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Friday, January 24, 2020
UNH Commits Update 1-24-20: Spotlight on NHL Draft Prospects
Carsen Richels NHL CSS Midterm Rank #75
Luke Reid Midterm Rank #110
David Sacco Midterm Rank #175
News & Notes 2020 NHL Draft - Midterm Prospect Rankings:
The NHL Central Scouting Service released its 2020 Midterm Draft Prospect Ranking on January 13th. It includes separate lists of 220 North American skaters and 135 European skaters. Three UNH Commits were included on the North American list.
~ Carsen Richels, the 6'3", 210 lbs, left-shot winger for Blaine (MN) High School, is ranked #75 among North American skaters on the 2020 NHL CSS Midterm Rankings. In November, NHL Central Scouting rated Richels a 'B' Prospect, that is, a candidate to be selected in the 2nd or 3rd round of the 2020 NHL Draft. Angus Crookshank, the leading goal scorer (12) on the current UNH team, is the last UNH forward drafted in the NHL. The Ottawa Senators selected Crookshank in the fifth round (126th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft. Crookshank was ranked #139 among North American skaters on the 2018 NHL CSS midterm rankings.
Carsen Richels signed a National Letter of Intent with UNH in November. The senior captain for the Blaine Bengals has scored 18 goals and 19 assists in 17 games. Because he is scoring at a 2.05 points per game clip and is projected to be drafted in the middle rounds of the 2020 NHL Draft this June, I project that he will enroll as a true freshman at UNH next Fall. Here are video highlights of three goals he scored in his 5-goal game:
~ Luke Reid, the 6'0", 190 lbs., right-shot defenseman for the Chicago Steel (USHL), committed to the University of New Hampshire last week. NHL Central Scouting ranked Reid #110 among North American skaters on the 2020 Midterm Rankings. Like Carsen Richels, Reid was rated a 'B' Prospect by NHL Central Scouting in November. The current UNH squad has two defensemen drafted in the NHL. Max Gildon is a 3rd rounder (66th overall) for the Florida Panthers and Benton Maass is a 6th rounder (182nd overall) for the Washington Capitals. Gildon's NHL CSS midterm ranking was #76 and Maass was #158 in 2017.
Luke Reid has scored 2 goals and 10 assists in 28 games for the first-place Chicago Steel and has a +/- rating of +11. On Monday, Reid competed in the 2020 BioSteel All-American Game which featured many of the top American prospects eligible for the 2020 NHL Draft. He was the starting right defenseman for the team representing the United States Hockey League. Look for a feature article and interview with Luke Reid coming soon on The UNH Men's Hockey Blog. He is on target to enroll at UNH next Fall. Here are video highlights of Reid's second goal of the USHL season and his 10th assist:
~ David Sacco, the 6'1", 196 lbs, right-shot center/winger for Lawrence Academy in Groton, Massachusetts, is ranked #175 among North American skaters on the 2020 NHL CSS Midterm Rankings. In November, NHL Central Scouting rated Sacco a 'C' Prospect, that is, a candidate to be selected in the 4th, 5th, or 6th round of the 2020 NHL Draft.
David Sacco, a junior at Lawrence Academy, has scored 7 goals and 14 assists in 12 games. The Spartans are currently ranked 3rd in New England Prep School Hockey in the USHR Poll and 4th in the Neutral Zone Poll. Here are video highlights of Sacco's two goals, including the game-winner, from Lawrence's 5-4 win over Noble & Greenough School on January 15th:
British Columbia Hockey League:
~ 2020 or '21 UNH Commit Nick Ardanaz, the 5'10", 160 lbs., left-shot defenseman for the West Kelowna Warriors, has scored 2 goals and 4 assists in his last 6 games. Over his last 18 games, he has scored in all but 5. The 17-year-old Ardanaz (DOB: 5/30/2002) is the youngest among the 28 top-scoring defensemen in the BCHL. His 3 goals and 22 assists in 45 games puts him in a tie for 12th in scoring among all BCHL defensemen. Nick is a senior at Mount Boucherie Secondary School in West Kelowna and was named the BCHL High School Player of the Month for December.
~ 2020 or '21 UNH Commit Nick Cafarelli scored his 4th game-winning goal of the season last Saturday. He is tied for 4th in BCHL game-winning goals.
National Collegiate Development Conference:
~ In mid-December, the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs announced that Aidan Curran would rejoin their NCDC team "once he’s healthy from an illness that has wiped him out in the early going this year". Last season, Curran scored 12 goals and 37 assists in 52 games with the Jr. Monarchs and was the NCDC Rookie of the Year. In the early part of this season, he played 11 games with the Salmon Arm Siverbacks (BCHL) in September and 13 games with the Bonnyville Pontiacs (AJHL) in late October and into November. In all, he scored a goal and 8 assists. Curran returned to action on January 3rd and has scored in 6 consecutive games with the Jr. Monarchs. He has scored 2 goals, including a game-winner and added 6 assists.
~ 2021 UNH Commit Cy LeClerc has been red hot since early December scoring 10 goals and 10 assists in 12 games with the Islanders Hockey Club. In all, the 17-year-old rookie has scored 14 goals and 24 assists in 36 games and is the 4th leading scorer in the NCDC.
New England Prep School:
~ 2021 or '22 UNH Commit JP Turner, the junior right-shot center at Avon Old Farms, has scored in 13 out of 14 games this season. He has scored 9 goals and 11 assists and is the second leading scorer on the team. With a record of 13-1-0, AOF is ranked 3rd in the Neutral Zone Poll and 4th in the USHR Poll.
NOTE
The statistics for the commits, presented in the above table, are categorized by the projected year they will enroll in UNH. For example, the "2020 Commits" are projected to begin playing for UNH in the Fall of 2020. I have based these projections on the following factors:
~ If a National Letter of Intent has been signed.
~ The year the commit and UNH coaches originally targeted for enrollment in UNH.
~ How old the commit would be upon admission.
~ Number of years in junior hockey prior to admission.
~ The commit's performance in recent seasons as well as injuries.
~ Anticipated date of high school graduation.
~ Number of UNH players leaving the team at the end of the previous season and the position they played.
UNH Commit Damien Carfagna: A Fleet-Footed, Smart Defenseman
Damien Carfagna 2021 or '22 UNH Commit
"Tall defender. Athletic. Makes smart plays all over the ice. Escapes pressure in his own end by using quick feet. Not afraid to take open ice and has the ability to beat defenders in space."Neutral Zone
Damien Carfagna (Pronounced: CAR-FAHN-YA; just like how one would say "Lasagna")
Defenseman, 5'10", 161 lbs. Shoots Left
Hometown: Wood Ridge, New Jersey
DOB: 12-12-2002 Turned 17 in December Neutral Zone Rating: 3.75 out of 5 Stars
Current Teams: Lawrence Academy/Neponset Valley River Rats U18
Commits to UNH: January, 2020 at Age 17 years, 1 month.
2019-20 NE Prep Highlight Reel
This year, Damien Carfagna enrolled as a junior at Lawrence Academy. He plays left defense on the Spartans' second unit, quarterbacks their first power play unit, and kills penalties. In this highlight reel, Carfagna wears #93 in the blue jersey. The first two clips are from the championship game between Lawrence and Dexter at the Watkins/Cushing Holiday Tournamant. Clip #1 shows Carfagna moving the puck at the top of the power play umbrella and earning the secondary assist on fellow UNH Commit David Sacco's goal. In Clip #2, Carfagna snaps a wrist shot from the left point and Conor Lovett converts the rebound for Lawrence's game-winning goal.
The next sequence of 5 video clips are from a December 19th game against Cushing Academy. They show Carfagna:
1) Stealing the puck on the backcheck, making the breakout pass, and firing the wrist shot which is redirected for Lawrence's first goal.
2) Picking up the loose puck in the defensive end, initiating the rush, then keeping the puck in the offensive zone.
3) Firing another wrist shot from the left point.
4) Making a long, stretch pass out of the defensive end.
5) Winning a 1-on-1 battle on the penalty kill.
Interview
I had an opportunity to interview Damien Carfagna, via email, about his hockey career and commitment to UNH:
Mike Lowry ("C-H-C"): Congratulations on your commitment to play for the University of New Hampshire. What are the main reasons you chose UNH?
Damien Carfagna:
First off, thank you. I chose UNH for several reasons. It is a beautiful campus, it offers great academic programs that I was interested in and its hockey program has enjoyed a rich tradition and has a bright future. I was, in particular, very impressed with the coaches, who have multiple years of professional experience. There is so much I can learn from them.
Mike Lowry: Have you and the UNH coaches agreed on a target date for you to enroll as a freshman at UNH and join the team?
Damien Carfagna: We have not really talked about when I would be coming in as a freshman. We will discuss that more as I get closer to joining the team.
Lowry: At this stage in your hockey development, what are the main strengths of your game? What areas are you trying to improve?
Carfagna: My skating ability is what has gotten me this far in my hockey career. My feet help me get of trouble and create plays. I also feel that I do a good job at breaking out and regrouping the puck. I also have worked hard to study the game and I think I make good decisions. The thing that I have to improve on most would be my shot, which is accurate but needs to get heavier, but I believe that will come with getting stronger off the ice.
Lowry: You participated in the 2017 USA Hockey Select 15 Player Development Camp and the 2019 Select 17 Camp. How do you think your skills compare with the other top US defensemen born in 2002?
Carfagna: Both of those camps were great experiences for me as I was able to be around and compare myself to some of the best players in the country at my age. USA Hockey does a great job of making sure every player gets exposure at the camps. I feel that these camps allowed me to prove myself against the best and pushed me to work even harder. I think my skills compare well with some of those top players. As a younger 02, I was usually smaller than many of them but I feel that has helped me to develop other strengths that will serve me well in the future.
Lowry: When you were 12 years old back in February, 2015, you competed in the prestigious Quebec International Pee-Wee Tournament as a member of the New Jersey Devils Pee-Wee team. The tourney is known as hockey's version of the Little League World Series and has featured many future Hall of Famers. What are your memories of playing in your first international tournament?
Carfagna: The Quebec Pee-Wee International Tournament is probably the funnest hockey related event that I have been a part of. There was plenty of free time to go snow tubing and to play pond hockey. I loved playing in front of 12,000 people every game and competing against the best competition in the world. This was my first time actually playing against international teams.
Lowry: Growing up in Wood-Ridge, New Jersey, just down the road from the Meadowlands, were you a Devils fan? Who was your favorite player? You've worn jersey #93 for several years. Is there a significance to your choice of numbers?
Carfagna: I am not a Devils fan, I am a Flyers fan. My dad was a Broad Street Bullies fan growing up and I branched off of that. My favorite player is Miro Heiskanen of the Dallas Stars because I play a similar game to him. I wore the number 9 when I was younger (and at Don Bosco) but that number wasn’t available when I switched teams after the squirt years so I chose the number 93. My uncle had worn 93 because he loved Doug Gilmour. I had some success with it and decided to stick with it.
Lowry: Last season, you helped lead the Don Bosco Prep team to the New Jersey Non-Public School Championship. You scored 6 goals and 31 assists in 28 games and were named to the Third All-State Team. What were the main reasons you decided to leave your hometown and pursue your academic and hockey careers at Lawrence Academy in Groton, Massachusetts?
Carfagna: I had a great experience at Don Bosco Prep and it was very hard to leave. It’s a special place and I learned a great deal from my coaches about hockey and about life. I felt, though, that I was ready for a different challenge academically and athletically, and Lawrence Academy provided that opportunity, and along with it, important exposure to college and professional scouts.
Lowry: So far this season, you've scored 2 goals and 8 assists in 10 games and Lawrence Academy is tied for 1st in the latest New England Prep School Poll. How have you helped contribute to the Spartans' success?
Carfagna: We've gotten off to a very good start this year, and I have worked my hardest to help the team win. We play a team game and have a lot of talented players that all contribute to our success in their own way.
Lowry: Last May, you attended the Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL) tryout camp as an undrafted player, made one of the camp's All-Star teams, but did not make the final roster or affiliates list. Do you plan to play in the USHL, BCHL, NAHL or other junior league before enrolling at UNH?
Carfagna: The camp in Muskegon was an eye-opening experience for me being my first USHL camp. This camp allowed me to realize how much work I would need to put in so that I can compete in the USHL. I would predict that I play at least one year of juniors in one of these leagues, if not another league. The USHL, NAHL, and BCHL all have a great track record of preparing players for college hockey and beyond.
Lowry: You're listed as a junior at Lawrence Academy. Do you plan to graduate from high school in Spring, 2021? What are your academic strengths and interests? Have you thought about what you might major in when you enroll at UNH?
Carfagna: I plan on graduating in the spring of 2021. My biggest academic strengths so far have been in English and history. I am interested in majoring in Sports Management, Business, or Communications, but I am still a long way away from deciding that.
"(Damien) comes to Lawrence from Don Bosco in New Jersey and opened some eyes this weekend. He is a tall defender that still has some to fill out. He makes smart plays all over the ice. He escapes pressure in his own end by using quick feet and then snaps passes to his wingers. He is always in the right position and doesn’t waste many movements in either zone. Not afraid to take open ice and has the ability to beat defenders in space. He made several nice plays in transition to hit forwards in stride. Good keeps at the offensive blueline. Athletic and used his feet to create shot opportunities. He will be an interesting player to follow over the season."
"Another smart defender for the Mercer Chiefs, Carfagna showed good anticipation in the defensive zone by stepping into shooting and passing lanes. His skating ability allows him to move laterally with ease and he showed his closing speed. He has a very active stick which he does a nice job of touching puck and going into transition."
News & Notes National Collegiate Development Conference:
~ 2021 UNH Commit Cy LeClerc, a 5'8", 163 lbs., left-shot center for the Islanders Hockey Club, has scored 4 goals and 6 assists in his last 5 games. The 17-year-old rookie's 20 assists ties him for 5th in the NCDC and he is tied for 8th in goals (10) and points (30). Here's a video of his last 4 goals:
British Columbia Hockey League:
~ 2020 or '21 UNH Commit Nick Cafarelli has scored 2 goals and 2 assists in his last 3 games with the Wenatchee Wild. He increased his scoring totals to 15 goals and 21 assists in 35 games. Among all BCHL rookies, Cafarelli is tied for 4th in goals, 4th in assists, and 3rd in points. Here are video highlights of his last 2 goals:
United States Hockey League:
~ Timo Bakos, a 6'2", 178 lbs., left-shot center from Augsburg, Germany, committed to UNH in September. Over his last 4 games with the Sioux Falls Stampede, Bakos has scored 2 goals and an assist, and upped his season totals to 5 goals and 4 assist in 26 games. As these video highlights show, Bakos possesses two characteristics preferred by UNH head coach Mike Souza - powering to the net and finishing with a goal:
Minnesota High School Hockey:
~ Last Saturday, Carsen Richels and the Blaine High School Bengals faced off against rival Centennial HS. The senior captain scored his 9th and 10th goals of the season in the losing effort. Blaine, Centennial, and Elk River/Zimmerman (UNH Benton Maass's former high school) are tied for first in the Northwest Suburban Conference. Here's a video of Richel's goals:
New England Prep School Hockey:
~ 2021 UNH Commit David Sacco and the Lawrence Academy Spartans handed top-ranked Dexter Academy their first loss of the season on Sunday in the championship game of the Cushing Academy/Edward Watkins Tournamant. Sacco scored Lawrence's first goal of the game (see video highlight below) and the Spartans hung on for a 5-4 victory. In the new U.S. Hockey Report New England Prep Poll, Lawrence (9-1-0) and Dexter (11-1-0) are tied for first.
~ Yesterday, Damien Carfagna (DOB: 12/12/02), a 5'10", 161 lbs., left-shot defenseman for Lawrence Academy, committed to UNH. The 17-year-old junior from Wood Ridge, New Jersey, is projected to enroll in the Fall of either 2021 or '22. Carfagna is the second leading scorer among the Lawrence defensemen with 2 goals and 8 assists in 10 games. Last season, he helped Don Bosco Prep win the New Jersey Non-Public Ice Hockey Championship. Neutral Zone tweeted this condensed evaluation of Carfagna: "Tall DMan. Smart plays all over the ice. Escapes the forecheck and can run a power play. Accurate passer. Athletic w/high ceiling." In the video highlight of David Sacco's goal (see above), Carfagna, #93, can be seen quarterbacking the Lawrence Academy power play.
NOTE
The statistics for the commits, presented in the above table, are categorized by the projected year they will enroll in UNH. For example, the "2020 Commits" are projected to begin playing for UNH in the Fall of 2020. I have based these projections on the following factors:
~ If a National Letter of Intent has been signed.
~ The year the commit and UNH coaches originally targeted for enrollment in UNH.
~ How old the commit would be upon admission.
~ Number of years in junior hockey prior to admission.
~ The commit's performance in recent seasons as well as injuries.
~ Anticipated date of high school graduation.
~ Number of UNH players leaving the team at the end of the previous season and the position they played.
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