I have been asked on a number of occasions "Who were the best players in the history of Massachusetts high school hockey?" The response is typically the players listed below:
- Robbie Ftorek, Needham
- Richie Hebner, Norwood (yes Pirates fans, that Richie Hebner)
- Rod Langway, Randolph
- Bob Carpenter, St. John's
- Tom Barrasso, Acton-Boxborough
- Mike Fidler, Malden Catholic
- George Hughes, Malden Catholic
- Dave Silk, Thayer Academy
- Tony Amonte, Thayer Academy
- Jeremy Roenick, Thayer Academy
- Bob Sunderland, Braintree
Choosing the Top Ten Players was not an easy task, so as a result I have made an honorable mention list:
- Ralph Cox, Archbishop Williams (last guy cut from 1980 Olympic Team)
- Randy Millen, Oliver Ames
- Jack O'Callahan, Boston Latin
- Cap Raeder, Needham
- Dukie Walsh, Matignon
- Bill O'Dwyer, Don Bosco
- Mark Holden, Weymouth
- Tom Glavine, Billerica (yes Braves fans, he played hockey)
- Bob McDonald, Winthrop
- Mark Fidler, Matignon
- Ted Donato, Catholic Memorial
- Shawn McEachern, Matignon
- Cleon Daskalakis, Thayer Academy
- Kevin Coughlin, South Boston
Nice list--can't argue with these players. Nice to see Sundy make list
ReplyDeleteWheres Reading please?
ReplyDeleteSean Collins
Chris Dyment
Steve Savi
hahaha
PS - How do you like 24/7 Caps/Pens?
John Carter from Woburn was better than several of the players on your top 10. 52 goals his senior year,a state record. Alan Bourbeau from AB also.
ReplyDeletechris capraro from austin prep and t.c. harris from matignon were the 2 best ive ever seen
ReplyDeleteHey, take a look at the 1978-1979 Arlington Catholic Hockey team. 12 Graduating seniors all played at either div 1 or div 2 schools. From that bunch, Bob Loconte and Paul Donato were Hobey Baker winners. These 2 should be mentioned.
ReplyDeleteBarrasso went to Acton-Boxborough
ReplyDeleteWhere's David Jensen on this list? 84 Olympics as a senior at Lawrence Academy, first round pick as a junior. The first underclassman to be taken in round one. Canada Cup 84, leading US scorer in the 92 world championships. Come on !!!
ReplyDeleteAgreed and injuries derailed what could have been a great career.
DeleteWow! no Tim Sweeney from Weymouth! BC hall of fame, olympics, Pro!.....Not right bro.
ReplyDeleteNeil,
ReplyDeleteI have a facebook page from the 1977-1979 SF Shamrocks as I was the equipment guy, assist trainer and traveling secretary all at 17 and while a Sr. in HS here in the bay area.
Can you send me any extra information (which i cant find) on a former player of ours, Bobby Sunderland, as while trying to track down out former players, Jimmy Devellano told me Sudsy had passed on......any info would be great......
Also, for awhile on that team, the late Bruins equip guy, Kenny Fleger was our trainer for 2 months, and at least 3 former Bruins played inside the PHL in one of its two years of operation.
My email is sanfranciscoshamrocks@gmail.com and the FB page is San Francisco Shamrocks
Best
niko dimitrakos matignon hs 90's then avon old farms nepisha 1st all league team. hockey east mvp 2000 played in the nhl for the san jose sharks. He is also on the hockey east all decade team.
ReplyDeleteFuck off
DeleteCan't believe that one of Scott or Mark Fusco aren't even in the top 20 you listed. Also I agree about the John Carter omission, no way O'Dwyer or McDonald s/b ahead of Carter or either Fusco. Coughlin, though a good player played in a horrible league. He also should be deleted and I would put David Jensen in his spot.
ReplyDeleteIf you knew high school hockey in the 70's the Boston City league was one of the best league in eastern Mass. Kevin Coughlin was one of the top 5 of all time. Don't forget we are talking high school career.
DeleteI am two years older than Kevin Coughlin. Coughlin was no where near as talented
Deleteas Scott Fusco or David Jensen. Ive have seen high school hockey from Hebner to
Chris Kreider. Coughlin wouldn't crack a list of the top 10 forwards that came out of HS
between 1969 through 1975 (Coughlin's Senior year at Southie).
Any list that doesn't have Dick Umile (Melrose) or Larry Pleau (Lynn English) on it, has no credibility. Next, time find someone who ACTUALLY knows something about Mass Schoolboy Hockey and isn't still wet behind the ears! Nuff said!
ReplyDeleteLarry
Reading
There gave been some great HS players through the years. I would say you can make a better argument for Pleau than Umile. Not taking anything away from Umile. My brother
Deletewas on a Middlesex League team Umile's last year at Melrose (66-67). I remember Umile well. Hell I remember Paul Hurley.
Your from Reading? My brothers senior year I remember John Doherty looking like Bobby Orr for Reading in 68-69. Too bad he went baseball.
John Doherty was a helluva defensemen and Mike Cammarota Readings goalie was 1st team Middlesex League all- star.Melrose dominated that league in the 60s with Paul Hurley to Umile to Stevie Dolloff.
DeleteMy brother was the goalie on his team. He graduated in 1969. He was recruited
Deleteby Northeastern. He felt Cammarotta was the best goalie in the league next to him....lol.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteWhat about Mike Eruzione? Shouldn't he be on this list?
ReplyDeleteEruzione played on
Deletea great line with Costonis and Christopher
To not include Dave Hynes in the top 10 is an amazing omission.
ReplyDeleteI remember Hebner, Ftorek, and Fidler, and Carpenter well............it was Hebner and Hynes who made magic on the ice.
What..........no Arlington High players either for honorable mention? How about Bob Fredo, Noonan, or Corkery?
I agree whole heartly
DeleteI'd definitely add Tom Fitzgerald (Austin Prep 86) and Keith Tkatchuk (Malden Catholic 90) to that list......
ReplyDeleteAnonymous: I agree many great 60's players left out. Paul Hurley Melrose and I played against Hebner who was great. Bill Corkery scored the winning goals in back to back seasons( '67,68) to win the States and eastern Mass champs back when their was only one winner. By the way Arlington beat Needham that year with Ftorek and his crew.
ReplyDeleteFtorek was only a sophomore though and Steve Dagdigian was in 9th grade.
DeleteAuburn won the state title in 68'
DeleteHow can you forget Paul Castraberti Burlington 1973-1976
ReplyDeleteJay Pandolpho Burlington High 1990-1994, played for NJ Devils, 2 Stanley cups, currently with the Boston Bruins
ReplyDeleteHey and Timmy Lovell has to be up there!
DeleteHey and Timmy Lovell has to be up there!
DeleteHow about Bobby Sheehan from Weymouth...he only was Montreal's 1st draft choice in 1969...someone did not do their homework...by the way Bobby and Tony Amonte are cousins
ReplyDeleteYep, Sheehan IMO was the second or third best player out of Massachusetts in the 1960's.
DeleteCounting Ftorek as strictly a 60's player as he was #1.
These are all musts: Paul "The Shot" Hurley, Melrose, Dick "Spooks" Trail, Melrose, Brian "Dukie" Walsh, Matignon, Paul Castraberti, Burlington, "Tippy" Johnson, Lynn English, Edgar Bastarache, Waltham, George and Jack Hughes, Malden Catholic, Paul O'Neil, Malden Catholic, Jack O'Callahan, Boston Latin
ReplyDeleteJay Pandolfo >>>>> Paul Castraberti (Saw both play)
DeleteMcEachern/Lazaro >>>>>> Bastarche
Hynes >>>>>> Walsh
All three were from the same town as the ones you listed.
Chris Capraro, Bill and Joe Flanagan from Austin Prep. Sean Collins From Reading. Shawn Bates from Medford. Mike Souza from Wakefield.
ReplyDeleteEd Kenty, Mike Powers, Bob Reardon, MC BC 60's-70's!
ReplyDeleteSteve Dolloff,Melrose 1969
ReplyDeleteSteve Leach Matignon 80"s NHL'
ReplyDeleteJoe Sacco Medford high class of 87
ReplyDeleteJay Shaunessy, Arlington High who captained the 1970 State Championship.
ReplyDeleteJohn Tiano who's line led the States in scoring his senior year? National championship at RPI ?
Actually he Captained the 1971 State Champion. Ftirek and Needham won
Deletein 1970.
Actually he Captained the 1971 State Champion. Ftirek and Needham won
Deletein 1970.
Jack Wilkins Malden Catholic.
ReplyDeleteBob McManama - Belmont
ReplyDeleteThere is a western region in Massachusetts as well, in case you all forgot. 75-76 Pittsfield High. PJ Murphy RECORD HOLDER points scored in a season with 81 goals 74 assists. His line, shared with Rob Turner and Mark Viale also hold the record for points scored by a line, in a season, with 350 points. These are records people. No one has beat PJ out as a single player or his line as a unit .....surely Murphy belongs on the list . . . But hey, when it comes to hockey, schools not a half hour out of Boston seem to be forgotten.
ReplyDeleteUmmm, Acton-Boxboro and Billerica are both 30 minutes outside of Boston and every HS
Deletehockey fan has heard of talent coming out of those towns from the early to mid
1970's.
You are really talking about WMass being ignored.
Where did Murphy play in college??
DeleteHe played at Lowell...before they went D1. Sr year, went down with an injury in 1st period vs. Billerica. Too bad, cuz they lost a competitive game the year before to that Billerica team in the Garden, and if I recall correctly, PHS grabbed an early lead at the Eastern States Expo rink in the state final the next year. Then Murphy got cross-checked at Center ice. Great player, but yeah, spotty competition out in western Ma.
DeleteAnyone ever hear of NHL players from Western Mass such as Bill Guerin, Bob Kuldolski and Paul Fenton?
ReplyDeleteNo
DeleteAre you the guy that Chuck Robinson beat from the blueline in 1978 in the EMass Finals?
DeleteGreat list and comments! Tough to please (or remember...) everybody, but here's some other considerations of players that I actually saw play:
ReplyDeleteRyan Moore - Randolph and Blue Hills Regional (All Time Leading Scorer NATIONALLY, very similar style to Robbie Ftorek).
Paul Miller - Billerica HS
Tony Messina - Hingham HS
Buddy Teevens - Silver Lake HS
Keith Aucoin - Chelmsford HS
Kevin Stevens - Silver Lake HS
Evan Crockford - Marshfield HS
Josh Robertson - Whitman-Hanson HS
Chris Mullen - Don Bosco HS (from Southie)
Ryan Cordeiro - Catholic Memorial HS (via Somerset)
Best Player in a BIG game against quality competiton - Kevin Coughlin - South Boston vs Arlington
Best Player as far as just plain fun to watch - TC Harris - Matignon HS
Best Defenseman - Rod Langway - Randolph HS (apologies to Dukie Walsh from Matignon)
Kevin Coughlin South Boston and Michigan State. Frankie Guest Quincy
DeleteWalsh played at Notre Dame
DeleteRicky Dipietro
ReplyDeleteMy top 20:
ReplyDeleteJeremy Roenick
Tony Amonte
Keith Tkachuk
Shawn McEachern
Mike O 'Connell
Rod Langway
Mike Fidler
Tom Rowe (1st US player to score 30 in NHL)
Bobby Miller
Kevin Stevens
Steve Leach
Tom Barrasso
David Jensen
Scott Fusco
Mark Fusco
Robbie Ftorek
Richie Hebner
Bob Sheehan
Bob Mcmanama
Scott Young
Duke Walsh , Jackie Hughes??
DeleteOk Kev, who are you taking out to put in Walsh and Hughes? I graduated HS the same year as Walsh. Terrific player who switched to forward at Notre Dame. However he never played a game in the NHL. Jack Hughes was a goid college player and got a cup of coffee in the NHL. No one at Harvard would rank him ahead of Mark Fusco though.
DeleteWhere did Bobby Miller go to HS?
DeletePlayed at St. John's Prep but finished at Billerica HS. One year after finishing HS was named to the 1976 US Olympic Team after just turning 19.
DeleteBill Guerin belongs there as does Tom Barrasso. Best list Ive seen though.
ReplyDeleteBarrasso for sure, however my understanding was Guerin played strictly
DeleteJr for the Pics. Did he play for Wilbraham or Monson?
www.masshshockey.com
ReplyDeleteI saw a young freshman goalie that played for Xaverian in the early 70s. This kid held Archbishop Williams to a 1-0 lead going into the third period. He must have stopped 50 plus shots that day. He was a big kid. He played a lot of games in that season against the best players in the history of mass hockey. Ralph Cox, the Fidler, Hughes, Goodwin line from Malden Catholic. All guys that went on to great college careers and pro teams. I think his name was Beissner. Kept a bad Xaverian team in games that they should have been blown out in. Wonder whatever happened to that kid. Put him on any of the best teams in that era and they would have won a state championship easily. Catholic Conference hockey was the best in the state during the early 70s and beyond.
ReplyDeleteSome of the players from Matignon from 1978-1981
ReplyDeleteMy nephew played on the 76-77 through 78-79 Burlington High teams. They lost to Matignon at Boston Garden in '77 and won EMass title in '78 against Matignon. In '79 they
Deletewere the top seed in tourney and were upset by eventual state champ St. John's Prep
in the QF. Quite a run for a public school program. The '78 team had 6 D1 players while the
'79 team produced 5 D1 players. Those teams excelled despite not having Mark & Scott Fusco.
Who was that pesky little quickhanded goalie on that used to stone Melrose during those late 70's teams?
DeleteDoug Ellis, graduated Burlington HS 1978. Went to BC and split
Deleteduties with Bob O'Connor at BC.
Some of the players from Matignon from 1978-1981
ReplyDeleteTwo words: Jackie Hughes
ReplyDeleteJack Hughes wasn't even in the top six of dmen for players born from 1951-57. Milbury, Lamby, O'Connell, Langway, O'Callahan & Dunn were clearly better. Fusco, Taglianetti,Norton, Yandle, Whitney, Fayne, Hanifin better than Hughes.
DeleteJack Hughes wasn't even in the top six of dmen for players born from 1951-57. Milbury, Lamby, O'Connell, Langway, O'Callahan & Dunn were clearly better. Fusco, Taglianetti,Norton, Yandle, Whitney, Fayne, Hanifin better than Hughes.
DeleteBrian Sjostrom-Catholic Memorial HS
ReplyDeleteRyan Cordeiro-Catholic Memorial HS
Darrell seppala
ReplyDeleteGloucester high school 1995
Deletejust stumbled on this blog while looking for list of MA all time scoring leaders.
ReplyDeleteif you are talking about the best high school player in MA, based only on their HS careers not based on college or pro careers, it has to be Bob Carpenter. Based only on his high school play he was first american drafted in first round (#3 overall), while he was still in high school and the first american kid to go directly from high school to the NHL. Thought about DiPietro who was the only #1 pick to come out of MA, but he was drafted after he had played at the college level, and I don't recall his St. Sebs years to say how good he was in HS. Of course, RI's Brian Lawton has both of these guys beat as best ever HS player as first American drafted #1 out of high school.
I guess you never saw Robbie Ftorak
DeleteFlotrek was very good in HS but he was no Bobby Carpenter or Brian Lawton
DeleteOh yes he was. Good? He was friggin great! 5pts. per game his senior year.
DeleteMaybe not one of the best but certainly one with the most heart - the kid called "Beachball" who played for Boston Trade in the '60s.
ReplyDeleteif you are talking about the best high school hockey players in Ma, then you need to include someone from Melrose high. Maybe Paul the shot Hurley, Coach Umile, or Steve the growler Dolloff and Jim lead head Umile. Melrose belongs on the list
ReplyDeleteI graduated from a Middlesex League HS in 73. My older brother
Deletewas a goalie recruited by Northeasten during 68-69 season.
All the players u mentioned would be top 20 in the Middlesex League but given the competition the players from the 70's
until today play, can't put them there.
Steve Dolloff
DeleteHow about Larry Lloyd Abbott
ReplyDeleteLarry Abbott? Hell Kelleher from Belmont/BU was better than him.
DeleteLarry Abbott? Hell Kelleher from Belmont/BU was better than him.
Deleteare you guys all blind? what about the record holder for most points in a HS career at 302. Framingham's Blake Bellefeuille dominated school boy hockey. He absolutely lit it up
ReplyDeleteNatick's Dan Lacatoure
ReplyDeleteMarlboro's Bob Butler
ReplyDeleteNESHL MEATBALL OF THE YEAR. CHRIS WOODS
ReplyDeleteJoey Roy Medford High School Class of 97???? Defense?
ReplyDeleteAllen Fucile, Medford 1993!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteChris O Sullivan,, Catholic Memorial!!!!!!
ReplyDeletePaul "the shot" Hurley , NHL, WHA, US Olympian, best team I ever saw was the 1962 Melrose team, only undefeated State and New England champs, beat RI state champ 8-0 in finals, Ftorek 1970 team next, 1957 Lynn English 3rd.
ReplyDeleteJust saw this post. Played in the Boston District division from 72-74. How lucky were we that we played against some of these players? Mass hockey can hold up against any other state in the country. Thank you all for the memories.
ReplyDeleteConspicuously absent are the dominant players from the states all time best teams and the best Program Matignon 1975 thru 1986/ Namely Mark Fiddler untouchable his years at Matignon scored at will and had 3 state titles. Jerry August unknown as a Freshman "walk On" four years laterand four state championships later his game was assessed by scouts as being more ready for the pro game than the college game and Shawn Machcrean the quickest and fastest player to lace up Massachusetts skates and 4 more Matignon "Cups." Soon to be equaled if not surpassed by lightening quick T C Harris perhaps along with only Robbie Ftorek both were the most exciting players to spend a few bucks to watch. As I recall this is a school boy hockey list, we many know the paths some of these school boy heros went on to follow but lets not take away those truly glory years, most notably those forever young Matignon teams of late 70s early 80s fame and the boys that made them great. "May the good Lord be with you down every road you roam'
ReplyDeleteMark Fidler won 2_State Titles and Jerry August won 1(1977).
DeleteWhy are you making stuff up? August barely beat Burlington in
1977 and lost to them in 1978. Burlington was better in 1979
also but didn't play them. Burlington lost in QF to St John's
Prep and Carpenter. Burlington outplayed SJP that game.
Put Mark and Scott Fusco on Burlington from 1976-77 through
1978-79 and they would have won 3 straight Mass titles.
Mike Souza, Chris Capraro, Blake Bellefuille, Chris Dyment
ReplyDeleteJim Fagahey! Hobey baker finalist only CM DYNASTY TO GO UNDEFEATED FRESHMEN AND SENIOR YEAR!94’-98’. No public belongs on a list of the best of the best cmon son!
ReplyDeleteYour on drugs
Delete2 national championships rings for these two as well? They don’t have the pedigree in the nhl or d-1 but this is the best high school players of all time is it not?
ReplyDeleteI should mention I was born in 1980 so all the 60s and 70s double runner blades I don’t get? Just because they had a nhl Career or Olympic team... catholic memorial can’t be touched as a dynasty in mass hockey so anyone from CM IN THE 90s must be on the top of this list... Tom noble, O’suLlivan Kealty, Sylvia, Grey, Raviolie, Cordero, Sjostrom, Fayhey, etc....etc PLUS ALL LEAD BY THE GREATEST COACH( hall of fame) WILD BILL HANSOn!!!
ReplyDeleteBrian, you're old enough to know better than post schlock like this. Rod Langway is far and away the best D man ever to come out Mass. He played his HS/NCAA hockey in the 70's. The BU 4 all played their HS/NCAA hockey in the 70's. Th ey won the last US Gold Medal.
DeleteLangway played at Randolph high and then 3 sports at UNH
DeleteMike Powers, Bobby Reardon, Ed Kenty, Robbie Ftorek, Mike and Mark Fidler, Bob Sweeney, bobby Carpenter,
ReplyDeleteI guess no one believed hockey was played before 1960? Tippy Johnson, Tucker Dooley, Glen Eberley, Art Chisholm Larry Pleau Harry Howell and Skippy Viglirolo to start. Toot Cahoon, Bobby Haven and Edgar Bastarache, Steve Dolloff, Bobby Sheehan to name some from the 1960's.
ReplyDeleteThe Walsh twins Billy and Paul Hyde Park 1955.
DeleteLarry Pleau
DeleteShawn Bates
ReplyDeleteKeith Handle??
ReplyDeleteYandle! Typo
DeleteDennis Burke, NNHS 1992
ReplyDeleteWho did Burke play for after HS?
DeleteHe had solid 4 years as starter at Providence, then in Europe a bit. Cup of coffee in the ECHL.
ReplyDeleteJohn Hanlon belongs in this conversation. Good man, may he RIP.
ReplyDeleteDid he play at BC?
DeleteHanlon played at BC and Salem State
DeleteWhat about some of the Arlington High players.... Shaughnessy, Corkery brothers, Flanagan twins, Burns (Bruins).... Richie Hart from Charlestown.... Danny Lynch goalie at MC I could go on
ReplyDeleteI hope everyone knows that Arlington is the best hockey town in New England
DeleteI'm from Auburn....you Spy Ponders were pretty good.
DeleteMatt Marden from Charlestown... Cahill ...Martin ...Brown...From Norwood all great hockey players...
ReplyDeleteMarden was from Malden
DeleteWow one of the best leagues in the country the Catholic Conference in the 1980's and Teddy Donato dominated...he is a top 5 I would even say a top 3.
ReplyDeleteAlso Ken Hodge, Jr was pretty good at St Johns in the same time period Catholic Conference 1980's. If I am not mistaken the 1984 Matignon team had 8 guys go D1 which is unheard of today.
ReplyDeleteThe 1978 Eastern Mass Champion Burlington HS had 6 D1
Deleteplayers:
G - Ellis (BC)
D - Shramek (UNH)
Robinson (Army)
F - Cowles (BC)
Harris (UNH)
Fahey (U Lowell)
Mark Fusco was a junior at Belmont Hill and if he went to
Burlington HS that would have made 7 D1 players.
The following year, 1978-79 Burlington had Wayne Collins replace
the graduated Ellis in net. Collins played in the CCHA.
If you added both Fusco brothers from Belmont Hill in
1978-79 that would have made 7 D1 players including
2 1984 US Olympians.
Would have ranked as one of top 5 town talent groups with
Ftorek's 69/70 Needham, Sacco's\Tkachuk '86/87 Medford Group,
Barrasso\Norton '82/83 Acton-Boxboro group and Amonte\McInnis '88 Hingham group.
The 84 Matignon team actually had 12 kids play Division I hockey.
DeleteSteve Leach UNH- NHL
John McCarthy- Colgate
Greg Boudreau- UNH
Tom Walsh- Yale (set Yale record for points by a freshman)
Mike Rossetti- UNH (AHL)
Bob Goulet- Dartmouth (ECHL)
Paul Brady- Merrimack
Ed Phanuef- Merrimack
Billy Powers- Michigan (Flyers draft pick)
Joe McEachern- St. Lawrence/BC (Shawn's older brother)
Fred Allard- ULowell
Jim Newhouse- ULowell Captain (Bruins draft pick)
Also the Matignon teams from the previous year or two had a bunch more
DeleteBob Emery- BC (Canadiens draft pick)
Geroge Boudreau BC (Flames draft pick)
David Lee- UNH
Daryl MacDonald- Army
Dave Kervick- St Lawrence
Ray Jacques- Maine
Kevin Conley- Yale captain
George White- UNH (Capitals draft pick AHL)
Steve Lyons- UNH (Bruins draft pick AHL)
Scott Brown- UNH (ECHL)
Tom O'regan- BU (NHL)
Artie Yeomalakis- Providence
Bob Dipronio- RPI
Ralph Robinson- UNH
Mark FIdler- BU
Jerry August- BU (IHL)
Billy Cotter- BU (AHL)
The last few were late 70s I believe. Then in the late 80s came Shawn McEachern and those teams.
Well they were Catholic schools not bound by town.
DeleteYet the 1977-78 Burlington team beat Matignon in
the 1978 snaps Finals.
The next year Burlington was the #1 seed and got beat by Carpenter's St. John's Prep team who won it all. Burlington outplayed St. John's and Yanetti
talked like his team beat the Soviets...lol.
Those Burlington teams from 1977-79 won The EMass
title and lost by one goal to the State Champion
Catholic Conference Team..
Not too mention Burlington won BACK TO BACK National Midget Championships in 77 and 78. Essentially beating all-star teams from around the country for the 17 and 18 year-old level. That was a pretty impressive accomplishment. Of the 14 members there were about 6 who changed from 77 to 78 so that shows you the depth of talent Burlington had, not just in MA, but of a national caliber.
DeleteThe Needham team in 1970 was the greatest Mass HS hockey team ever!! Ftorek, Raeder, Dadigian, Chuckie Lambert, Parlotta! Beat best Catholic school 11-2 in finals, they had best center, best winger, best defender and best goalie in the state, all at once!! In those days the Bay State League was also the best league!! PERIOD!!!
ReplyDeleteIncredible talent and coaching from that Burlington group. Fusco's ? Would have cemented that arguement and rndered any dissent mute
ReplyDeleteFtorek and Hebner were the best individual players from most accounts , The 70 Needham team I agree may be was the best in terms of being better than everyone else at that time percentage wise { Head and shoulders better } . Matignon was basically an AAU regional basketball type Hockey team in the early 80's. Best of the best fro a WIDE geographical area.
ReplyDeleteBurlington beat Matignon and AB gave them a run for
Deletetheir money. Of course AB had Barrasso who actually
was Burlington kid..lol.
So Burlington in 1980-81 could have had
G Barrasso
D Nelson
D Jay
F Fusco
2 NHL Players + 2 Time Olympian
Scott Fusco was similar to Ftorek in style and
ability.
Richie Costello from Natick
ReplyDeleteNatick brings to mind Fred Willis, best player I ever skated against, known more for his football
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know in 1966,the top two scorers in the state went to play pro ball but not in hockey, Fred Willis from Marion and Richie Hebner from Norwood
ReplyDeletePaul O’Neil and Mike Powers of Malden Catholic
ReplyDeleteO’Niel scored 30 plus goals at BU his first year then turned pro playing for NHL’s Vancouver and Boston. Powers enjoyed a star studded career at BC then played professionally with a number of minor league teams with great success!
DeleteStu Irving Beverly High great. Played on the 1972 US Olympic team and he was pulled out of viet nam to do so!!
DeleteI take issue with your list not including The Fusco brothers from Burlington, MA as well as Jay Pandfo also of Burlington along with the entire 1978 Burlington team that was the last public school to win the MA state championship for at least the subsequent 29 years
DeleteBurlington lost to Hudson in the 1978 State Championship Game.
DeleteIt was double overtime and no one on Burlington team even cared - Burlington phoned in that game and still almost won.
DeleteThat's ridiculous. That Hudson team was excellent.
DeleteIt sucks that Prep and Catholic Schools raided the publics. My brother played played goal and was recruited D1 by Northeastern
ReplyDeletein net. His HS Team his senior year lost
Bob McNamara and Leigh Hogan to Belmont Hill.
Melrose, Arlington and Belmont Hill had so many deserving players not mentioned. In the 1960’s Norwood’s Richie Hebner and Waltham’s Edgar Basterache were as good as they come. Toot Cahoon Marblehead should also be slotted in this ranking. I guess anyone who played before 1960 did not count. Art Chisholm, Tippy Johnson, Tom Tucker Dooley and Belmont’s Skippy Viglirolo is yet another.
ReplyDelete3 haverhill players from 1995 to 1999 Adam Hackett matt Anderson and Joe aricdeacono were great
ReplyDeleteHughes has no business sniffing top 20 .
ReplyDeleteDavid Jensen made the 1984 US Olympic Team directly from Lawrence Academy
having just turned 18.
I don't know where he played (SB) but, I would think John Cunniff should be mentioned?
ReplyDelete