New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 30
JUNIORS
u
NEHJ TV
We featured the Junior Bruins
in Episode 6 of our New England
Hockey Journal television show
in November 2014.
vimeo.com/142260033
Bru CrEw
n 'Speed and creativity' help Junior Bruins
thrive as a portal to Division 1 and beyond
By Jonathan Sigal
Junior Bruins forward Greg
Pezza of Smithfield, R.I.;
alumnus Alex Brink (inset);
above, goalie Brian McGrath
(Worcester, Mass.).
30 NEw ENGLAND HOCKEY JOURNAL December 2015
r
EWINd A FEW YEARS and Alex Brink was just
a talented player from Hamilton, N.Y. Fast forward to
the present day and the 21-year-old is a freshman forward at Div. 1 Brown University.
What enabled such a quantum leap for Brink?
Three seasons with the Junior Bruins, a time in which he tallied
133 points in 136 games.
"Without the Junior Bruins, I wouldn't have been able to go anywhere," Brink said. "To go from that realization after high school
and then being able to say I'm playing Division 1 at an Ivy League
school, it's a feeling I can't really put into words."
Brink's success speaks for itself, but it's also a tale that repeats
itself time and again for one of the nation's best junior hockey programs. The Massachusetts-based Junior Bruins have a team in the
USPHL's Premier, Elite and Empire divisions, and that structure
has laid the groundwork for talented players to blossom into some
of the game's best.
Jack Eichel (North Chelmsford, Mass.) of the Buffalo Sabres,
Alex Killorn of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Keith Yandle (Milton, Mass.) of the New York Rangers, just to name a few, are notable
alumni. Meanwhile, the Premier team won a USPHL and national
championship in 2013-14, repeating as UPSHL champions in 2014-15.
The results and talent are obvious, but the Junior Bruins would
be nowhere if it weren't for a measured focus on player development and college placement.
"The primary philosophy is college placement and finding ways
to get these kids into schools that maybe their academics might not
get them into, and, with other kids, getting their college paid for
with scholarships," said program director Chris Masters (Lexington,
Mass.). "Added to that is helping these kids reach the goal of con-
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New England Hockey Journal - December 2015
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of New England Hockey Journal - December 2015
NEHJ November 2015
Our Starting Lineup
From the Editor
Around the Region
NEHJ XX: Our 20th Year
Jaffe's Take
Bruins Beat: Frank Vatrano
Bruins Clubhouse
NHL New England
NHL New England Digital Directory
Over the Borders
Hockey East
ECAC Hockey
Atlantic Hockey
Division 3 Colleges
Juniors
Prep School Preview: Boys
Prep School Preview: Boys team capsules
Prep School Preview: Girls
High School Preview
High School Preview: State capsultes
NEHJ Buyer's Guide: Hockey Sticks
NEHJ TV EPISODES
The Goalie Guru
The Hockey Mom
Hockey Nutrition
NEHJ Marketplace
Hangin' Out With …
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - Intro
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - NEHJ November 2015
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - Cover2
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - Our Starting Lineup
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - From the Editor
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 5
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - Around the Region
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 7
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - B1
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - B2
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - NEHJ XX: Our 20th Year
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 9
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - Jaffe's Take
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 11
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - Bruins Beat: Frank Vatrano
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 13
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - Bruins Clubhouse
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 15
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - NHL New England
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 17
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - NHL New England Digital Directory
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - D2
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - D3
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - D4
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - Over the Borders
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 19
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - Hockey East
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 21
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - ECAC Hockey
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 23
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - B3
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - B4
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - Atlantic Hockey
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 25
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 26
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 27
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - Division 3 Colleges
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 29
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - Juniors
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 31
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - Prep School Preview: Boys
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 33
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 34
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 35
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - Prep School Preview: Boys team capsules
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 37
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 38
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 39
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 40
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 41
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 42
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 43
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - Prep School Preview: Girls
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 45
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - High School Preview
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 47
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - High School Preview: State capsultes
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 49
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - B5
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - B6
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - NEHJ Buyer's Guide: Hockey Sticks
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 51
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 52
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 53
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 54
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 55
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 56
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 57
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - NEHJ TV EPISODES
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - B8
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - The Goalie Guru
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - The Hockey Mom
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - B9
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - B10
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - Hockey Nutrition
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - NEHJ Marketplace
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - Hangin' Out With …
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - Cover3
New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - Cover4
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