Atlantic Youth Hockey League

Seven AYHL alumni named 'Ones to Watch'

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (October 9, 2017) – Seven Atlantic Youth Hockey League (AYHL) alumni were named on NHL Central Scouting’s ‘Ones to Watch’ list for the 2018 draft.

Forwards Jacob Godowski (Thornhurst, Pa.) and Joseph Mancuso (Pottstown, Pa.), defensemen Marc Del Gaizo (Basking Ridge, N.J.), Adam Samuelsson (Rye, N.Y.), and Mattias Samuelsson (Voorhees, N.J.), and goaltenders Mitchell Gibson (Phoenixville, Pa.) and Ben Kraws (Cranbury, N.J.) were ranked among the top prospects from all the major development leagues throughout North American and Europe, compiled by NHL Central Scouting.

Mattias Samuelsson was the highest ranked player, receiving an ‘A’ rating. Adam Samuelsson followed with a ‘B’ rating and Del Gaizo, Gibson, Goldowski, Kraws and Mancuso each received ‘C’ ratings. Players rated as ‘A’ players are candidates for a 1^st round selection, ‘B’ rated players are candidates to be selected in either the 2^nd or 3^rd round, and ‘C’ rated players are candidates for the 4^th through 7^th rounds.

Mattias Samuelsson spent a pair of seasons with Team Comcast (now Virtua Hockey) before moving on to the Northwood School for a pair of successful prep seasons. In the AYHL, the Voorhees, New Jersey native totaled seven goals and 29 assists over 54 contests. Samuelsson successfully made the United States National Team Development Program (US NTDP), where the Michigan-committed d-man is finishing the second season of a two-year commitment.

Joining the North Jersey Avalanche for the second half of the 2015-16 season, Adam Samuelsson had a goal and four assists over the final seven contests of the regular season, before adding two assists in five playoff games. The Boston College-committed defenseman is wrapping up his second season with the US NTDP and won a Tier 1 Elite League championship with the Avalanche.

Del Gaizo was a seven-year player in the AYHL with the New Jersey Rockets, before moving on to the junior ranks. The UMASS-Amherst committed blueliner is now with the Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL).

A longtime netminder in the AYHL, Gibson has burst on to the national scene the Lone Star Brahmas (NAHL), where he’s compiled a 1.26 goals against average over eight contests. Gibson could be found near the midget leaders in GAA and save percentage with both Team Comcast and the Philadelphia Junior Flyers. Gibson began his AYHL career with the Valley Forge Minutemen and spent seven seasons in the league before reaching the North American Hockey League. The Phoenixville, Pennsylvania native committed to Harvard from the Junior Flyers organization in November 2016.

Goldowski spent his entire AYHL career with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Junior Knights, reaching the 16U National level, before joining the Samuelssons in Ann Arbor with the NTDP. Goldowski earned NAPHL All-Star honors in 2016 and was a fourth round choice of the Saginaw Sprit after skating in the prestigious OHL Cup. The Penn State committed forward totaled 41 points in 28 games in his final AYHL season.

Kraws spent several seasons in the AYHL with the Mercer Chiefs and the Philadelphia Little Flyers. Following his Bantam Major season, Kraws joined the well-regarded Little Caesars program before ultimately settling in with the Buffalo Jr. Sabres. Kraws put him a 1.95 goals against average over two games in the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup and is committed to Miami University (Ohio) for the 2019-20 season.

Mancuso spent his youth hockey career with four different organizations, concluding his time in the AYHL at 18U with the Junior Flyers. Over his three midget seasons, the Pottstown, Pennsylvania native collected 31 regular season goals with 34 assists, adding an additional eight tallies over five playoff contests. Mancuso has scored three goals and three assists with the Northeast Generals.

The Atlantic Youth Hockey League is the USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier I AAA youth hockey league of the Atlantic District. From Connecticut to Maryland, the AYHL’s membership is comprised of over 100 teams, representing four districts, and is spread across six playing divisions. The AYHL’s mission is to develop young players with competition, fun, and good sportsmanship, and move them on to the next phase of their hockey career. With a distinguished alumni list of players that spent a portion of their playing career in the AYHL, today’s players choose to play in the AYHL knowing that it is a proven stepping stone for those serious in their hockey pursuits.

For more information on the AYHL, log on to HTTP://WWW.ATLANTICHOCKEY.ORG/AYHL.PHP or on Twitter @AYHL or on Facebook at HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/THEAYHL