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North Shore Hockey Preview

Tryouts have been held. Varsity uniforms have been handed out.

Line combinations are being finalized, schedules are being scrutinized, and puck followers are gearing up for their favorite time of the year.

It's time to drop the puck on the North Shore high school hockey season.

Before we begin | the games start for real on Wednesday | let's answer a few questions you should know the answers to heading into what promises to be a great 2007-08 campaign:

What's the big news heading into this season?
Depends on where your interest lies. There are teams in new leagues, new coaches at certain schools, new players ready to make their mark | even a new combined team.

But the news isn't all rosy; there's one school that lost its team for this season and other schools who have lost key players.

OK, let's start in the Northeastern Conference. How will league newcomer Peabody fare this winter?
All signs point to "extremely well". The Tanners will be one of six teams competing in the NEC Large division, along with Beverly, Danvers, Gloucester, Revere and Winthrop. They, along with the defending champion Fishermen of Gloucester, figure to have a slight leg up on the rest of the pack heading into the season.

"NEC, here we come," said Tanners' head coach Mark Leonard. "We can't wait to get going in these great games and rivalries. Every time we've played Danvers or Beverly the last few years, it's been an event, not just a game. This is where we belong. It's going to be awesome."

Who are this year's new coaches?
It was big news in the early summer when St. John's Prep hired Kristian Hanson as its new head coach. The Prep alumnus, who had built Salem High from a perennial doormat to never-before-dreamed-of status as a league champion and playoff contender, will be making a huge jump from Division 3 public school hockey to the state's most competitive league, the Catholic Conference.

With Hanson leaving Salem, Brian Addesa takes over at the Witches' helm. He comes to Salem with experience as a Division 1 college hockey player, not to mention coaching stints at all levels of the game.

What's this new team you speak of?
That would be the combined Lynn English and Lynn Classical hockey programs, who have joined forces and will be called the Lynn Jets. They'll wear red, white and blue uniforms and play out of the NEC South.

What about the team that lost its program?
That's the sad story over at Hamilton-Wenham, a team that had made the playoffs four of the last five years but couldn't come up with the funding to continue this season (players were required to pay their own way, totalling over $1,200 per player). The Generals are hoping to bring their hockey program back next winter, but it's too early to tell whether or not that will happen.

What will become of Masconomet, last year's CAL champs?
The Chieftains took a big hit in the offseason, losing their best player | and reigning Salem News Player of the Year | right wing Chris Kreider, to prep school. (Apparently, Kreider knew what he was doing; he's skating second line with the Division 1 prep powerhouse). Goaltender Ryan Dillon (Northfield Mt. Hermon) also left for prep school, while Jay Nichols, Kreider's center a year ago, is playing Junior hockey.

That's not to say Masco doesn't have some talent coming back, including first line winger Tommy Brazil and arguably the area's top defenseman, Keaton Cashin. But expecting a repeat of last year's worst-to-first season might be asking too much.

So who will be the surprise team of 2007-08?
We admit it: we were a year early in proclaiming Swampscott as the team poised to make a big move up the standings. At least we were almost right; the Big Blue needed just one point in their final three games to make the state tournament for the first time in 10 years, but were unable to do so.

That streak will end this winter. Swampscott has speed, size, scoring, depth and plenty of defense in front of goaltender Connor Barton. They'll not only make the Division 3 North playoffs under good guy head coach Geno Faia, but battle Saugus for the NEC Small championship.

Are there any other area players who have gone the prep school/Juniors route?
Ben Hayden, who scored 38 points for Salem as a sophomore last year, has taken his talents to prep school, as did Bishop Fenwick junior Tim MacDonald. However, defenseman Alex Baker, who initially chose to skip his senior year at Beverly High to play juniors, had a change of heart and returned to the Panthers for yesterday's practice, much to the delight of Beverly coach Bob Gilligan. "That's a huge, huge plus for us," said Gilligan.

In addition, two players left their public school teams for St. Mary's of Lynn, where they'll skate for the Spartans this winter: forwards Mike Maccario of Marblehead and high scoring Zak Borowski of Gloucester.

Are there any freshmen who will make an impact this season?
There certainly will be | a slew of them figure to factor into their team's success, particularly in the NEC.

In Beverly, look for defenseman Mitch Hamor | who plays well beyond his years | to play every other shift. Talented goalkeeper Tony Walsh could also work into the Panthers' plans. Big Kyle Larson will see time at right wing with Danvers, while Eric Muise will definitely see time on the Peabody blueline.

Zach Holt could be skating first line left wing in Salem. Fellow portsider Alex Whitmore will be on Marblehead's second line, while 6-foot-1, 220-pound defenseman Hunter Whitmore figures to rattle a few cages in the Headers' end.

Finally, how about some players poised for a big season in 2007-08?
Sure, we'll give it a try. We say that Peabody junior center Elijah Cohen has his first injury-free season and could reach 40 points riding on a line with James Noftle. A bigger, stronger Troy Thibodeau will have a big year as a pivot in Danvers, while Swampscott sophomore Justin Massey becomes a household name in local circles after an injury-plagued (but still noteworthy) freshman year. Junior RW Andrew Bates of Marblehead, junior center John Sokolski of St. John's Prep and junior defenseman James Gattuso at Bishop Fenwick are three others I think will have seasons to remember.