Visiting Team Bench - Player Spotlight: Braden Horton

Our “Visiting Team Bench” series highlights local players who are currently rostered on teams outside of the region, including academy teams, prep schools and other AAA programs throughout the country. 

A 2023 article about Shattuck St. Mary’s characterized the school as a “hockey factory”, and given its list of storied alumni including Sidney Crosby, Zach Parise, Kyle Okposo, Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Towes, the description certainly seems to be fitting. Couple that history with the fact that the school’s midget programs are consistently in the mix for USA Hockey’s National Title and it’s easy to see how SSM is able to consistently attract top talent from around the country. 

This season’s SSM U15 team is no exception to the program’s history of excellence. They are currently the #1 ranked 2009 team in the country, posting an impressive 16-2-0 record. Helping to drive the success of the team is one of our area’s highest rated forwards, Braden Horton, who is suiting up for his second season with the program. In today’s Player Spotlight we are going to break down Braden’s game and why we think he could be a top prospect for both the NTDP and OHL. 

Braden is a PA native having previously skated for the NJ Rockets and Philadelphia Jr. Flyers. We first noticed him last season at USA Hockey’s U14 National Tournament, and his trajectory continues to climb the further he gets into his U15 season. One of the first things you notice about Braden is what sets him apart from a lot of other talented players in the region, at 6’1, 180lbs, he has a pro frame and he knows how to use it. When we typically evaluate players we often find they are either highly skilled but undersized, or big but with still developing technical play. In Braden’s case he has both the size and the skill, and he uses them in a seamless balance that makes him stand out among his peers. 

Braden is a powerful skater with a long, fluid stride that gives him deceptive speed when he gets to high-gear. He has a strong base and good edge control for his size though he is most noticeable as a north/south skater rather than someone who is going to dart in and out of traffic.  While his puck-skills aren’t overly dynamic, his hands are strong and smooth and he’s easily able to make plays with the puck along the wall and in transition. He pushes the pace of play with his long stride and quick puck movement through the neutral zone, and he has the strength and reach to skate through defenders on zone entry while bullying his way to the net. 

One of the things that we like best about Braden’s game is the grit and physicality that he brings to both ends of the ice. Unlike a lot of other players, Braden embraces his role as a power forward, and he’s learned how to use his size and strength to be a 200ft player who is consistently hard to play against shift-to-shift. Whether it’s driving pucks to the net off the cycle, pursuing hard on the backcheck, or finishing hits in the defensive zone, Braden makes his presence known up and down the ice. He’s an incredibly  well-rounded player that we believe has a high ceiling, and with 43 points in 19 games, he should be garnering a lot of attention from teams at the next level.

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