Even with prep facing uncertainty, Dexter and Cushing should be near the top again. (Brian Kelly/NEHJ)
It was a fun season in New England boys prep hockey this past winter with a thrilling conclusion.
After Phillips Andover and Kimball Union secured Large and Small School titles, respectively, Cushing and Dexter Southfield, two heavyweights, duked it out in the Elite 8 championship. Cushing emerged victorious, 4-3.
The season will also be remembered for big contributions from high-end players. The Rivers trio of Carter Meyer (Winchester, Mass.), Finn Sears (Medford, Mass.) and Sam Pandolfo (Winchester, Mass.) put together seasons that landed them on next year’s U.S. National Team Development Program squad. Brunswick’s Joe Salandra, a first-year ’08, led the region in points, and freshman defenseman Cam Minella (Darien, Conn.) dazzled.
So what will next season look like?
Different. Things should look quite different due to the CHL ruling. Now, the QMJHL (Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League) is a junior hockey option for New Englanders.
We’ll get into that, along with many other topics, in these storylines.
Let’s dive in.