South Shore’s Near‑Miss Legends
Across the rocky coast of Massachusetts, a surprisingly deep pool of high‑school boys hockey talent has consistently brushed against the elite tier of the sport, even if the final top‑10 rankings have often eluded them.
Bobby Allen, who captained Cushing Academy to a New England Prep School championship, would later hear his name called 52nd overall by the Boston Bruins in 1997, a testament to a career that blended leadership with offensive flair. His story is echoed by Rikky Delvecchio, Braintree’s all‑time leading scorer, whose 1999 Hall of Fame induction cemented a legacy of offensive excellence.
Evan Crockford from Marshfield carved his name into the school’s record books with 214 points, later becoming the fourth all‑time scorer at Suffolk University, illustrating how the region’s offensive engines keep humming at the college level.
In net, Mark Holden is still remembered as the most polished goaltender ever to wear a Weymouth High sweater, a performance that earned him a 160th‑overall selection by the Montreal Canadiens in 1977, while Kevin Heffernan’s 1984 captaincy and scoring prowess secured his place in the Weymouth Hall of Fame.
Randy Millen set the Massachusetts high‑school scoring record and still ranks third all‑time in the state’s history, a milestone that placed him alongside later point‑leaders such as Ryan Moore, who sits atop the all‑time points list with 409.
Mike Mottau added another layer of prestige with three All‑American honors and a Hobey Baker award at Boston College, eventually being drafted 182nd overall by the New York Rangers in 1997, while Adam Gaudette’s collegiate heroics culminated in a Hobey Baker award at Northeastern and a 149th‑overall pick by the Vancouver Canucks in 2015.
The draft trail also stretches to Bobby Sheehan, a 32nd‑overall selection by Montreal in 1969 who capped his career with a Stanley Cup in 1971, to Dave Silk, a member of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” squad and a 59th‑overall pick by the New York Rangers, and to Mike Sullivan, a BC High standout drafted 69th overall by the Rangers in 1987.
More recent chapters include Bob Sunderland, the 137th overall pick by the New York Islanders in 1975, David Warsofsky, a Cushing‑trained champion who captured an NCAA title at Boston University before being selected 95th by the St. Louis Blues, and Keith Yandle, whose 105th‑overall draft slot in 2005 preceded a 1,109‑game NHL career.
Together, these players illustrate how the South Shore’s hockey culture — rooted in prep schools, community rinks, and relentless work ethic — continues to feed the professional game, even when the final top‑10 list leaves out some of its brightest stars.