Prospects: 10 defensemen who will energize Northeast Pack playoffs

Yale commit Jack Henry (Skaneateles, N.Y.) is a right-shot defenseman for Bishop Kearney Selects 18-U. (Photo by BK Selects)

New York Hockey Journal continues its preview of the Northeast Pack playoff weekend, hosted by the Long Island Gulls at the Northford Ice Pavilion in Northford, Conn., from Feb. 11-13.

We covered the event’s potential game-changing forwards. Five organizations are competing for titles at the 14-U, 15-O, 16-U and 18-U divisions. The participating teams include Bishop Kearney Selects, Long Island Gulls, Mount St. Charles Academy, New Jersey Rockets, and Pittsburgh Penguins Elite.

Here are 10 defensemen who are expected to be key playoff performers.

2007s

Donato Bracco (Locust Valley, N.Y.)
Gulls U-14, 7/26/07, D, left shot

Bracco is the top-scoring defenseman at the Bantam level of the Northeast Pack. Thanks to his elite skating ability and skill, he is a threat whenever he touches the ice. He’s very agile and maneuvers past defenders with ease. He distributes pucks well and is a potent shooter and passer on the power play. He is effective defensively because he understands how to use his skating to keep pace and defend players wide. He could be the best defender in the division.

Matthew Judge (Pittsford, N.Y.)
BK Selects 14-U, 3/6/07, D, left shot, 5-9/160

Judge is a skilled offensive defenseman whose most significant asset is his skating ability. He is explosive and possesses an impressive top speed along with deceptive agility. He escapes forecheckers quickly and makes high-skill plays north. In addition, he’s a gifted puck-mover and a skilled power-play defenseman. His defensive game continues to improve, but his offense alone makes him impactful and could lead his club to a playoff championship.

2006s

Will Felicio
Mount St. Charles 15-O, 5/19/06, D, left shot, 5-9/160

Felicio is a Holden, Mass., native who is making impressive strides this season. He is a tremendous skater with quick feet and an explosive stride north. In addition, he is a skilled puck mover and a good distributor on the power play. He is undersized but relies on his hockey sense and footwork to keep tight gaps on forwards and defend them outside. He has a tremendous defensive stick and does a good job poking pucks loose and starting the transition. Felicio will be essential to his club’s success this weekend.

Owen Phillips
Penguins Elite 15-O, 1/12/06, D, right shot, 5-10/155

The Nova Scotia, Canada product is a talented blueliner whose game revolves around mobility and puck skills. He has quick feet, and he’s explosive north. He is a good puck distributor and makes plays off the rush. He can also jump into the offense and contribute as a passer or a dangerous shooter from the point. On defense, he’s learning to be more forceful one-on-one, and he’s starting to use his body and play physically against opponents. He will be one of the top players in his division and could lead Pittsburgh to a title.

Alex Visnappu (East Chatham, N.Y.)
BK Selects 15-O, 1/11/06, D, right shot, 6-0/160

Visnappu is a multi-talented defender. He owns good size and reach and uses his body and stick to keep forwards wide. His hockey IQ is high, and he understands how to position himself to defend one-on-one and negate scoring chances. In addition, he’s a smooth skater and possesses good lateral mobility, which takes away time and space from opponents. He is simple with the puck and makes a clean first pass out of his zone. He can also get pucks through from the point. His two-way play will make him very effective in the playoffs.

2005s

Matthew Desiderio (North Caldwell, N.J.)
Rockets U-16, 8/16/05, D, left shot, 6-4/220

Desiderio is one of the essential pieces to the Rockets’ success. Thanks to a skilled forward group, they are built to contend, but Desiderio brings consistency and steady play to their backend. In addition, he possesses good size and a tremendous defensive stick. He can never be counted out of a play because he will utilize his long reach to poke pucks free at the last second. He also brings some offense to his game, including a powerful shot.

Nicholas Fascia (Blackwood, N.J.)
Gulls U-16, 4/28/05, D, left shot, 6-1/183
NCAA commit: Penn State

In our opinion, Fascia will be the best defenseman at the entire event. He has consistently run the show at all previous league showcases, meaning he should step up in playoffs, where his club will require his success to win the title. He is a smooth skater with a high IQ. He sees the ice well and is a gifted puck mover who finds his outlets fast. He is a good power play quarterback and gets shots on the net. On defense, he keeps tight gaps and is confident enough to step up aggressively to break up plays. We expect him to be a top player in his division.

2004s

Seth Constance
Mount St. Charles U-18, 10/26/04, D, right shot, 6-2/178

Constance is a big-bodied defenseman who missed much of this year with injuries. He defends efficiently, using his size and skating to take away time and space, and he brings a physical element by finishing hits and working opponents off the puck. He doesn’t have much offensive upside, but he’s a good puck mover and makes a good outlet pass. Constance is a steady blueliner built for playoff hockey, and his team will require strong performances from him to win.

Jack Henry (Skaneateles, N.Y.)
BK Selects 18-U, 2/25/04, D, right shot, 6-0/190
NCAA commit: Yale

Henry is a gifted blueliner who plays an aggressive game on offense and defense. He likes jumping into the play and earning scoring chances. He boasts a heavy shot with a good release, and he’s also displayed good passing skill and distribution abilities while on the power play. In addition, he is very physical and will finish big hits on opponents on defense. He is consistent, and his energy and compete level will make him a leader in his team’s quest for a title.

Noah Jones (Bridgewater, N.J)
Rockets 18-U, 2/22/04, D, right shot, 6-4/197

Jones is a defender who owns good size and impressive mobility. His game isn’t always consistent, but he can be a gamechanger when he plays to his potential. He is athletic and skates well, and while he isn’t overly physical, he will use his reach to poke pucks free and angle forwards toward the outside. In addition, he has a good point shot, and we’ve seen him score a couple of impressive power-play goals this season. A good weekend for Jones could result in a good finish for the Rockets.