. 2) Kimball Union LD Jordan Harris (#46 OA, Rd. 2) and New Hampton RD Michael Kesselring (#55 OA, Rd. 2).

Keep in mind that these are North American rankings. Things change when the real draft -- it's in Dallas June 22-23 -- arrives and European players are added to the mix.

Here is the full list of prep players listed:

2nd Rd. -- Jay O'Brien, RC, Thayer 
2nd Rd. -- Jordan Harris, LD, KUA
2nd Rd. -- Michael Kesselring, RD, New Hampton
3rd Rd. -- Riley Hughes, RW, St. Sebastian's
4th Rd. -- Christian Felton, RD, KUA
4th Rd. -- Logan Cash, LW, KUA
4th Rd. -- Peter DiLiberatore, LD, Salisbury
5th Rd. -- Wyatt Schlaht, LW, St. Sebastian's
6th Rd. -- Teddy Wooding, RC, Rivers
7th Rd. -- Aidan McDonough, LW, Thayer
7th Rd. -- Jacques Bouquot, LW, Salisbury
7th Rd. -- Ryan Stevens, LW, Nobles
7th Rd. -- Nolan McElhaney, LD, Cushing
7th Rd. -- Gabriel Blanchard, LD, Trinity-Pawling
7th Rd. -- Connor Sweeney, LW, Lawrence
 

There are six Minnesota High School players on the list, down from last year's 12. There are two Wisconsin high school players. There are no New England HS players.

2018 NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings: North American Skaters A-Z
2018 NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings: North American Skaters
2018 NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings: North American Goalies


 

NHL Central Scouting Players to Watch List

NHL Central Scouting Service released its new Players to Watch List today. It's a lengthy document. Pages 1-14 are for US/Canada. Pages 15-22 cover the European Leagues. It's a little thin on the New England Preps and Minnesota High School, as those leagues haven't gotten cranked up yet. That should change with the next list.

Four current or former New England prep players recieved an "A" or "B" ranking. They are RW Oliver Wahlstrom (NTDP/Harvard), who is an "A". The three who received "B" rankings are C Jay O'Brien (Thayer/Providence), RD Michael Kesselring (New Hampton/Merrimack), and LD Mike Callahan (Central Illinois/Providence). A number of others received a "C" ranking.

The 2018 NHL Draft is on June 22nd and 23rd at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.


NHL Central Scouting Players to Watch List of Nov. 15, 2017





Results from Sunday's District Championships


Mass. State Championship

All games at New England Sports Center
Sunday, November 12, 2017
(Rink number is in parentheses.)

In Massachusetts, seven different organizations won a trip to Nationals.

Tier I:

14U Tier I Semifinal: 8:30 am (5) -- Boston Jr. Eagles 5, NV River Rats 0
14U Tier I Semifinal: 8:30 am (4) -- Boston Jr. Terriers 3, Islanders Hockey Club 2
14U Tier I Championship: 3:00 pm (2) -- Boston Jr. Terriers 2, Boston Jr. Eagles 1 (OT) -- Jayden Grier put the Terriers up early in the first with a flukey goal that deflected in off a Jr. Eagle defender. Nolan Joyce got one back in the third with a PPG. But with six seconds left in OT, Jr. Terrier center JP Turner barreled down the left wing and fired a shot far side that beat Ryan Kazmouz for the GWG. The star of this game, in which the Jr. Eagles held a huge margin in time of possession and shots, was Jr. Terriers goalie Layne Browning. In addition, the Terriers played with grit and kept their wits about them when under pressure. The most compelling of the championship games here today. (Despite their loss, the Jr. Eagles, due to their strong season, have a chance of being invited to Nationals as an at-large team.)

15 Tier I Semifinal: 8:40 am (3) -- Boston Advantage 2, Springfield Rifles 1 (OT)
15 Tier I Semifinal: 9:00 am (2) --  Cape Cod Whalers 4, NV River Rats 3
15 Tier I Championship: 5:00 pm (2) -- Boston Advantage 2, Cape Cod Whalers 1 -- Ryan Corcoran scored two first period goals, which was all the Advantage needed.

16U Tier I Semifinal: 10:30 am (5) -- Boston Jr. Eagles 5, EC Wizards 1
16U Tier I Semifinal: 10:30 am (4) -- NV River Rats 6, Cape Cod Whalers 2
16U Tier I Championship: 5:00 pm (1) -- Boston Jr. Eagles 4, NV River Rats 2 -- A John Farinacci goal off a breakaway broke open a 2-2 game in the third. David Jacobs added an insurance goal with 1:32 remaining. Peirce Kenney and Ben Meehan also scored for the Jr. Eagles. Danny Colon and Robbie Barletta scored for the River Rats. Derek Mullahy got the win in net; Gavin Fitzpatrick took the loss.

18U Tier I Semifinal: 11:00 am (2) -- Little Bruins 6, Boch Militia 1
18U Tier I Semifinal: 11:40 am (7) -- Cape Cod Whalers 5, EMass Senators 3
18U Tier I Championship: 6:00 pm (5) -- Cape Cod Whalers 4, Little Bruins 3 -- In the waning minutes of the third, the Little Bruins had what would have been a game-tying goal waived off when the officials ruled the puck hadn't crossed the goal line. Numerous spectators thought it had, and Little Bruins coach Peter Masters definitely thought so, but his argument didn't convince the referee. The Whalers got goals from Jack Rathbone (2), Ryan Stevens, and Aidan McDonough. All the Little Bruins goals -- from Jack Studley, Andrew Moynihan, and Gunnarwolfe Fontaine -- came in the first period, as did two of the Whalers' goals. Matt Lane (Whalers) and Aidan Porter (Little Bruins) were in net. The Little Bruins had a short bench, as five players were scratches due to injury, including Hunter Brackett, who broke his arm in an earlier game.


Tier II:

14U Tier II Semifinal: 7:40 am (7) -- Islanders Hockey Club 8, EC Wizards 0
14 U Tier II Semifinal: 8:00 am (1) -- South Shore Kings 5, Springfield Rifles 1
14U Tier II Championship: 1:40 pm (7) -- South Shore Kings 4, Islanders HC 3 -- Luke Raider, with an assist from Alex Infanger, scored the game-winner 4:10 into the third period.

16U Tier II Semifinal: 9:40 am (7) -- NV River Rats 3, Canton Bulldogs 0
16U Tier II Semifinal: 10:00 am (1) -- Greater Boston Jr. Bruins 5, South Shore Kings 3
16 U Tier II Championship: 6:30 pm (7) -- NV River Rats 2, Greater Boston Jr. Bruins 1 (OT) -- A Kevin Moriarty goal 15 seconds into overtime, a tuck of a rebound of a Devon Carlstrom shot off the end boards, lifted the River Rats to a 2-1 win.

18U Tier II Semifinal: 10:40 am (3) -- EMass Senators 4, Quincy 67s 3
18U Tier II Semifinal: 10:40 am (6) -- Springfield Rifles 8, Barnstable Raiders 3
18U Tier II Championship: 8:00 pm (7) -- Springfield Rifles 4, EMass Senators 1-- The Rifles struck for three second period goals, including two from John Barron.


***
New England District Championship
All games at the Berkshire School; Sheffield, Mass.
Sunday, November 12, 2017

16U Tier I Championship: 10:00 am (Olympic) -- Selects Academy 2, Yale 0 -- Selects got goals from PJ Fletcher and Ethan Phillips, and Trevor Giwerowski posted a 42-save shutout.

15 Tier I Championship: 11:00 am (NHL) -- Selects Academy 4, Yale 0 -- Selects 15s got goals from Jack Williams, Nick DeSantis, Ryan Miknich, and Tyler Silverstein. Victor Czernecklanair had a pair of assists. And Tommy Aitken (12 saves) notched the shutout.

18U Tier I Championship: 12:30 pm (Olympic) -- Yale 4, NH Avalanche 0 -- Alex Dipaolo (2g,2a) figured in all four Yale goals, and Daniel DeChille (44 saves) let nothing by him. Jacques Bouquot had a goal and an assist, Nick Hale had a goal, and Kevin Wall had a pair of assists.


***
And The Winners Go To...
USA Hockey National Championships
Tier I: April 5-10, 2018
14U -- Charlotte, NC 
15 -- Plymouth, Mich.
16U & 18U -- Philadelphia, PA

Tier II: April 5-9, 2018
14U -- Amherst, NY
16U -- Wayne, NJ
18U -- Green Bay, Wisc.

 

Around the Rinks

Thayer senior C Jay O'Brien had four points (2g,2a) in Saturday's 7-2 win over Governor's.
Thayer senior C Jay O'Brien had four points (2g,2a) in Saturday's 7-2 win over Governor's. (Photo: Dave Arnold Photography)
 
Salisbury senior center Matt Holmes in action Wednesday at Taft.
Salisbury senior center Matt Holmes in action Wednesday at Taft. (Photo: J. Alexander Imaging)
 
Northeastern recruit Riley Hughes (19) and Liam Gorman (15) -- both juniors -- will be taking on a bigger role for St. Sebastian's this season.
Northeastern recruit Riley Hughes (19) and Liam Gorman (15) -- both juniors -- will be taking on a bigger role for St. Sebastian's this season. (Photo: Dave Arnold Photography)
 
Middlesex junior G Joe Stanizzi kicked out 48 shots in a 3-0 shutout of Governor's on Dec 1st.
Middlesex junior G Joe Stanizzi kicked out 48 shots in a 3-0 shutout of Governor's on Dec 1st. (Photo: Dave Arnold Photography)