In Division I commitments, Augustana and Robert Morris both added players for next season. Vermont added a goalie for the future and Penn State committed a highly-rated defenseman from Quebec.
’02 (F) Will Howard (★★★½) to Augustana for 2023
Howard is a 6-foot-1 forward from Grand Forks who is off to a hot start in the NAHL with New Mexico this season. In eight games he has 12 points, including eight goals. Last season in 56 games for the Wolves he had 18 goals and 24 assists.
Howard played for Grand Forks Central High and Team North Dakota’s AAA program before he began his junior career in 2020.
Howard was ranked No. 90 in the NAHL in our 2002 League Rankings.
NZ Scouts: “Big man that is a force when he is at full speed. Constructs net front space well and earns every inch of it. Battles hard in the paint and picked up a couple rebounds doing this. Was all over the ice getting shots on net and picked up a nice assist being aggressive when he should have been. What stands out just as much about his game is how consistent is physical play is how well of a job he does at keeping it clean.”
’06 (D) Mathieu Taillefer (★★★★¼) to Penn State
Taillefer is a highly-rated ’06-born defenseman from Quebec. This season he’s playing for the Saint Hyacinthe Gaulois in the Quebec’s 18U AAA division and he has four points in 10 games. With the same team last season he had eight points in 35 games.
Taillefer was invited to Hockey Canada’s national U17 development camp.
NZ Scouts: “Taillefer is a smooth skating defenseman that executes a strong, accurate first pass out of his zone, closes gaps effectively defensively, and can defend the rush with good footwork and a smart stick. Taillefer has a strong shot and is able to keep the puck in a loaded position on his forehand while skating in the offensive zone, as well as in a triple-threat position while skating throughout the neutral zone and offensive zone.”
’02 (F) Chase Davis (★★★½) to Bentley for 2023
Davis has great size at 6-foot-5. He’s not a prototypical power forward and has a lot of speed to his game, according to our scouts. This season he is playing for the Amarillo Wranglers in the NAHL. In six games he has three points (1g, 2a). Last season for the Wranglers and Abderdeen Wings, Davis combined for 18 points (6g, 13a) in 56 games.
Davis was ranked No. 298 in our 2002 National Rankings.
NZ Scouts: “Davis is a tall, lanky, skilled forward that can beat you in a variety of ways with the puck. He is equipped with a lot of speed in open ice and a pair of quick hands that make him very effective off the rush. On multiple occasions, he would beat defenders wide and then when they thought they figured him out he would start to dangle and put them back on their heels. He uses his frame well holding off defenders until the right play opens up.”
’02 (D) Thomas Haynes (★★★¼) to Robert Morris for 2023
Haynes is in his fourth season of playing Jr. A hockey in Ontario. This season he’s with the Brockville Braves where he has five points (2g, 3a) in seven games. Last season he appeared in 53 games for the Braves and finished with four goals and 33 assists.
NZ Scouts: “Haynes is a taller, athletic, mobile, left-shot defenseman that fires accurate passes all over the ice. He defends well as he is sound within his body, keeping attackers in front of him and not overcommitting to one way or another. His reach is deceiving and closes in on guys quickly to force pucks loose. Thomas has tremendous vision and scans his options quickly knowing his play before he touches the puck. On the offensive blue line, he uses his edges and mobility to create separation and fire pucks to the net or make a smart play.”
’04 (D) Chase Cheslock (★★★½) to St. Thomas
Cheslock is a Minnesota native who is playing in his home state with the St. Cloud Norsemen this season, appearing in 11 games thus far. This is his first season of junior hockey after he finished up his high school career with Rogers High last season. In 28 games, Cheslock had 10 goals and 29 assists from the back end.
NZ Scouts: “Chase is a late 2004 defender that is big and strong and plays a heavy game. He plays a strong game in transition defensively and stays square on forwards. He angles them to the perimeter of the rink and then closes quickly. He is still improving his agility and footwork and overall speed. He has a big shot from the point and shoots to tips. He pinches in high percentage situations and made some good decisions to keep the play moving.”
’06 (G) Aiden McKenna (★★★¾) to Vermont for 2024
McKenna is from Webster, N.Y. and is playing this season for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres on their 16U team. This past summer he took part in USA Hockey’s Select 16 camp.
NZ Scouts: “McKenna is a tall, athletic goalie out of Buffalo Jr. Sabres, who had some quality starts here kicking out 42 of 47 shots and made several difficult saves. He is fairly economical in his footwork, solid technically, he stays square and cuts down the angle on the shooter. He isn’t explosive or overly quick but he is smooth in his lateral slides and can get up and gown down quickly.”
’02 (D) James Callahan (★★★¼) to Air Force for 2023
Callahan is a Minnesota native who is in his second NAHL season with the Springfield Jr. Blues. He has one goal from the back end in nine games so far this season and he had 23 points (7g, 16a) in 59 games last season.
Callahan was ranked No. 83 in the NAHL in our 2002 League Rankings.
NZ Scouts: “Offensive defenseman who moved the puck well. He QBed PP1. He did a good job of holding pucks in at the offensive zone blueline and moved the puck quickly. His offensive contributions were on full display.”
