New England Hockey Journal’s RinkWise

Jerry Keefe, head coach of Northeastern hockey, shares insights on player development, recruiting strategies, the impact of junior hockey, and the importance of culture and relationships in coaching. T

In this episode of the RinkWise podcast, host Evan Marinofsky and co-host Patrick Donnelly are joined by UMass Amherst men's hockey head coach Greg Carvel. Fresh off a season of major shifts in the college hockey landscape, Coach Carvel dives deep into the changing world of recruiting, the impact of the CHL ruling, and what he looks for when building both a winning team and a cohesive coaching sta...

van Marinofsky and Jason Cooke break down the 2026 Mass. Hockey boys festival. They run through the '09, '10 and '11 birth years, highlighting the top players, who rose their stock and who got snubbed from USA Hockey Select Camps.

Evan interviews Providence College men’s hockey head coach Nate Leaman about coaching, player development, recruiting, and shifting NCAA hockey pathways. Leaman recounts starting hockey at 13 in Ohio after soccer, crediting intensive skating instruction for later coaching and evaluation skills, and discusses key development windows (especially ages 10–14 for agility) plus the growing importance of...

Evan Marinofsky and Patrick Donnelly discuss key USHL Phase 1 and Phase 2 draft takeaways for New England players. They argue the recent CHL eligibility ruling is driving USHL teams to tender more players to avoid losing them to the Q/O/WHL, noting 11 of 15 first-round Phase 1 picks were tenders. The "Overtime" segment features lighthearted “kindergarten hockey” questions. Topics 00:39 Podcast Int...

Evan and Pat discuss releasing New England Hockey Journal boys top-50 rankings for 2007–2009 birth years and a 2010 watch list, describing the late changes, depth differences by class, and challenges comparing prep/U18 players with juniors while excluding college players. They break down key 2007 debates and note recruiting trends shifting due to the CHL ruling and schools waiting longer to commit...

Evan and Pat discuss New England Hockey Journal’s “Best in New England” girls rankings: top 50 lists for 2007–2009 birth years and a 30-player 2010 watch list, noting how difficult and changeable the exercise is. Pat describes 2007s as top-heavy with many already in college and highlights key players and debates defenders and goalies. The 2009 group is called exceptionally deep and high-end. Overt...

Pat Donnelly joins Evan Marinofsky to recap the girls NEPSAC championships. They review lessons learned among all three finals on Sunday.

Evan Marinofsky joins Pat Donnelly to recap the boys NEPSAC championships. They review lessons learned among all three finals on Sunday.

Patrick Donnelly joins Evan Marinofsky to discuss his reactions to the winners and losers in the quarterfinals of the girls NEPSAC hockey tournament on Wednesday, March 4.

Evan Marinofsky joins Patrick Donnelly to discuss his reactions to the winners and losers in the quarterfinals of the boys NEPSAC hockey tournament on Wednesday, March 4.

This episode features Evan Marinowski and Patrick Donnelly breaking down the brackets for the NEPSAC boys hockey tournament, specifically the Elite 8, Large School, and Small School divisions.  

This episode features Evan Marinowski and Patrick Donnelly breaking down the brackets for the NEPSAC girls hockey tournament, specifically the Elite 8, Large School, and Small School divisions.

Evan Marinofsky and Patrick Donnelly focus on Massachusetts postseason hockey. They review MIAA boys Division 1 seeding (Catholic Memorial No. 1, Xaverian No. 2, St. John’s Prep No. 3, Arlington No. 4) and discuss potential sleepers including Reading, Wachusett, Framingham, Marshfield, Weymouth and a deep Pope Francis run, with Evan picking CM over Pope Francis in the final. They then break down M...

Evan Marinofsky and Patrick Donnelly open with reactions to the shooting at Dennis Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, R.I., offering condolences and noting reported heroes. They then preview late-season prep hockey: boys teams slipping (Avon Old Farms, Belmont Hill) and rising (Cushing, Kimball Union), and girls hockey shakeups with Phillips Andover taking No. 1, Nobles surging, plus Williston Northampton,...

Evan Marinofsky and Patrick Donnelly, with guests Ray LeBlanc, Jeremiah Tabor and Kip St. Germaine of Adaptive Hockey, discuss Mass Hockey's third Adaptive Hockey Day, scheduled for Feb. 22. The event will showcase six USA Hockey disciplines, including blind, deaf, sled, special standing, amputee and warrior hockey. LeBlanc details the growth of the East Coast Jumbos and the increasing involvement...

Evan Marinofsky and Patrick Donnelly delve into the highlights of Beanpot Monday, evaluating the performances of Boston College and Boston University on their path to the title game. They provide an in-depth analysis of several prep hockey games, including thrilling matches such as Dexter Southfield's win over St. Mark's and the dynamics of this season's top players. They also address the recent d...

Evan Marinofsky and Pat Donnelly discuss the nostalgic feeling brought by a recent snowstorm, reminiscent of high school days. They delve into the impacts of the snow on hockey tournaments, particularly the MIAA's Ed Burns Tournament. The conversation pivots to notable performances and rankings within girls and boys prep hockey, highlighting teams such as BB&N, Williston Northampton, Loomis Ch...

Evan Marinofsky and Patrick Donnelly dive in to the latest updates in prep and MIAA hockey. They discuss the strength of Catholic Memorial after its dominating performance against Xaverian, Canterbury's impressive rise in boys prep hockey rankings, and the U.S. team's dominating performance at the Women's U-18 World Championship. They also analyze the current standings and notable performances in...

Evan Marinofsky and Patrick Donnelly discuss the latest in New England prep hockey. They dive into rankings and updates for girls prep teams, analyzing key players and game outcomes that shook up the standings. The duo also covers the boys prep scene, discussing notable wins and upsets, and the impact of older teams this season. The podcast moves on to cover highlights from MIAA girls and boys hoc...

Evan Marinofsky and Patrick Donnelly recap the second annual New Year’s Prep Puck Drop girls tournament, highlighting standout teams and players. They also delve into the boys prep Watkins Championship and the performances of significant teams including Thayer and Canterbury. Additionally, they provide an overview of the MIAA girls Tenney Cup and the state of MIAA boys, with a focus on Catholic an...

Evan and Pat talk about recent holiday hockey tournaments, including detailed analyses of the Boys and Girls Prep tournaments, highlighting standout performances and memorable moments. To close the episode, they reflect on the most memorable hockey moments of 2025 and what they look forward to in covering New England hockey in 2026.   Topics 01:12 Holiday Cooking and Traditions 02:50 Holiday Tourn...

Evan Marinofsky and Patrick Donnelly focus on the holiday hockey tournaments and the latest prep girls rankings. They discuss the excitement around holiday tournaments, with Evan expressing his frustration with technical issues but highlighting his anticipation for the holiday season. They delve deep into prep girls hockey rankings, with a new No. 1 team, Williston Northampton, and examine the per...

Evan Marinofsky and Pat Donnelly explore the early weeks of New England's high school hockey season. They discuss the current state of both girls and boys prep hockey, highlighting key games and standout performances. On the girls side, they cover the exciting changes in the rankings, with detailed breakdowns of significant matches such as Nobles vs. Loomis Chaffee. On the boys side, the discussio...

Pat Donnelly and Evan Marinofsky preview the high school hockey season. They discuss the stress and excitement surrounding tryouts, recounting personal experiences from their own high school days. The duo provides detailed insights on the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association boys and girls hockey seasons, offering in-depth analyses of top teams and players to watch. They highlight to...