Usually the FTT updates on incoming Massachusetts hockey recruits is relegated to stat updates and links found from afar.  But I’m happy to say that tonight’s update includes some first hand scouting on John Leonard.

Nic Renyard

Brandon Egli – D – Vernon Vipers (BCHL) – 2015 (NLI signed)
31P / 0 G / 9 A / 9 Pts / 23 PIM
Egli had two assists in his last three games.

Jake McCarthy – D – South Shore Kings (USPHL) – 2015 or 2016
8 GP / 0 G /2 A / 2 Pts / 11 PIM
McCarthy had an assist in his last three games.

Kurt Keats – C – Powell River Kings (BCHL) – 2015 (NLI signed)
36 GP / 26 G / 21 A / 47 Pts / 53 PIM
Keats had two goals and an assist in three games this past week.  Keats is fourth in the league in goals, tied for fifth in power play goals, and ninth in points.

Austin Plevy – C – Brooks Bandits (AJHL) – 2015 (NLI signed)
41 GP / 23 G / 44 A / 67 Pts / 64 PIM
Plevy had a goal in two games this past week for the Bandits.  Plevy leads the AJHL in points, is third in goals, and second in game winning goals.

Nic Renyard – G – Okotoks Oilers (AJHL) – 2015
21-5-2 / .925 save % / 2.14 GAA / 3 shutouts
Renyard picked up a couple wins, giving up six goals in 7+ periods of work.  Renyard is second in the league in save percentage, 1st in wins, and 3rd in goals against average and shutouts.

Ivan Chukarov – D – Minnesota Wilderness (NAHL) – 2015
32 GP / 7 G / 16 A / 23 Pts / 35 PIM / +21
Chukarov had an assist this past week.

Shane Bear – D – Brooks Bandits (AJHL) – 2016
42 GP / 4 G / 23 A / 27 Pts / 39 PIM
Bear was scoreless this past week.

Troy Conzo – RW – Wenatchee Wild (NAHL) – 2016 or 2017
3 GP / 0 G / 0 A /0 Pts / 0 PIM / –2  Des Moines (USHL)
23 GP/ 3 G/ 2 A / 5 Pts / 8 PIM / -1 Wenatchee (NAHL)
Conzo was scoreless this past week.

Kyler Nachtigall – LW – Brooks Bandits (AJHL) – 2016
42 GP / 11 G / 8 A / 19 Pts / 43 PIM
Nachtigall was scoreless this past week.

Ty Pelton-Byce – C – Team Wisconsin U18 (Elite)/Madison Memorial (WI HS) – 2016 (NLI signed)
21 GP / 12 G / 12 A / 24 Pts / 8 PIM  Team Wisconsin U18
15 GP /21 G / 20 A /41p ts  Madison Memorial
Pelton-Byce is averaging an astounding 1.4 goals and 2.0 points per game.  His performance was so amazing that he received an invitation to play with the US U18 National Development Team over the weekend.  Unfortunately he would’ve had to give up his Wisconsin High School eligibility to do so, so he had to decline.  He was recently named the PlayInTheDells.com Player of the Week.

John Leonard – F – Springfield Rifles (Mass Selects)/Springfield Cathedral (MA HS) – 2017
14 GP / 21 G / 11 A / 32 Pts  Springfield Rifles
10 GP / 20 G / 10 A /30 Pts  Springfield Cathedral
On Saturday, before heading off to Amherst for some Hangar wings, Patriots football, and UMass hockey, I headed to the Olympia in West Springfield to watch Leonard and Springfield Cathedral take on Falmouth.  Unfortunately this ended up being a “bad” game for Leonard, meaning he only scored one goal in the 11-0 win for Cathedral.  The blowout actually worked against him as he only played two or three shifts in the entire third period.  Still, I was impressed by what I saw.  The qualities that stuck out the most to me were his smooth skating, his quick release shot, and some great puck handling.  A few times he deked guys out of their skates.  His skating really did stand out compared to pretty much everyone on the ice, even versus the other DI committed players on his team.  He also always had his head up, with or without the puck, and was well aware of what was going on in the game at that time.  He still has a season and a half before starting at UMass, one can only imagine how much more his game develops.  Hopefully I’ll have more chances to watch him in person as well.  His one goal in the game can be seen here where you can get an idea for how quick he is with his stick.  Leonard is currently sitting on 99 career points and is a leader for Player of the Year.

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Senior Oleg Yevenko was profiled in the most recent UMass Sports Insider:

This is a bit dated but Along The Boards did a Q&A with former player turned Director Of Hockey Ops Kevin Czepiel over the summer.