19 candidates to win MVP in the NEPSAC boys hockey Elite 8

Tommy Saulnier led St. Sebastian’s into the Elite 8. (Brian Kelly/NEHJ)

In last year’s Elite 8 tournament, Cushing senior forward Max Dineen (Brentwood, N.H.) posted six points across three wins en route to a title. Most importantly, he scored twice in the championship, including the late game-winner.

He was undoubtedly the MVP of the Elite 8. But he had company.

Dexter Southfield junior forward Rian Chudzinski (Needham, Mass.) was dominant, too, scoring five goals across the three games. He also had two in the final.

Both players were in last season’s story. Who will live up to the hype this season?

The bottom line is that when teams win the Elite 8, it’s usually because of their best players. That will likely be true again this season.

While this is a relatively top-heavy field, there are candidates on lower-seeded teams primed to make the higher seeds uncomfortable.

Let’s dive in.