With the late spring and summer hockey events around the corner, the mid-July USA Hockey Select 15 National Development Camp will be the first major gate for local prospects who aspire to play the sport at the highest levels.
After watching these New York and New Jersey natives at various points during the season, they are among the best 2007-born prospects in the country, and offer significant promise and upside as they go through their respective development process.
U.S. National Team Development Program center James Hagens (Hauppauge, N.Y.) was the unequivocal best player from the region in the 2006 class. While there is no player with the pure skill and long-term upside of Hagens this year, there is still a lot to like in a deep and plentiful group.