July 26, 2006
Sixteen Candles

By Paul Shaheen
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Ah ... to be 16 again. Fewer worries, fewer responsibilities and, all the while, someone else is usually picking up the tab. It's a carefree existence, to be sure, but the young men of college hockey's future are all business as they prepare for the challenges ahead. For many of them, that includes the opportunity to gain a free ride to a Division I school.

Over the last few weeks, a number of 16-year-olds have caught our eyes for a variety of reasons.

Sweet Selects

Last month, USA Hockey held its annual Select 16 Festival in Rochester, N.Y. A sampling of those who stood out at the event that showcases the best 16-year-old talents in the country:

Forwards

Robbie Czarnik (5-foot-11, 160 lbs.): Many thought he was the best player on display in Rochester. A great head for the offensive zone, he led all scorers with a 2-9—11 scoring line. Simply put, he can do it all He plans to join Michigan in the fall of 2008. Czarnik played last year for the Detroit-based Honeybaked AAA team. This fall, he's off to Ann Arbor and the U.S. NTDP Under-17 team.

Kevin McCarey (5-11, 190): The Baldwinsville, N.Y. native was a close second to Czarnik in terms of vision and skill. He scored two goals and four points in five games. He plays a physical game and is always around the net. Last year, McCarey was one of the youngest (if not the youngest) players in the Eastern Junior Hockey League, where he skated for the Syracuse Stars. Like Czarnik, he's expected to play for the U.S. NTDP Under-17's this fall.

Danny Kristo (5-11, 155): From Eden Prairie (Minn.) H.S, Kristo made an immediate splash by finishing as the tournament's second leading scorer with a 5-4—9 scoring line. Great hands and vision, he's a hornet around the net and one scout felt he was the best player on the ice. Word is the U.S. NTDP will take him for this coming fall.

AJ Jenks (6-2, 200): Jenks, of course, was on his way to Michigan for the fall of 2008 until recently deciding to play for the OHL's Plymouth Whalers this fall. The former Honeybaked star has pro size and skill. Perhaps the best all-around prospect at the tournament, the Wolverine Lake, Mich., netted three goals at the Select 16 Festival.

Jordan Schroeder (5-8, 165): Great hands, great plays, great vision – that's Schroeder, who skated last year for Minnesota Class A champion St. Thomas Academy. Smallish? Yes, but he can skate like the wind. From Prior Lake, Minn., Schroeder tied for third in scoring at the Select 16's with 4-3—7 in five games. Two goals came on the power play, and he also scored a pair of game-winners.

Justin Florek (6-3, 185): From Marquette, Mich. and the Marquette Electricians AAA squad, the left-shooting Florek is another guy who reaches out and grabs your attention. Already committed to hometown Northern Michigan for the fall of 2008, Florek scored 3-2—5 in five games. A prototypical power forward who can really score, he, too, is likely to play for the U.S. Under-17's in 2006-07.

Max Cook (6-0, 160): From the Frankfort, Ill., and the Chicago Mission AAA program, the right-shooting Cook' is tall, lanky, and very talented. Though he only picked up one assist in five games, one gets the impression he can finish. Miami sure thinks so – Cook has already committed to the Red Hawks for the fall of 2008. He had an outstanding 2006 season for the Mission, and word is he still may find his way into the U.S. NTDP program at some point in time.

Patrick Gaul (5-8, 165): Another son of Joe Gaul, the long-time amateur hockey figure and head coach of the AAA Pittsburgh Hornets, Patrick is all sweat and skill. He scored 2-3—5 in five games, and proved to be a great all around player. He played for his father last year; he, too, may play for the Under 17's in Ann Arbor this fall. Two years ago, Gaul starred at the Select 14 camp with a 4-9—13 scoring line in six games. Patrick's older brother, Joe, skated for Dartmouth from 2001-04.

Defense

Zach Bogosian (6-2, 186): Bogosian, you'll recall, was chosen 19th overall by Peterborough in this year's OHL Priority Selection Draft. He played at Cushing Academy last year, and the Massena, N.Y., native was either heading back to Cushing or possibly to Ann Arbor to join the U.S. NTDP. Then the Petes entered the fray. Bogosian is a big-time prospect in every sense of the word. Big and physical, not only does he dish out the hits, but seems just as happy to take them.

David Warsofsky (5-9, 155): Keep this guy's name filed away for the future, because he's a high-end prospect. He'll be a repeat sophomore next year at Cushing Academy – along with his brother, Ryan, who'll take a post-graduate year of study. Boston University is among the schools that have David on their radar for 2009. From North Marshfield, Mass., Warsofsky tied for third in scoring at the Select 16's with a 3-4—7 scoring line in five games played. Highly talented, he moves the puck up and down the ice efficiently and smoothly.

Nick Pryor (5-10, 165): Another elite prospect, Pryor has already committed to Wisconsin for the fall of 2009. Pryor was right there with Warsofsky in Rochester with a 3-4—7 scoring line and 16 penalty minutes. Small but very skilled, he's not afraid to mix it up despite his slight frame. From Woodbury, Minn., Pryor skated last year for Hill-Murray H.S. and is expected to be with the U.S. NTDP this coming fall.

Sean Lorenz (6-1, 185): From Littleton, Colo., Lorenz impressed observers with his overall game. He scored four points (all assists) and showed equal aplomb in all situations. His size and skill will have recruiters wooing him over the course of the next two seasons. Lorenz played last year for the Colorado Thunderbirds.

Steve Spinell (6-1, 190): From Vernon Hills, Ill., Spinell plied his trade last year for AAA Team Illinois, which is where he's likely to return this coming fall. Great size and speed, scouts liked his confidence and balanced game at both ends of the ice. He registered four assists in five games in Rochester.

Joe Gleason (5-9, 170): From Edina, Minn., Gleason impressed with his ability to push the puck up the ice quickly and effectively. Excellent in transition, he was a U.S. NTDP consideration but will probably return to Edina H.S. next year.

Goaltenders

Connor Knapp (6-4, 205): Yes, that's his correct height and weight. How about that for a keeper? From York, N.Y., Knapp lost twice in Rochester but still impressed, especially during one stretch in which his team was down two men due to penalties. "He was making saves left and right," said one scout. "Amazing." Said another: "With help from a good goalie coach, this guy could be something special." Knapp played last year for the AAA Buffalo Saints. He's on point to skate for the Boston Junior Bruins in 2006-07.

Garrett Beckwith (6-0, 160): Another of the ever-growing breed of top-flight talent to come from the state of New Jersey, the Parsippany native backstopped the AAA New Jersey Junior Devils last season. He uses his size and quickness to his advantage and plays a smart, effective game. A U.S. NTDP hopeful if not this year, then perhaps next.

The White Album

Last November, Los Angeles Junior Kings forward Matt White made one last trip to see his grandmother who, at 77, was losing a battle with cancer. The two were as inseparable as a grandmother and grandson could be. Matt's parents separated when he was three and White, a 16-year-old from Brea, Calif., had lived much of his life under his grandmother's roof.

And what great times they were. Until November that is, when her body could simply do no more.

"I only stayed five minutes," White recalled. "It was so hard seeing her in [that] condition. I just sat there, I didn't say a word."

Finally, White found the will and the spirit to say all that he needed to say.

"I whispered to her that I loved her," says White. "Then I left."

White's grandmother died the next day with her grandson's words still ringing in her ear and her soul.

Recruiting Update

· Defenseman Jeff Petry, who was featured in last month's Recruiting Trail, announced earlier this month that he'll join Michigan State in the fall of 2007. The son of former major league pitcher Dan Petry played for the USHL champion Des Moines Buccaneers last season.

· Petry's Des Moines teammate, forward Trevor Lewis, bypassed the college route altogether. A first-round selection of the Los Angeles Kings in June's NHL Draft signed a pro contract. He had originally committed to Michigan.

· Miami added another blue-chip prospect to the fold when Justin Vaive, son of longtime NHLer Rick Vaive, gave the RedHawks a verbal commitment. The 6-foot-5, 185-pound forward scored eight goals and 22 points for the U.S. Under-17 team last week.

· Among the notables named to the U.S. Select team that will take part in this year's take part in the 2006 Under-18 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka – formerly known as the Junior World Cup – August 8-12 in Piestany, Slovakia, and Breclav, Czech Republic:

Defense: David Carle, brother of 2006 Hobey winner Matt; Ryan McDonagh, a Minnesotan who'll enroll at Wisconsin in 2007; Nick Petrecki, a Boston College recruit; and future Miami RedHawk Matt Tomassoni.

Forwards: Future BC Eagle Jimmy Hayes, who measures 6-foot-5 and weighs 210 pounds; Tyler Johnson, a Colorado College signee; Eddie Olczyk, whose father is coaching the U.S. team; and Patrick White, a Minnesota commit;

Goalie: Dayn Belfour, son of newly signed Florida backstop Ed. He'll play for the OPJHL's Streetsville Derbys this season.

- Mike Eidelbes

The story of White and his grandmother is, in many ways, a microcosm of his life. A good, young man with loads of hockey talent, he needed the help of people like his grandmother to love him, nurture him and show him the way. People like Brad and Valarie Broadhead, and a legendary college hockey player-turned-junior coach.

The Broadheads, who lived in Trabuco Canyon, Calif., had known White for years through their involvement with the Beach City Lightning, an amateur hockey program in suburban Los Angeles where Brad, the Lightning coach, first met then eight-year-old Matt."

"'Let me work with him,'" Valarie remembers her husband saying of White. '"If he knows how to skate, I'll teach him how to stop.'"

Brad taught White how to stop. His hockey career hasn't stopped since.

Even though he missed the AAA Junior Kings tryout last fall, his fine work with the Lighting both this season and in seasons past earned the left-shooting White a roster spot with the club in December thanks also to the watchful eye of Kings' assistant coach Frank Salcido (the father of Brian, the Colorado College senior defenseman.)

The elder Salcido felt White could help the Kings, and brought him in for at the halfway point of last season. In his first game, the 5-11, 165-pound forward scored four goals.

"More than a hat trick, it was a 'Matt trick,'" says Valarie Broadhead, who became Matt's billet family last summer with the approval of White's parents. "Matt's always had the talent, but what he really needed was someone who could care for him above and beyond hockey."

With White taking care of business on the ice – between Beach City and the Kings he scored 39 goals and 75 points in 52 games in 2006 – the Broadheads helped him take care of things in the classroom. White had historically struggled with academics but with the Broadheads' help, he did much better this year. He's now a B+ student at Saddleback Valley Christian School in San Juan Capistrano, much to the delight of college recruiters.

"With all the moving around he did when he was growing up, I just don't think he had all the tools to be successful in school," says Broadhead, a teacher herself. "He needed someone, to be honest, to stay on his ass."

That's the approach L.A. Junior Kings coach Nelson Emerson took with White. The leading scorer in CCHA history – he put up 294 points in four seasons at Bowling Green between 1986 and 1990 – Emerson got involved with the Junior Kings after retiring from the NHL in 2002. After working as an off-ice assistant for the NHL Kings and coach Andy Murray, Emerson took up with the junior club.

"I've only been coaching AAA for two years, but Matt's the best midget I've seen," proclaims Emerson, who is leaving Junior Kings to take his old position with the NHL organization. "He does everything really well but what I love most about him is how much he wants to compete. He wants the puck, he wants to hit and he wants to get hit. When he comes to the bench, he never sits down – as if he were begging you to put him right back on the ice. He's going to be a fun player to watch."

"He's a tremendous coach," White says of Emerson. "He taught me a lot of different things about how to make the game easier. I struggled at times, but [he] taught me how to respect the game, have fun and improve as both a hockey player and as a person."

White's efforts peaked at the 2006 AAA USA Hockey Nationals in Rochester, N.Y., this spring, where he led all scorers with six goals and nine points. The Kings didn't win the championship, but the team that did – the GBL Junior Bruins – gains White's services this year.

Though he was selected third overall by Sioux City in the 2006 United State Hockey League draft in May, White seriously explored the Eastern prep school route. After a visit to Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, Mass., this spring, White and the Broadheads felt it was the right direction.

"I was worried about missing school days and, in the end, I just felt the environment at Cushing would be best for me," says White, a junior who will skate for the Bruins in the fall and spring and play for Cushing during its winter season. "I always thought about going away somewhere else for high school. It seems like a very good place to meet friends and a very good environment."

"He's such a fine young man," says venerable Cushing head coach Steve Jacobs of White, who has already attracted interest from Boston University, Colorado College, New Hampshire, Northeastern and St. Cloud State. "That's what stands out about him. But he's also a great talent. He has a good shot, and has tremendous vision as well."

"I'm hoping for good things for the future," White said. "Life's special. You can't take anything for granted, and you can't let anything go to waste."

Not even five minutes.

Trivino Pursuit

Two years ago, Corey Trivino skated alongside phenoms Sam Gagner and John Tavares for the Toronto Bantam Marlies and was hardly out of place. Last season, he played 30 games for the Marlies' midget minor squad and scored 17 goals and 39 points.

This month, the 16-year-old centerman officially signed on to play next season for the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League's Stouffville Spirit, the circuit's playoff runner-up last year. Although he's property of the Ontario Hockey League's Barrie Colts – the franchise chose him with the 88th overall pick in last month's draft – Trivino, whose personality and work ethic transcends his age, is committed to taking the D-I route.

"He skated with us in our spring camp and it was amazing not only what he did on the ice, but also what he did before and after," says Stouffville head coach Dan West. "Without even being asked, Corey was first to offer to fill the the water bottles and he could have easily played for my team last year. He's always been considered a special kid, and the spotlight's going to be on him next year. But he'll handle it, because he's very mature."

Any weaknesses in the 6-foot, 160-pound pivot's game?

"Some think he doesn't shoot enough and that he'd rather set up his teammates, if that's a bad thing," West laughs. "He really has all the tools, good vision, a good shot when he uses it and very good speed. Next year he's going to be, as a 16-year-old, playing right in step with 20-year-old men."

Who wants Trivino? Plenty of schools, including Hockey East sides Boston College and Boston University and New Hampshire.

"I think he wants to have things wrapped up on that by the end of the summer," West adds.

Paul Shaheen is the publisher of Research on Ice and contributes recruiting updates to Inside College Hockey throughout the year. To subscribe to Research on Ice's recruiting e-mail newsletter, contact Paul at puckkeg@comcast.net.