Harvard has a new addition to the Class of 2011 in Brayden Jaw. Brayden is a power forward who is describes as someone who lays it on the line every shift. He's 6'1'' 185lbs and is described as a "Ray Sawada" type player by his coach at Nanimo (Sawada was a very effective player at Cornell). He had a 13-21-34 line in 58 games and really picked up his game in the playoffs.
Harvard's Class of 2011 forwards resemble a typical Cornell class - size, strength, and grit!
Welcome to Harvard Brayden!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
The Gifts Keep on Coming!
Mike Seward (6'1'' 195lbs LW) from Winchester has committed to Harvard's class of 2011. He will spend a year in the EJHL (next year) en route to Cambridge. He was recently ranked #208 (just squeaked in there!) in Central Scouting's final rankings for the upcoming NHL Draft in June and who knows - a team may take a flier on him.
Welcome to Cambridge!
Welcome to Cambridge!
Friday, April 16, 2010
...And the NEPSAC Stork Left Us....
....Two recruits, one of which comes in slightly unheralded, and one comes in very heralded.
Kyle Criscuolo (5'9'' 155lbs), a junior forward at Choate (from New Jersey) has committed to Harvard. He led Choate in scoring with a 19-22-41 line in 26 games. He has described as fast and resembles they type of player that BC has brought in over the years. Though bulkier, the description can't help but remind you of Steve Martins, a fellow Choate alum who went off to have a great career at Harvard.
Petr Placek (6'4'' 200lbs), a junior RW at Hotchkiss (from Czech Republic) is a bit of a late bloomer, but has really blossomed....blossomed so much in that he could be a 1st-2nd round draft pick in the 2011 NHL Draft if he has a good Fall next year. He had a 16-16-32 in 27 games which was good for 2nd on the team in scoring.
Kyle Criscuolo (5'9'' 155lbs), a junior forward at Choate (from New Jersey) has committed to Harvard. He led Choate in scoring with a 19-22-41 line in 26 games. He has described as fast and resembles they type of player that BC has brought in over the years. Though bulkier, the description can't help but remind you of Steve Martins, a fellow Choate alum who went off to have a great career at Harvard.
Petr Placek (6'4'' 200lbs), a junior RW at Hotchkiss (from Czech Republic) is a bit of a late bloomer, but has really blossomed....blossomed so much in that he could be a 1st-2nd round draft pick in the 2011 NHL Draft if he has a good Fall next year. He had a 16-16-32 in 27 games which was good for 2nd on the team in scoring.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Central Scouting Final Rankings for Upcoming NHL Draft
Yesterday, Central Scouting released its final Rankings for the upcoming draft in June:
Harvard players:
Patrick McNally - 40 (His mid-term ranking was 84)
Danny Biega - 46 (His mid-term ranking was 31)
Tom O'Regan - 129 (His mid-term ranking was 148)
Dan Linnell - Unranked (His mid-term ranking was 197)
Other ECAC Players:
Ken Agostino (Yale) - 72 (His mid-term ranking was 79 )
Brian Ward (Dartmouth) - 121 (His mid-term ranking was 91)
Garnet Hathaway (Brown) - 110 - His mid-term ranking was 173)
Joe Faust (Princeton) - 118 (His mid-term ranking was 127)
Luke Curadi (RPI) - 125 (His mid-term ranking was 113)
Brian Ferlin (Cornell) - 141 (His mid-term ranking was 122)
Jessie Beamish (Dartmouth) - 159 (He was previously unranked)
Eric Neiley (Dartmouth) - 173 (His mid-term ranking was 166)
Kyle Quick (Brown) - 188 (He was previously unranked)
Andrej Sustr (Brown) - 195 (His mid-term ranking was 210)
Harvard players:
Patrick McNally - 40 (His mid-term ranking was 84)
Danny Biega - 46 (His mid-term ranking was 31)
Tom O'Regan - 129 (His mid-term ranking was 148)
Dan Linnell - Unranked (His mid-term ranking was 197)
Other ECAC Players:
Ken Agostino (Yale) - 72 (His mid-term ranking was 79 )
Brian Ward (Dartmouth) - 121 (His mid-term ranking was 91)
Garnet Hathaway (Brown) - 110 - His mid-term ranking was 173)
Joe Faust (Princeton) - 118 (His mid-term ranking was 127)
Luke Curadi (RPI) - 125 (His mid-term ranking was 113)
Brian Ferlin (Cornell) - 141 (His mid-term ranking was 122)
Jessie Beamish (Dartmouth) - 159 (He was previously unranked)
Eric Neiley (Dartmouth) - 173 (His mid-term ranking was 166)
Kyle Quick (Brown) - 188 (He was previously unranked)
Andrej Sustr (Brown) - 195 (His mid-term ranking was 210)
Monday, March 15, 2010
State of the Union...
Harvard has ended its 2009-2010 Men's Hockey campaign with a demoralizing sweep at the hands of its arch-rival Cornell by a combined score of 8-1 in both games. This comes at the end of a brutal season and for this Harvard fan, probably the worst in recent memory, particularly given some of the expectations by fans, the media, and the coaches coming into the season.
Before we focus on the future (and there is much reason to be optimistic that I will get into later), let's talk about what went so horribly wrong for much of the season. Why did we see Harvard display its talent on such few occasions:
1) Conditioning - I would think that this would be a commodity at the D1 level, but what else could explain the colossal 3rd period collapses of this team (youth as well) that led to being outscored 49-32 in the 3rd period during the course of the year. Harvard gave up nearly half of its goals in the 3rd period. Yikes!!
2) Youth - Harvard was the youngest team in the ECAC, by far...particularly if you rank players by class (D1 experience) as opposed to age. Lots of guys simulataneously having to not only adjust to the rigors of college academics, but also the pace of D1 hockey - that is not a recipe for success. As we all know, ECAC and NCAA success is often predicated on the performances of the upper-classmen.
3) UpperClassmen Leveling out on the Improvement Spectrum - This is a very worrisome trend. Freshman and sophmores peaking early in their Harvard careers, and flat-lining during their Junior and Senior classes. There were many, many examples of this on this year's team. Is it the decision to focus more on academics and life after hockey? Is it frustration with the team and the system? Something else?
4) Coaching - This is the 2nd year in a row where Harvard has failed to earn a double-digit win total. Few would argue that Harvard does not have the talent to win. What is troubling is that lack of chemistry and the lack of systems that allow for players to come in and integrate into a well-honed system (See Cornell and its Left Wing Lock). I think next year is a make/break year for Harvard and if there is another performance like the last 2 years, the whispers will amplify.
5) Face-Offs - Harvard finsihed the year at a 45% clip which translates into a lack of puck-possession and the inability to create offensive-zone scoring opportunities.
6) Penalties - 302 -> 421 -> 459 ---These are the last 3 years of Penalty Minutes for the Crimson. Harvard was 17-13 in the 2007-2008 season. We know the results these last 2 seasons. This is a trend that MUST be reversed. This probably has direct implications on the 3rd period collapses - guys are dead in the 3rd period from killing penalties all game.
So, after 2 years of burying my head in my hands on Friday & Saturday nights during hockey season, why does this fan have reason to be optimistic. Well, the numbers don't lie:
Before we focus on the future (and there is much reason to be optimistic that I will get into later), let's talk about what went so horribly wrong for much of the season. Why did we see Harvard display its talent on such few occasions:
1) Conditioning - I would think that this would be a commodity at the D1 level, but what else could explain the colossal 3rd period collapses of this team (youth as well) that led to being outscored 49-32 in the 3rd period during the course of the year. Harvard gave up nearly half of its goals in the 3rd period. Yikes!!
2) Youth - Harvard was the youngest team in the ECAC, by far...particularly if you rank players by class (D1 experience) as opposed to age. Lots of guys simulataneously having to not only adjust to the rigors of college academics, but also the pace of D1 hockey - that is not a recipe for success. As we all know, ECAC and NCAA success is often predicated on the performances of the upper-classmen.
3) UpperClassmen Leveling out on the Improvement Spectrum - This is a very worrisome trend. Freshman and sophmores peaking early in their Harvard careers, and flat-lining during their Junior and Senior classes. There were many, many examples of this on this year's team. Is it the decision to focus more on academics and life after hockey? Is it frustration with the team and the system? Something else?
4) Coaching - This is the 2nd year in a row where Harvard has failed to earn a double-digit win total. Few would argue that Harvard does not have the talent to win. What is troubling is that lack of chemistry and the lack of systems that allow for players to come in and integrate into a well-honed system (See Cornell and its Left Wing Lock). I think next year is a make/break year for Harvard and if there is another performance like the last 2 years, the whispers will amplify.
5) Face-Offs - Harvard finsihed the year at a 45% clip which translates into a lack of puck-possession and the inability to create offensive-zone scoring opportunities.
6) Penalties - 302 -> 421 -> 459 ---These are the last 3 years of Penalty Minutes for the Crimson. Harvard was 17-13 in the 2007-2008 season. We know the results these last 2 seasons. This is a trend that MUST be reversed. This probably has direct implications on the 3rd period collapses - guys are dead in the 3rd period from killing penalties all game.
So, after 2 years of burying my head in my hands on Friday & Saturday nights during hockey season, why does this fan have reason to be optimistic. Well, the numbers don't lie:
- Harvard returns 85% of its goals scored next season (70/82 for all of you quant folks out there)
- Harvard returns 84% of its assists next season (109/132)
- 6/7 Harvard's leading scorers are back (Doug Rogers is #7)
On the flip side, the major thing that give me pause is:
- Harvard loses 3 of its Top 6 Defenseman. Next season's regulars will be Danny Biega, Chris Huxley, Ryan Grimshaw, and Brendan Rempel. The remaining 2 spots will be filled by (Dan Ford, Peter Starrett, and Dan Fick) - Harvard is going to be dangerously young and it will lack depth on its back line
- Given that lack of depth, there are some available folks to provide much-needed depth (Brandon Russo at Salisbury comes to mind)
Expected line combinations assuming no late additions or early defections:
Forwards
Killorn Leblanc Biega
Everson Morrison Fallstrom
McCollem Michaud Moriarty
Greiner Moore Kroshus
Extras: Valek, Bozoian, Coassin, DelMauro
Defense
Biega Starrett
Huxley Rempel
Ford Grimshaw
Extra: Fick
I welcome your thoughts and comments and hope to generate some healthy discussion as we look forward to the 2010-2011 season which will hopefully reflect a vast improvement from this past season!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Nobles' Reardon Considering Crimson....
Michael Reardon, 6'0'' 180lb Junior Defenseman, had a 8-15-23 line in 29 games and was the 2nd leading scoring defenseman on the team, after Sr. Gus Young who will matriculate at Yale in the Fall. He would be a 2011 or 2012 recruit for Harvard. Other schools in the picture include Cornell, Colgate, Brown, and Quinnipiac. He's a very talented baseball player as well and could potentially be a 2 sport athlete.
Reardon was ranked 140th by Central Scouting which would translate into a late round draft pick at the upcoming NHL Draft in June.
Reardon was ranked 140th by Central Scouting which would translate into a late round draft pick at the upcoming NHL Draft in June.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Couple of Recruiting Updates
Pat McNally (6'2'' - 180lbs), a junior Defenseman at Milton Academy, will join Harvard's Class of 2011. He was a first Team all New England selection (along with Gus Young) and he led Milton in scoring (as a defenseman!) with a line of 14-21-35 in 28 games.
Pat is projected to be a 3rd-4th round draft pick and was ranked #84 in Central Scouting's January Mid-Term Rankings for the upcoming 2010 NHL Draft.
Connor Riley (brother of current Harvard goalie John Riley) has committed to Harvard. Connor is a goalie at Deerfield (PG) where he posted a .921 Save % despite a very sub par Deerfield team this year.
With Richter (1 Year of eligibility ) and Carroll (2), I expect Connor to be waiting in the wings for the foreseeable future. It will be interesting to see if Harvard can land Jay Williams out of Hotchkiss for 2011 or 2012.
Pat is projected to be a 3rd-4th round draft pick and was ranked #84 in Central Scouting's January Mid-Term Rankings for the upcoming 2010 NHL Draft.
Connor Riley (brother of current Harvard goalie John Riley) has committed to Harvard. Connor is a goalie at Deerfield (PG) where he posted a .921 Save % despite a very sub par Deerfield team this year.
With Richter (1 Year of eligibility ) and Carroll (2), I expect Connor to be waiting in the wings for the foreseeable future. It will be interesting to see if Harvard can land Jay Williams out of Hotchkiss for 2011 or 2012.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
The Armpit of America...
Yes, it's been a wile since I have posted. It's been a trying and difficult year to be a Harvard Hockey fan. And yet, like salt on a wound, the news gets worse and worse.
A few weeks ago, Andrew Calof, arguably the only potential impact forward Harvard has in its Class of 2010, was rejected by Harvard's admissions office. The irony of this is not that he was rejected, but that he was later accepted by Princeton - not exactly North Dakota'esque if you catch my drift.
The following is all speculation, but perhaps some folks in the know will chime in:
1) Harvard has too many players on the lower end of the Academic Index scale and thus, if/because Calof was on the lower end of the AI scale, admissions had to deny him
2) Calof was given a verbal admission subject to him needing to up his SAT or SAT II scores and he failed to reach the bar set
3) Admissions has it out for Donato
Let's also remember that Calof''s grandfather is a Harvard grad.
If Calof had been denied at Harvard and then went to a BC, that would not have raised any eyebrows...but to go to Princeton...something does not feel right about that given that it was admissions that sent Calof packing....
A few weeks ago, Andrew Calof, arguably the only potential impact forward Harvard has in its Class of 2010, was rejected by Harvard's admissions office. The irony of this is not that he was rejected, but that he was later accepted by Princeton - not exactly North Dakota'esque if you catch my drift.
The following is all speculation, but perhaps some folks in the know will chime in:
1) Harvard has too many players on the lower end of the Academic Index scale and thus, if/because Calof was on the lower end of the AI scale, admissions had to deny him
2) Calof was given a verbal admission subject to him needing to up his SAT or SAT II scores and he failed to reach the bar set
3) Admissions has it out for Donato
Let's also remember that Calof''s grandfather is a Harvard grad.
If Calof had been denied at Harvard and then went to a BC, that would not have raised any eyebrows...but to go to Princeton...something does not feel right about that given that it was admissions that sent Calof packing....
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Quebec Goalie to Harvard
Raphael Girard, a senior goalie at Northwood and originally from Quebec, has committed to Harvard's Class of 2010.
Thus far at Northwood, he has some very solid statistics - 22-3-3 with a 1.43 Goals Against Average.
He attended Canada's World Junior Challenge tryout (U-17) Camp as a member of Team East.
He was also drafted in the 11th Round Draft Pick of Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL.
Welcome to Harvard Raph!
Thus far at Northwood, he has some very solid statistics - 22-3-3 with a 1.43 Goals Against Average.
He attended Canada's World Junior Challenge tryout (U-17) Camp as a member of Team East.
He was also drafted in the 11th Round Draft Pick of Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL.
Welcome to Harvard Raph!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Choate Pipeline Continues!
Danny Linnell, a junior at Choate, chose Harvard over Dartmouth and UNH. He is a Right Wing (5'8'' 185 lbs) that had a 15-12-27 in 25 games last year for Choate - that was good for 4th on the team overall and good for 2nd in goals scored. Furthermore, he is the leading returning scorer and will play on a line that also features Phillipe Hudon (8-12-20) who chose Cornell over Harvard.
Harvard has strong blood lines to Choate (Steve Martins, Sam Bozoian, Rence Coassin, etc). He is described as a play-maker who has high-end speed.
He is scheduled to arrive in Cambridge in 2011, but he is also a draft pick of Cedar Rapids in the USHL where he could very well spend a year before matriculating at Harvard.
Harvard has strong blood lines to Choate (Steve Martins, Sam Bozoian, Rence Coassin, etc). He is described as a play-maker who has high-end speed.
He is scheduled to arrive in Cambridge in 2011, but he is also a draft pick of Cedar Rapids in the USHL where he could very well spend a year before matriculating at Harvard.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Fick Bleeds Crimson
Forest Lake Senior defenseman, Dan Fick (5'11'' - 170lbs) has committed to Harvard and will lace them up in the Fall of 2010. He's described as a puck-moving defenseman who will likely QB the PP. He's had a great season thus far in Minnestoa's Elite League, leading all defenseman in scoring with a 5-8-13 line in 23 games.
He's described as a real rink rat.
http://www.mnhockeyhub.com/page/show_article/32770/37247
Welcome to Harvard!
He's described as a real rink rat.
http://www.mnhockeyhub.com/page/show_article/32770/37247
Welcome to Harvard!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Updates
First off, there is a heck of a Harvard blog that is executed by the great broadcasting team over at WHRB. I would encourage all of you to check it out at:
http://whrbsports.blogspot.com/
On the recruiting front, another player that Harvard is keeping an eye on:
Matt Harlow - 5'10'' - LC - 170lbs - He skates on Nobles' top line and would be a recruit for the Class of 2011 or 2012. Harlow was drafted by Youngstown (USHL) where he could spend an extra year for seasoning after Nobles. He is described as a gifted play maker who plays with an edge and is one of the top forwards in New England in his age group. As a sophomore at Nobles, he finished 3rd in scoring (behind Billy Arnold & Kevin Hayes) with a 19-18-37.
http://whrbsports.blogspot.com/
On the recruiting front, another player that Harvard is keeping an eye on:
Matt Harlow - 5'10'' - LC - 170lbs - He skates on Nobles' top line and would be a recruit for the Class of 2011 or 2012. Harlow was drafted by Youngstown (USHL) where he could spend an extra year for seasoning after Nobles. He is described as a gifted play maker who plays with an edge and is one of the top forwards in New England in his age group. As a sophomore at Nobles, he finished 3rd in scoring (behind Billy Arnold & Kevin Hayes) with a 19-18-37.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Back in the swing of things...
One week away from the start of the 2009-2010 campaign and the heralded freshman class well into their first semester, I thought it time to dust off the blog cobwebs. Without further ado...
New Potential Recruits:
Shaun Pauly - 5'11'' - 173lbs - RW - Wenatachee Wild (NAHL) - 1992 DOB & probably a Class of 2011 recruit - Also being pursued by Boston University, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Colorado College, Denver, Yale, Dartmouth, and Brown. http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=3175892&seasonid=4527
Michael Vilardo - 5'11'' - 165lbs - LW - USNDT U17 - Started the season with the Chicago Mission - Also pursued by Michigan, Notre Dame, Denver, and UNH. He had previously committed to Ohio State, but backed out of that commitment. He was one of the elite forwards at the U-17 Select Camp in Rochester this summer. In 4 games with the USNDT, he has yet to register a point. http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=3345027&seasonid=4429
Current Recruits:
Andrew Calof - Center who plays for Nepean (CJHL) and thus far has a 12-16-28 line in 15 games played and is the leading scorer. Andrew is the 4th leading scorer in the entire CJHL and is a great set-up man on the PP. Andrew was also recently selected to represent Canada East at the World Junior A Challenge in November on Prince Edward Island. http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=1453421&seasonid=4401
Mark Luzar - Defenseman who plays for Burlington (CCHL) and thus far has a 0-2-2 line in 11 games played. He is a 2011 recruit. http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=3140944&seasonid=4693
Dan Ford - Defenseman who plays for Sioux City (USHL) and thus far has a 2-1-3 line in 5 games played and is the leading scorer. Dan was supposed to matriculate this fall at Harvard, but opted for one more year of seasoning in the USHL. He is a 2010 recruit. http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=2292188&seasonid=4429
Tom O'Regan - Left Wing at St. Sebastians. Tom's season will not get started until late November / early December. He is a 2010/2011 recruit (will largely depend on how he performs in his senior year and how whether he needs another year of seasoning)
Harvard's Freshman Class:
Harvard's Class of 2009 was ranked 5th overall (behind Notre Dame, Denver, BC, and Minnesota), though given the depth and size of this class, I think Harvard should be #2 behind Notre Dame. Louis Leblanc was heralded as the #1 incoming forward in all of college hockey. http://www.insidecollegehockey.com/7Archives/Features/0910/recruitsteam_0801.htm
My shot at Harvard's opening line-up:
Goalie: Kyle Richter
1st D: Alex Biega & Ryan Grimshaw
2nd D: Chris Huxley & Ian Tallet
3rd D: Chad Morin & Danny Biega
Extras: Brendan Rempel & Jack Christian & Peter Starrett & Alex Leinberry
1st F: Matt McCollem, Doug Rogers, Louis Leblanc
2nd F: Mike Biega, Alex Killorn, Alex Fallstrom
3rd F: PO Michaud, Connor Morrison, Erik Kroshus
4th F: Luke Greiner, Daniel Moriarty, Colin Moore
Extras: David Valek, Michael Del Mauro, Marshall Everson, Rence Coassin, Sam Bozoian
I can't tell you how hard it was to place the forwards. I can only imagine the competition and difficult decisions Donato will have week in and week out.
If anyone has any insights or recruiting rumors, please send me an email.
New Potential Recruits:
Shaun Pauly - 5'11'' - 173lbs - RW - Wenatachee Wild (NAHL) - 1992 DOB & probably a Class of 2011 recruit - Also being pursued by Boston University, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Colorado College, Denver, Yale, Dartmouth, and Brown. http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=3175892&seasonid=4527
Michael Vilardo - 5'11'' - 165lbs - LW - USNDT U17 - Started the season with the Chicago Mission - Also pursued by Michigan, Notre Dame, Denver, and UNH. He had previously committed to Ohio State, but backed out of that commitment. He was one of the elite forwards at the U-17 Select Camp in Rochester this summer. In 4 games with the USNDT, he has yet to register a point. http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=3345027&seasonid=4429
Current Recruits:
Andrew Calof - Center who plays for Nepean (CJHL) and thus far has a 12-16-28 line in 15 games played and is the leading scorer. Andrew is the 4th leading scorer in the entire CJHL and is a great set-up man on the PP. Andrew was also recently selected to represent Canada East at the World Junior A Challenge in November on Prince Edward Island. http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=1453421&seasonid=4401
Mark Luzar - Defenseman who plays for Burlington (CCHL) and thus far has a 0-2-2 line in 11 games played. He is a 2011 recruit. http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=3140944&seasonid=4693
Dan Ford - Defenseman who plays for Sioux City (USHL) and thus far has a 2-1-3 line in 5 games played and is the leading scorer. Dan was supposed to matriculate this fall at Harvard, but opted for one more year of seasoning in the USHL. He is a 2010 recruit. http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=2292188&seasonid=4429
Tom O'Regan - Left Wing at St. Sebastians. Tom's season will not get started until late November / early December. He is a 2010/2011 recruit (will largely depend on how he performs in his senior year and how whether he needs another year of seasoning)
Harvard's Freshman Class:
Harvard's Class of 2009 was ranked 5th overall (behind Notre Dame, Denver, BC, and Minnesota), though given the depth and size of this class, I think Harvard should be #2 behind Notre Dame. Louis Leblanc was heralded as the #1 incoming forward in all of college hockey. http://www.insidecollegehockey.com/7Archives/Features/0910/recruitsteam_0801.htm
My shot at Harvard's opening line-up:
Goalie: Kyle Richter
1st D: Alex Biega & Ryan Grimshaw
2nd D: Chris Huxley & Ian Tallet
3rd D: Chad Morin & Danny Biega
Extras: Brendan Rempel & Jack Christian & Peter Starrett & Alex Leinberry
1st F: Matt McCollem, Doug Rogers, Louis Leblanc
2nd F: Mike Biega, Alex Killorn, Alex Fallstrom
3rd F: PO Michaud, Connor Morrison, Erik Kroshus
4th F: Luke Greiner, Daniel Moriarty, Colin Moore
Extras: David Valek, Michael Del Mauro, Marshall Everson, Rence Coassin, Sam Bozoian
I can't tell you how hard it was to place the forwards. I can only imagine the competition and difficult decisions Donato will have week in and week out.
If anyone has any insights or recruiting rumors, please send me an email.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Development Camp Update
By and large, Harvard players performed well at their respective development camps. Below is a hodgepodge of fan and coaching analysis:
Louis Leblanc - 1st Round (#18) by Montreal Canadiens
Louis Leblanc - 1st Round (#18) by Montreal Canadiens
- He made a GREAT rush at the start of the 1st, skated pass a d-man from the outside and drove the net but didn't score but that was great to see. But 2 things are absolutely certain. He needs to bulk up BIG TIME. And he needs to make quicker decisions with the puck. The overall rhythm of this camp is impressive and Leblanc is not there yet. But you see that he has skills, you see that he's not afraid of anybody, you see that he has a great work ethic, so based on that you can't be disappointed. But if you expect a 1st rounder to blow you away and came away as the best player today, you might be disappointed and especially when you start comparing him to other players like Avtsin and others I will talk about today. But a great prospect he is that will need to indeed become much stronger and much faster in his decision making.
Alexander Fallstrom - 4th Round (#116) by Minnesota Wild
- I really liked what I saw from him. He is a big player with some good speed and good hands. He was a noticeable player all day and appeared to have a good hockey IQ. I am happy he is intelligent (Harvard) but wish he was going to a better hockey program. But, again, I liked what I saw from him today
- The player that stood out the most to me was Fallstrom. I really like his game and think he will definitely help the Wild someday down the road.
Alex Killorn
- A couple of NCAA guys looked sharp in Alex Killorn (Harvard) and Matt Marshall (Vermont). Both guys looked pretty quick and fast on the ice. Killorn showed pretty good hands in close on one play where he cut into the crease and roofed a shot over Jaroslav Janus
Alex Biega
- He was the biggest surprise for me. Quick, strong, and battling very well. When he had the puck he was very hard to take him off it. Strong on his skates and battled hard. When he was the one without the puck he played physical, quick and fierce, knocking the guy down. Also showed nice hands on a few of his shots.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Zach Mitchell joins Harvard's Recruiting Class of 2011
Zach Mitchell - 5'11' - 155lbs - RW - (1993 birth year) plays for the Toronto Marlies. He is described as follows as part of the OHL Draft preview:
Mitchell is an outstanding offensive producer that is still responsible in his own zone. He scored four goals and five assists for nine points in the OHL Cup to help the Marlies to the championship. He played in all situations this season and excelled at killing penalties.“He distributes the puck quite well, and once he does move it to an open teammate he immediately works to get himself into a support position,” Kitamura said. “This makes him very tough player to defend. He works to get into a shooting position, anticipates the play and wins races to loose pucks regularly. When he does get a scoring chance, he usually puts the puck into the back of the net.”
Welcome Zach!!
Mitchell is an outstanding offensive producer that is still responsible in his own zone. He scored four goals and five assists for nine points in the OHL Cup to help the Marlies to the championship. He played in all situations this season and excelled at killing penalties.“He distributes the puck quite well, and once he does move it to an open teammate he immediately works to get himself into a support position,” Kitamura said. “This makes him very tough player to defend. He works to get into a shooting position, anticipates the play and wins races to loose pucks regularly. When he does get a scoring chance, he usually puts the puck into the back of the net.”
Welcome Zach!!
Harvard Recruits & Final Central Scouting Rankings
Name - Final Ranking (Mid-term Ranking):
Louis Leblanc - 13 (18)
Alexander Fallstrom - 69 (84)
David Valek - 72 (76)
Brendan Rempel - 98 (85)
Marshall Everson - 181 (123)
Danny Biega is not eligible to be drafted until next year because of his age. Mark Luzar & Zach Mitchell (more coming on this new recruit) will not be eligible until the 2011 draft.
Daniel Ford, Andrew Calof, Conor Morrison (too old), and Luke Greiner were not mentioned.
Leblanc, Fallstrom, and Valek were all invited to the NHL combine from May 25-30 in Toronto
Louis Leblanc - 13 (18)
Alexander Fallstrom - 69 (84)
David Valek - 72 (76)
Brendan Rempel - 98 (85)
Marshall Everson - 181 (123)
Danny Biega is not eligible to be drafted until next year because of his age. Mark Luzar & Zach Mitchell (more coming on this new recruit) will not be eligible until the 2011 draft.
Daniel Ford, Andrew Calof, Conor Morrison (too old), and Luke Greiner were not mentioned.
Leblanc, Fallstrom, and Valek were all invited to the NHL combine from May 25-30 in Toronto
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Another Blue Chippah for Harvard!
Even with all my bias, I think that with this latest signing, Harvard most certainly has the #1 recruiting class in the nation - particularly with the hit Notre Dame took when Cam Fowler bolted for Major Junior.
David Valek - 6'2'' 215 power forward from the USNDT has signed with Harvard and will join the Crimson in 2009. Valek has a 6-13-19 line in 40 games this year with the national team. In international tournament play, he is the 2nd leading scorer for the team with a 4-4-8 in 8 games.
In the CSS Mid-Season rankings, Valek was ranked #76.
With Everson, Leblanc, Valek, Fallstrom, Rempel, and Ford - Harvard will likely have 6 NHL draft picks in the Class of 2009.
David Valek - 6'2'' 215 power forward from the USNDT has signed with Harvard and will join the Crimson in 2009. Valek has a 6-13-19 line in 40 games this year with the national team. In international tournament play, he is the 2nd leading scorer for the team with a 4-4-8 in 8 games.
In the CSS Mid-Season rankings, Valek was ranked #76.
With Everson, Leblanc, Valek, Fallstrom, Rempel, and Ford - Harvard will likely have 6 NHL draft picks in the Class of 2009.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Andrew Calof Chooses Harvard
Andrew Calof is a 5'10 - 165lb center and is a '91 birth year. His line is 47-53-100 in 59 games.
He was awarded the top prospect award by the CJHL, fastest skater title in the Canadian Junior Hockey League Prospects all star competition and made the CJHL prospects all-star roster. He also had the 3rd most points in the entire CJHL.
Andrew will join Harvard in 2010, though with some pretty serious interest from Major Junior teams, let's not count our chickens before they've hatched (He was drafted by the Mississauga Ice Dogs - now Niagara Ice Dogs - who selected him in the 2007 OHL draft.
Andrew's grandfather graduated from Harvard.
He was awarded the top prospect award by the CJHL, fastest skater title in the Canadian Junior Hockey League Prospects all star competition and made the CJHL prospects all-star roster. He also had the 3rd most points in the entire CJHL.
Andrew will join Harvard in 2010, though with some pretty serious interest from Major Junior teams, let's not count our chickens before they've hatched (He was drafted by the Mississauga Ice Dogs - now Niagara Ice Dogs - who selected him in the 2007 OHL draft.
Andrew's grandfather graduated from Harvard.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
New England Prep School All Stars Announced
These awards were voted on by the coaches:
East Forwards:
Chris Kreider, Andover (Jr.) (Chose BC over Harvard)
Dan Weiniger, Exeter (Bowdoin)
Wayne Simpson, Lawrence (Union)
Defensemen:
Tom Larkin, Exeter (Colgate)
Thomas Kader, Tabor (?)
Goaltender:
Mike Condon, Belmont Hill (Princeton)
West Forwards:
Wade Megan, South Kent ( BU)
Mark Goggin, Choate (Chose Dartmouth over Harvard)
Robbie Bourdon, Taft (Colgate)
Jake Goldberg, Berkshire (Jr.) (Undecided)
Kevin Goumas, Canterbury (Jr.) (Undecided)
Defensemen:
Danny Biega, Salisbury (Harvard)
Mac Bennett, Hotchkiss (Jr.) (Michigan)
Goaltender:
Alex Vazzano, Gunnery (Jr.) (Union)
Noticeable omissions include Andy Isles (Cornell) and Steven Whitney (BC)
East Forwards:
Chris Kreider, Andover (Jr.) (Chose BC over Harvard)
Dan Weiniger, Exeter (Bowdoin)
Wayne Simpson, Lawrence (Union)
Defensemen:
Tom Larkin, Exeter (Colgate)
Thomas Kader, Tabor (?)
Goaltender:
Mike Condon, Belmont Hill (Princeton)
West Forwards:
Wade Megan, South Kent ( BU)
Mark Goggin, Choate (Chose Dartmouth over Harvard)
Robbie Bourdon, Taft (Colgate)
Jake Goldberg, Berkshire (Jr.) (Undecided)
Kevin Goumas, Canterbury (Jr.) (Undecided)
Defensemen:
Danny Biega, Salisbury (Harvard)
Mac Bennett, Hotchkiss (Jr.) (Michigan)
Goaltender:
Alex Vazzano, Gunnery (Jr.) (Union)
Noticeable omissions include Andy Isles (Cornell) and Steven Whitney (BC)
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