Today, the Northeast Generals added three more players to their camp roster to work towards a roster spot for the 2021-2022 campaign. The process was lead by General Manager Matt Dibble who had the Generals only need to select three players due to their extensive work to secure key tenders, have a roster stocked with returners, and helping to cultivate a new energy in the group that was a key part of its renniasance last season as a team near the bottom of the standings pushed for a playoff spot near the end of the 2020-2021 campaign despite dealing with a myriad of challenges.

With that said, Head Coach Bryan Erikson had a lot to say about the draft work done by Dibble

He added

” This Draft was all Matt Dibble. He was hired to make a roster that can compete for a championship and I think he has done that all off season. So the draft is just a small part of what he has been doing. We had the fewest amount of picks in the draft because of all the hard work Matt did in the last 6 months. He has built a team we really like.”

Photo Credit: Northeast Generals

On the three picks, Erikson noted, first of young defender Jack Laferriere

” First we grabbed Jack Laferriere who is a big 05 D man that was a standout at the World Youth Championships with Roc City Elite. He is kid who works hard and comes from a great hockey pedigree. He has work to do to make the team but I think he can get there. Strong on his edges, good with the puck and does a great job with his gaps.”

For development, Dibble has seen Jack first hand as Dibble lead that Roc City team, and said “Jack Laferriere was one of the captains for our Roc City team this summer, we think he is a kid that will continue to develop and will play here some day. He is a great kid and works hard day in and out.”

Next, Erikson discussed Asher Wites, a smooth skating defender, Erikson said ” Then we chose Asher Wites who is a D man that we loved. Very smooth and dynamic with the puck. Another great skating D man that can make plays offensively and escape trouble with his feet. He will be very good very quickly for us. High end kid on and off the ice.”

Dibble added of Wites ” Asher Wites is a kid who we fully expect to come in here and compete to play every day. We think he is a kid with high end skating ability and hockey IQ. We are looking forward to working with him on his transition.”

For their final pick, the Generals selected a player from their East Division Champion NA3HL Team, Payton Felix. The Generals will benefit from having another forward with instant speed, and one that shows an ability to play with a certain level of toughness like their standout forward Jake Dunlap.

Erikson said of Felix ” Payton Felix has been with us for 2 years. 1 year with our U18 team where he was dominant and then 1 year with our NA3 team where he was again a huge contributor to the best team in the East. He has blinding speed, and a tremendous work ethic. He gets on pucks quickly on the forecheck, backchecks, finishes hits everywhere. Great kid from a great family. Excited for him to have this opportunity to push for a spot.”

Dibble added ” Peyton Felix is a kid who has shown loyalty to the generals organization and we are looking forward to him continuing to develop here in Attleboro.”

Felix has one year left in junnior hockey, and will have a full season and NAHL Showcase to show off that blinding speed at the next level. His game is similar to Michigan Tech Forward, Tyrone Bronte, who did not earn a college comittment until late in the cycle, in June before he played his freshman year last fall. Felix has the potential to earn a Division One spot, and lead a strong team forward to the playoffs this year, as he did last season, on the same sheet of ice.

The Generals will not have too crowded of a main camp, as they typically like to bring in players they could see playing for them and earning a spot, with that said look for some extra competition in a few spots to allow Erikson and Dibble to make the needed moves to get the best possible group ready for a full, grueling regular season schedule where the Generals hope to play a lot more at home than last year, with fans for all of their games.

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