Dog days of winter passing by...playoffs around corner

When the sun comes up tomorrow, we'll be in March.

March is one month closer to the NHL draft, which is still quite a ways away at this point, but March also means playoff time for the CHL and other junior leagues like the EJHL plus high school/prep championships as well.

Bruins 2011 Draft Watch will be attending the 30th annual NEPSIHA prep tourney in Salem N.H. in person again this year, and will also see some EJHL action. There isn't a ton in the way of 2011 NHL draft talent in the EJHL this season, but there are some intriguing futures competing such as NY Apple Core defenseman Steve Santini, who is a '95 and has attracted some early attention for the 2013 NHL Draft.

This isn't a great year for New England talent. And, several of the area's top players who are not New England natives such as Choate's Philippe Hudon and Hotchkiss forward Petr Placek won't be there because their teams did not qualify. The good news is- Mike McKee's Kent School has at least made the quarterfinal, so we hope they'll at least advance to the semis so the scouts can have a look on Friday.

Avon is also in the mix and will travel to Lawrence with a chance to defend their 2010 Stuart/Corkery "Elite 8" title won last March. The Winged Beavers feature fleet-of-foot defenseman Colin Sullivan, who is widely considered the second-best New England native available in the NHL draft after Mike Paliotta.

Also bonus for being in Boston on prep tourney weekend is the fact that the Bruins are in town for two home games against Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh, so gotta love it.

March time is when things always start to get going and the draft picture really comes into focus, so stick with the blog and keep checking in regularly...we'll keep the content coming.