By Joshua Boyd / NCDCHockey.com
Mason Moore can’t wait to lace up the skates and hit the ice once again for the Connecticut Jr. Rangers, especially after how much improvement he saw in his game in one NCDC season with the team in Stamford, Conn.
“I’d say the 2023-2024 season was the best developmental and eye-opening season for me. It really gave me a good basis as to what I am capable of achieving,” said Moore, an ‘04 defenseman from Lititz, Pa. “We were a tight-knit group and the energy to show up and work every day all around was probably the best part for me. With that injury I had during the season, it taught me a few things about patience and the process it takes to get healthy again.”
In Moore’s third season of skating in games with the Jr. Rangers NCDC team, he put up six goals and nine assists for 15 points in 33 regular season games. He had seen time in the prior two seasons, as well. He had call-ups to the Jr. Rangers in 2021-22 while a member of the USPHL Premier Hershey Cubs. The next year, he split the season between the Premier and NCDC Jr. Rangers.
“I think playing at CJR has been nothing but beneficial for me,” added Moore. “Coach Jim Henkel and all of the staff do an unbelievable job fine-tuning and developing the parts of your game that need work. They really care about your development and success and I think that has been one of the strongest parts of my growth as a hockey player. The organization as a whole has been top-notch giving us the tools to succeed.”
In the 2024-25 season, Moore is looking to add some grit, but also some sizzle, to his game.
“I think the part of my game I’m missing the most is the ability to get gritty. I’m also looking to get my overall speed and skill a little better as well as my hockey IQ,” said Moore. “I think eliminating some plays that may lead to turnovers would not only benefit me, but the team in general, as well as having that better judgment when shooting to avoid passing up on those shots that are high percentage. This is obviously all part of the process. It’s all a matter of showing up and having fun and getting better while doing it.”
And he loves showing up every day he’s a member of the Connecticut Jr. Rangers. They keep him busy with an intense schedule every day and that’s what he knows is needed to make his NCAA hockey dreams come true.
“They do an unbelievable job on the ice and in the gym. But as a whole, I really enjoy the organization. I also really enjoy life away from the rink in Stamford,” said Moore. “Being there for so long, I’ve branched out and made more connections outside of the rink and it’s been a place I call my second home. Coming back for one more year was honestly a no-brainer for me, just because of how much I like being around the area and playing for such an incredible organization.”
He also knows that the NCDC will provide the perfect platform for him to excel towards his college hockey dreams, thanks to its intense schedule, heavily-scouted Showcase Series events and how the league brought in three already very successful programs during this past spring.
“I think the best part of the NCDC is how tight the league is. Last year, our playoff berth was decided in the last two minutes of a game played in Wilkes-Barre, which really gives you an idea of how tight the playoff race is in the Atlantic Division,” he added. “The league provides a top notch environment of competition and grit going in and out of the rink every practice and game. Another good part of the league is its attraction of colleges and location. It’s not a secret that the NCDC is a powerhouse to get you to your goal of playing college hockey and I think most of these teams being in most of the schools’ backyard creates a pipeline to get you to school.”
The conversations with college hockey teams has continued for Moore, and he is looking forward to forging a bond with the staff and future teammates at whichever institution will be his future home.
“I have been talking to some schools, starting about mid-season last year,” he said. “I think the goal for me is to find a school where I can enjoy and find myself away from the rink as much as I can in the rink. I think it’s really important to have a life outside of hockey, and I’m passionate about having a life in and out of hockey.”
The NCDC wishes Mason Moore and the Connecticut Jr. Rangers the very best of luck in the 2024-25 season.
