Hockey: Players to watch, North Jersey Top 15 rankings for the 2022-23 season

Another hockey season is upon us and there are some major changes to see. Those changes extend to our coverage as well.

For the first time this season, NorthJersey.com's coverage of hockey is expanding. The coverage area is growing beyond Bergen and Passaic counties, reaching over to Morris and Sussex, as well as Essex counties. Rankings and weekly polls will reflect these changes with the rankings making room for new contenders to a top 15 from the standard top 10.

With this shift, you'll get a larger snapshot of the high school hockey scene and be able to take a large bite when trying to see state contenders from the northern half of the state. With a larger area to cover, here are some of the players to watch from the various areas this season, as well as the preseason rankings:

Players to Watch

Braeden Guiterman, Ramapo senior forward

The Raiders score at will and when Guiterman had the puck last season, you knew a shot on goal was near. Guiterman had 62 points for Ramapo as a junior and most of the core from last season is back. Can Guiterman help the Raiders get to that next level as a program?

Hollis Humphries, Morristown Beard senior forward

The Crimson are going to be very young this season but still threatening in the Mennen Division. Humphries is a threat every time he has the puck with an unreal 54-point season as a junior. Humphries alone can boost a young core to some significant games this year.

Daniel Moor, Northern Highlands junior goalie

The debate among who is the best goalie in the area is complicated, especially when factoring in the non-public teams. What can't be denied is that Moor kept the Highlanders in games and was a guiding force to a state title last season. A different look to his defense can make this a crucial season for Moor.

Massimo Monteleone, Don Bosco junior forward

The Ironmen have enough talent on the lines that it's hard to zone in on specific players. Monteleone has enough speed and puck handling skill to beat defenses with ease. Monteleone had 27 points as a sophomore and heated up down the stretch with multiple hat tricks in the state tournament.

Trip Pendy, Delbarton senior forward

Pendy is not just the only scoring threat for the Green Wave, but he's also not the only member of the Pendy family doing the scoring. Alongside junior Max, Trip commands attention on the ice and is an offensive catalyst for a team that doesn't need too many goals to beat you.

Declan Quinn, Bergen Catholic junior forward

Bergen Catholic has had ton of senior leadership over the years, but this is a young group of Crusaders. Matt Desiderio is a senior on defense doing a lot of leading, but the role of a guy like Quinn will be crucial if Bergen Catholic seeks to compete in the Gordon. Quinn's 21 points last season are second to Desiderio among returners.

Jack Scali, Ridgewood sophomore goalie

As crowded as debates over the best goalie can get, Scali found a way to enter the conversation as a freshman last winter. A .930 save percentage and a GAA of 2.00, Scali will be more relied upon this season for one of North Jersey's top public teams. Goalies can will a team to a playoff run and Scali has the skillset to do exactly that.

Charlie Wogsich, Lakeland senior forward

There wasn't a game Lakeland played last season that didn't have Wogsich without a point. A breakout junior season, Wogsich had 25 goals and 23 assists for the Lancers and had at least a goal and an assist in the same game nine times. Wogsich remains one of North Jersey's top scoring threats.

Morris County league preview:2022 Morris/Sussex team-by-team capsules

Preseason Top 15

15. Livingston (22-4-3)

The Public A finalists lost a pair of primary scorers and the main goalie that brought them to the McInnis Cup final. Dillon Schultz and Zach Silva will be tasked with trying to keep the Lancers in contention in 2022-23.

14. Mount Olive/Hopatcong/Hackettstown (17-5-3)

The Haas Cup champions from a season ago now move into the Halvorsen division with a new group of competitors. MoHoHa has a lot of firepower returning, but not every team handles moving up the same way.

13. St. Joseph (Mont.) (7-17-1)

The Green Knights project to be the third-best team in the second-best division of the Gordon Conference, but they can still hang around with the area's best. Senior Michael Chang leads one of the youngest of the Non-Public teams on the ice as St. Joseph seeks to build a core long term.

12. Passaic Tech (13-12-1)

Year three of the program saw the Bulldogs grow faster than expected, so expectations are that much higher in year four. Junior Joe Kwiecinski and sophomore Scott Nayda guide a defense in front of sophomore goalie Mason Katz, who surprised as a freshman.

11. Morris Knolls/Morris Hills (16-9-1)

Finalists in the Mennen Cup and the Public C state final, the Morris co-op flirted with a lot of hardware last season and has unfinished business this season. Junior Luke Dickerson had 48 points as a sophomore and the Golden Eagles hope to succeed in a difficult Mennen division this season.

10. Lakeland/Hawthorne/Waldwick (13-9)

Taking on some other schools, Lakeland shifts to Public C a season after reaching the semifinals in Passaic County and the Big North Silver Cup final. The Lancers will succeed if they can defend because this team can score at will. The senior trio of Brian Cole, Tristan Davison and Charlie Wogsich combined for 148 points last season.

9. Ridgewood (14-7-1)

The Maroons have six returning starters that saw them fall in the Big North Gold Cup semifinals and the Public A quarterfinals. Jack Scali inserted himself into the argument for the best goalie in the area as a freshman and will be a key for an experienced team looking to get over the hump.

8. Wayne (14-9-3)

The co-op between rival high schools Wayne Hills and Wayne Valley is working out well after a Passaic County title and the program's first appearance in the Public C semifinals. This is a tight group with a lot of returning players from last year's success. Michael Brogna (30 goals as a sophomore) stars for the offense of the Knights.

7. Pope John (7-10-7)

A contender emerges each season and the Lions have great potential to be exactly that. Seniors Nathan Meola and Emporio Ienciu combined for 52 points last season and hope to guide a well-sized and fundamentally sound Pope John. If the Lions can translate some of those ties last season into victories, they'll be a squad to keep an eye on.

6. Ramapo (18-9-1)

If not for being unable to figure out Northern Highlands last season, the Raiders would have been Big North Gold Cup champions and reach the Public B state final. Three stellar forwards that lead Ramapo are now all seniors. Braeden Guiterman, Jake Rosolanko and Danny Mauriber are a three-headed monster for Ramapo with all scoring at least 22 goals last season.

5. Seton Hall Prep (10-12-2)

The Pirates move divisions in the Gordon Conference this season, which should help bolster momentum for a rather experienced group. Seniors Nick Schneider and Rocco Medoza guide a Seton Hall Prep team that could have gone much further than the Gordon Cup quarterfinals last season.

4. Northern Highlands (22-3-3)

The defending Public B state champs hung tough with just about anyone they went up against last season and even gave Don Bosco a run in the Bergen County Great 8 final. The Highlanders continue to have top-tier goaltending, but the eyes will be on a rebuilt defense including junior Daniel Kulbanskiy, who transfers from Fair Lawn.

3. Bergen Catholic (8-7-5)

The Crusaders are fast and talented enough to finish the season number one in the state with solid lines and an even distribution of the puck. Depth is the name of the game for Bergen Catholic, which brings on a great deal of freshmen that can make them title contenders this year and beyond.

2. Don Bosco (20-7-1)

The returning depth of the Ironmen is hard to match with large defenders, multiple scoring threats and two goalies who could both lay claim to being the best in New Jersey. County, league and state championships are all the goal for Don Bosco, especially after falling in the Gordon Cup final and the Non-Public semifinals last season.

1. Delbarton (19-6-2)

Until they are knocked off, the Green Wave can claim the top spot in this poll after being the runner-ups in Non-Public last season. Delbarton is reloaded for another shot at a state crown, which has not been reached since 2018. It'll be hard to keep them denied again.

Also considered (listed alphabetically): Mahwah (16-10), Pascack Valley/Pascack Hills/New Milford (14-5-1), River Dell/Westwood/Emerson (14-5-3)

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ hockey: Players to watch, rankings for 2022-23 season