After leading the Bruins with 37 goals as a sophomore this spring, Hanford has carried that momentum into the summer, headlined by a ridiculous performance at the NLF Summer Championships, where he was arguably the most dominant 2028 prospect in attendance. On Sunday afternoon, he racked up five goals and two assists against the West Coast Starz, then posted three goals each in the semis against the Hawks (plus an assist) and in a championship loss to Team 91 LI. At this point, I feel comfortable saying he’s undoubtedly the best shooter in the class, though he’s far more than that and showed off his dodging chops. He shoots for the pipes — you hear a ‘ping’ on just about every goal — and he’s absolutely terrorized goals as of late, ripping holes in them on several occasions since the spring. Hanford’s ultra-competitive, and it always shows, particularly in the riding game, where he has a Kavanagh-esque relentlessness and is constantly causing turnovers. As mentioned in June’s summer preview, there’s a multitude of dynamic lefties in the Class of 2028, but Hanford has certainly helped separate himself from others in the pack.

Over the weekend, this highly decorated 2028 prospect posted a jaw-dropping five goals and 2 assists performance during Brunswick’s huge road win over Episcopal Academy (PA). Hanford is a versatile and highly skilled lefty who can impact a game in numerous ways. His explosive first step and serious shake enable Hanford to initiate from anywhere on the field and then score or distribute on the run. Hanford also excels at operating off-ball. He uses timely cuts and dives to produce clean looks around the net. Or he can drift into open space for quick catch and rip opportunities from the wing or GLE. With his scoring prowess, Hanford’s passing skills are often overlooked. But the trifecta of Hanford’s field vision, timing, and ability to manipulate defenses with head/stick fakes often produces creative dimes.          

An extraordinarily gifted shooter (though he’s got a whole lot more to his game than just burying shots with time and room), Hanford took home Offensive MVP honors with a pair of downright pretty goals. Scoring from nearly identical spots on the left-handed wing and drawing a reaction from the sideline on both tallies, he put the first one up high above the ducking goalie’s head, then finished nearside on the next one. Hanford, a coach’s son, was part of a highly impressive youth movement for Brunswick this spring and is arguably the headliner of the Bruins’ talented 2028 class. Beyond being dangerous from range once he gets his hands free, he’s got a full bag of tricks as a dodger and has proven to be tough to keep quiet. A lot of eyes will continue to be on Hanford this summer since he’s been playing with the Eclipse 2027’s, which only helps matters.

The son of longtime NLL and MLL standout and Eclipse director Jamie Hanford, he’s a promising young offensive weapon with a well-rounded skill set and an innate feel for the game. He’s a formidable threat, capable of beating his man off the dodge from the wing, attacking from X to finish topside, and burying shots off the catch. He also has a knack for generating extra possessions with his tenacious riding ability, showcasing the motor and toughness instilled by his hockey background. With an excellent first step and body control, he generates separation with ease, yet he can also finish through contact, absorbing physicality and stick checks. Hanford also limits turnovers, staying aggressive and shifty with the ball while remaining opportunistic off-ball. With a hole at lefty attack, Hanford is a strong candidate to carve out a role there.