Andover native Nolan Fitzhenry is one of the top 2009’s from Minnesota and is proving so by leading Shattuck’s Under-14 team in goals with 15 in just 13 games.
Goal scoring seems to come easy for Fitzhenry, as he’s so calm with the puck and always finds an opening or breakdown of coverage while on the attack. His movements are precise and creative, making him difficult to defend 1v1. He’s not a big player (listed as 5’9, 138) but he’s strong on his skates and can take a check while keeping control of the puck. Nolan uses his edges nicely to dodge the opposition and has demonstrated nice stop and start abilities.
He gets a nice jump as his first couple strides gives him an edge and can hit top speed in a hurry, making him an asset on the rush. In the zone he uses his superior puck control to set up a play or work the cycle for an opening. During a recent viewing, Fitzhenry led all players in offensive zone time of possession, and it wasn’t close.
The left-shot forward has a sneaky release. He’s so patient, holding the puck until the most opportune time to send it to the net, using screens or slight hitches to throw off the goaltender’s timing. His movements also aid his elite goal-scoring skills as they are quick and controlled.
Nolan continues to improve with each viewing and has the potential to be a NTDP Camp invite in the spring of 2025.