2023-24 boys hockey preview capsules

CONY/MARANACOOK/MONMOUTH/HALL-DALE/OCEANSIDE/RICHMOND/WINTHROP RAMS
Coach: Douglas Dieuveuil (first year)
Class: B; Region: North
Last year’s results: 2-15-1
Returning athletes: Seniors — Luke Johnson (F), Landon Foster (G), Brandon Smith (D), Ray Dineen (D), Oliver Rodrigue (D); Juniors — Zack Waddell (F), Ben Platt (F), Caleb Larette (F), Lincoln Dawbin (F), Cooper Clark (F), Jackson Veilleux (F); Sophomores — Kyle Lepage (F), Gabe Godbout (D), Alex Leet (F), Jacob Lavallee (D).
Promising newcomers: Senior — Owen Lyons (F); Juniors — Jace Young, Lucas Drillen (D); Sophomores — Ryan Bourque (G), Caleb Morgan (G); Freshmen — Connor Callahan (D), Caiden Kelley (F), Sam Corgan (F), Jacob Lyons (D), Cody Fournier (D).
Season outlook: The Rams are under new leadership, with Douglas Dieuveuil taking over for Shawn Johnson as coach. Scoring was hard to come by in 2022-23 for the Cony co-op, but returning this season are Ray Dineen and Cooper Clark, who led the team last year with nine goals and five assists apiece. Ben Platt will also be another go-to player for the Rams. Monmouth’s Brandon Smith and Gabe Godbout should be key contributors at the defensive position. Dieuveuil said he has been impressed with the team during the preseason.

EDWARD LITTLE RED EDDIES
Coach: Norm Gagne (seventh year)
Class: A
Last year’s results: 15-4-1, lost in the state quarterfinals.
Returning athletes: Seniors — Payton Dyer (F), Tanner Berry-Hart (F), Kellen Labelle (F), Joe Martel (D), Brooks Hefty (D), Cam Dufour (G); Juniors — Andrew Clements (F), Joey Sampson (F), Nico Ferraro (F); Sophomores — Ben Poulin (F), Issac Jalbert (F), Camden Roy (D).
Key losses: Campbell Cassidy (Travis Roy finalist, Sun Journal Player of the Year), Brody Keefe (SJ All-Region first team), Gage Ducharme (SJ first team), Gavin Levesque (SJ second team).
Promising newcomers: Senior — Garrett Hedges, Breccan Albert (F); Sophomores — Braydin Gatto (D), Caden Westhoven (G), Cole Levesque; Freshmen — Avery Tyler (F), Derek Hart (F), Jack Caron (F), Landon Nagy (F), Brandon Raymond (D).
Season outlook: The Red Eddies are young but should still be in the top half of Class A again. Andrew Clements, Tanner Berry-Hart and Peyton Dyer are expected to carry the offensive load this season, but Edward Little should also get contributions from some newcomers. Joe Martel and Brooks Hefty will be key defensemen. The focus for the Red Eddies will be on the defensive end. This will be Norm Gagne’s 50th season — and likely his last — behind the bench in Maine boys high school hockey.

LAKE REGION/FRYEBURG/OXFORD HILLS ICE CATS
Coach: Wayne Neiman (fourth year)
Class: A
Last year’s results: 5-11-2
Returning athletes: Seniors — Kadan Neureuther (F), Jacob Lemery (F), Cohen Carter (F), Blake Small (D), Brenan Ellis (D); Junior — Marshall Tibbetts (D); Sophomore — Garrett Wooster.
Key loss: Nathan Metcalf (Sun Journal All-Region honorable mention).
Promising newcomers: Seniors — Kolbie Kaeser (F), Wille Svinhufvud (F); Junior — Myles Willimann (D); Freshmen — Gunner Truman (F), Charlie Herrick (G), Owen Dorsey (F).
Season outlook: Coach Wayne Neiman said the team has been working hard in the preseason. They are young but he expects them to be competitive. One thing the Ice Cats are focusing on is being smarter with and without the puck by making the correct decisions and staying out of the penalty box. Neiman is high on freshman Charlie Herrick as the team’s No. 1 goalie this season. Other players will have to take on roles they haven’t been in before.

LEWISTON BLUE DEVILS
Coach: Jamie King (third year)
Class: A
Last year’s results: 7-12-1, reached the state quarterfinals.
Returning athletes: Seniors — Dylan Blue (F), Cody Dionne (F), Ethan Blue (D); Juniors — Colton Daniels (F), Andrew Theriault (F), Gabe Pomerleau (G); Sophomores — Jacoby Oliveira (D), Aizyk Laliberte (F).
Promising newcomers: Junior — Hayden Brown; Freshmen — Deano Scalia, Cam Plourde, Daelan Hodgson.
Season outlook: After a couple of rebuilding seasons, the Blue Devils enter the 2023-24 season with several upperclassmen and will be a veteran-laden team. Lewiston should get a lot of offensive production from Cody Dionne, who led the team in points last season. The Blue brothers will also be top contributors offensively. Jamie King expects Andrew Theriault and Aizyk Laliberte to be impact players this year.

MT. ARARAT/LISBON/MORSE EAGLES
Coach: A.J. Kavanaugh (ninth year)
Class: B; Region: South
Last year’s results: 1-17
Returning athletes: Seniors — Jacob Fullerton (F), Jameson Fowler (D); Juniors — Gerek Theriault (F), Dylan Richards (F/D); Sophomores — Caleb MacDonald (F), Brennan Fitzpatrick (F).
Promising newcomers: Sophomores — Alex Newman (F), Kai Stockford (G); Freshman — Gavin Wallace (D).
Season outlook: The Eagles have returned to Class B South after spending the past few years in Class A, and coach AJ Kavanaugh expects them to be more competitive this season. He said Kai Stockford should be steady in goal. The Eagles will need everyone on the roster to chip in to help put the puck in the net.

POLAND/LEAVITT/OAK HILL/GRAY-NEW GLOUCESTER KINGS
Coach: Jason Rouleau (second year)
Class: B; Region: South
Last year’s results: 10-9, lost regional quarterfinals.
Returning athletes: Seniors — Hunter Bussiere (F), Talen Langevin (F), Ian Guerin (G), Parker Pelletier (D), Luke Gladu (D), Kade Knight (G), Will Keach (F), Max Thibault (F), Nick LeBrasseur (F); Juniors — Breck Langevin (F), Brody Emond (F), Isaac Ormberg (D), Forrest St. Laurent (D); Sophomore — Conner Boulay (F).
Key loss: Jamison Bergeron (Sun Journal All-Region honorable mention).
Promising newcomers: Seniors — Colton Gilbert (F), Noah Brisson (D), Elijah Gosselin (D), Cohen Landry (G); Sophomores — Bradley Dupile (F), Peter Lacombe (D); Freshman — Mason Aldrich (F).
Season outlook: The Kings have a boatload of returning players who should make an impact this season in a wide-open Class B South. That includes three goalies who played last season. Eight of the 10 leading scorers are back. Breck Langevin and Conner Boulay each had double digits in goals. Will Keach and Hunter Bussiere are both puck distributors.

ST. DOMINIC SAINTS
Coach: Dan D’Auteuil Jr. (fifth year)
Class: A
Last year’s results: 7-12, lost in preliminary round.
Returning athletes: Seniors — Ethan Pelletier (F), Timothee Ouellette (F), Ridge Dionne (D), Thomas Casserly (D), Jayden Lynn (G); Juniors — Curtis Wheeler (F), Luke Davidson (D); Sophomores — Riley Daigle (D), Ben Dumais (F), Spencer Morgan (F); Joseph Adams (D).
Key losses: Miles Frenette (Sun Journal All-Region third team), Erik Jones (SJ honorable mention).
Promising newcomers: Sophomores — Connor St. George (F), Kessel Lynn (G), Jackson Booker (F).
Season outlook: The Saints have a strong nucleus and are looking to contend this season after falling in the prelims in 2022-23. All five defensemen return and Ben Dumais and Timothee Ouellette are expected to lead the team offensively. One thing coach Dan D’Auteuil wants the team to focus on this year is playing all three periods. He said last year’s team had a tendency to take periods or games off.