USPHL Elite Players Of The Week: North Region

by Joshua Boyd

February 10, 2023

Games of Feb. 1-7, 2023 North Division Summaries by Joshua Boyd Forward: Matthew Domanchuk, Islanders Hockey Club Domanchuk (‘04/Oklahoma City, Okla.) put together three games with a line of three goals and four assists for seven points, as the Islanders went 2-0-1, part of an overall 10-0-1-2 point-earning streak that has them just seven […]

USPHL Elite Players Of The Week: South Region

by Joshua Boyd

February 10, 2023

Games of Feb. 1-7, 2023 Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHL.com Forward: Wesley Wilding, Richmond Generals Three games down, three wins in the standings. The defending National Champions have already clinched their playoff berth to begin a whole new quest for hardware, and a lot of that will have to do with the […]

USPHL Elite Players Of The Week: North Region

by Joshua Boyd

January 26, 2023

Games of Jan. 17-23 North Division Summaries By Joshua Boyd Forward: Danil Nikiforov, Boston Junior Bruins Nikiforov (‘05/Moskva, Russia) scored the final two goals of a five-game, six-goal streak, including a goal that helped push the Junior Bruins to overtime against the first-place Northern Cyclones on Jan. 22. He has 14 goals and 11 […]

USPHL Elite Players Of The Week: South Region

by Joshua Boyd

January 26, 2023January 26, 2023

Games of Jan. 17-23, 2023 Florida Division Forward: Ari Blatt, Tampa Bay Juniors The ‘04 from Tampa and straight out of Steinbrenner High in Lutz posted three goals in the Juniors’ two contests against the Eels, including a pair of tallies in their 5-2 win over Florida on Jan. 20. He has 28 points […]

USPHL Elite Players Of The Week: North Region

by Joshua Boyd

January 19, 2023

Games of Jan. 10-16, 2023 Mid-Atlantic Division (Summaries by Marlee Bulman) Forward: Will Kididis, Elmira Jr. Enforcers On Jan. 16, in his second game with Elmira, right wing Will Kididis (’03) scored twice in the first and once in the second, helped the Elmira Jr. Enforcers secure the lead against P.A.L. Jr. Islanders, […]

USPHL Elite Players Of The Week: South Region

by Joshua Boyd

January 18, 2023

Games of Jan. 10-16, 2023 Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHL Florida Division Forward: Sean Boltin, Palm Beach Typhoon While the Typhoon split the week with a win over the Florida Jr. Blades and a loss to the Florida Eels, Boltin (‘05/Chicago, Ill.) was on fire in both contests. He had a 1-3-4 line […]

USPHL Elite Players Of The Week: South Region

by Joshua Boyd

January 13, 2023

Games of Jan. 1-9, 2023 (Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHL) Elite Southeast Forward: David Csemi, Potomac Patriots Csemi (‘04/Dunajská Streda, Slovakia) was huge for the Patriots during their two-game series with the Hampton Roads Whalers, putting up three goals (all in Game 2) and four assists for seven points as the Pats swept […]

USPHL Elite Players Of The Week: North Region

by Joshua Boyd

January 12, 2023January 17, 2023

Games of Jan. 1-9, 2023 North Division (Summaries by Joshua Boyd) Forward: Hunter Stockseth, Springfield Pics Stockseth was in on all of the Pics’ offense when they fought a tough battle with the Bridgewater Bandits but came up just short at 5-3. He scored one goal, which started a three-goal unanswered rally attempt by […]

USPHL Florida College Showcase In Review: Elite Conference

by Joshua Boyd

December 23, 2022

By Joshua Boyd / USPHL.com Charlotte Rush (4-0-0-0) The Rush extended their winning streak to seven games with a 4-0 run in Estero, Fla., matching the success of their Premier team win for win. Not only did the Rush win all three games, they managed to shut out three opponents – the Tampa Bay […]

USPHL Elite Players Of The Week: South Region

by Joshua Boyd

December 23, 2022December 23, 2022

Games of Dec. 13-19 (Summaries by Joshua Boyd) Florida Division Forward: Alexander Clingerman, Florida Eels Clingerman (‘03/Marriottsville, Md.) got his mojo working at the USPHL Florida College Showcase, racking up three goals and four assists, including a 2-3-5 performance against the Columbia Infantry to start the event. Clingerman now has 28 points in 22 games […]

By Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com

On August 21, Gage Dill was in a car out of Fort Myers, Fla., and bound for Milton, Massachusetts, which will be his home for most of the next nine months.

“We’re on our way up. We check in Thursday and classes start on Monday [Aug. 28],” said Dill. “Captains practices for hockey will begin first week of September and full practices end of September or early October.”

Essentially, for Dill, summer is days away from being over as his sophomore year will kick off at Curry, with Dill re-entering the Colonels’ hockey team as the Commonwealth Coast Conference’s Rookie Of The Year. Dill posted 15 goals and 29 points in 29 games for the Colonels last year to earn the ROTY honor in addition to All-Rookie and Third Team All-Conference honors.

“I had an awesome first year. The coaching staff was amazing, the team that was brought together was awesome, the bond was tight. Everyone challenged each other on the ice to make everyone better,” said Dill. “I felt really grateful that I could come into this program and have such a huge part in it. I owe it all to my coaching staff and my teammtes who helped me all year long – and also the Florida Eels for getting me to that level and allowing me to play in these positions.”

Dill’s Premier career started with the Eels rivals the Florida Jr. Blades, where he put up a fantastic rookie season in the USPHL Elite in 2017-18 with 45 points in 40 regular season games.

Gage Dill is seen here during the 2022 National Championships in Hudson, N.H., closing out his fourth season in the Eels program. Photo by Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com

‘I felt good under that coaching staff. I really enjoyed my time with the Eels and it was nice to be around friends and family while still playing a good level of hockey.’ – Gage Dill, Florida Eels alum (2018-22)

“I didn’t really know about junior hockey or the Jr. Blades or Eels until I became of age to play with them. I had played U16 on the Atlantic Coast, with the [former] Palm Beach Blackhawks,” added Dill.

After that first Elite season, he next connected with the Eels and was drawn to their family-oriented organization. He went on to post 74 points in 42 regular season games, followed by 11 points in five games, which included a trip to the 2019 Nationals.

“It felt really good, it was nice to develop when I was younger, so that when I got to that higher Premier level, I could really excel,” said Dill.

He did exactly that at the USPHL Premier level, putting up back-to-back 40-point regular seasons in 2019-20 and 2020-21, both years that saw the Eels qualify for the USPHL Premier Nationals (though the 2020 Nationals were canceled).

“I felt good under that coaching staff. I really enjoyed my time with the Eels and it was nice to be around friends and family while still playing a good level of hockey.”

Dill got a look in 2021-22 with the Eels’ NCDC affiliate, the Islanders Hockey Club. The IHC’s NCDC head coach is Tim Kyrkostas, the former Head Coach and General Manager of the Palm Beach Blackhawks’ top-level junior teams. Dill played in five games with the Islanders before returning to the Eels. Injuries kept him out of much of the Premier season, but he still put up 21 points in 14 regular season Premier games. He absolutely dominated in the playoffs and USPHL Nationals, making his third straight trip to the Premier’s championship tournament. At Hudson, N.H., Gill posted 12 points in seven games. The Eels reached the semifinals of the Nationals that year, as well (after having reached the Championship Game in 2021).

“I’d say my speed definitely increased and we’d do all types of summer workouts to increase strength as well as agility. My play with the puck as well as without it improved. I was very comfortable with making plays in certain situations,” he added.

He began to talk with Curry at the 2022 Nationals in Hudson.

“They had talked to me, but also told me they were full. But after that, they lost a guy and the coach reached out to me and asked if I could play with them,” added Dill.

It was obviously a match made in heaven as judging by that first year in 2022-23, and not just on the ice.

“I recently switched my major to accounting and after this past year, I ended off with a 3.75 GPA, which is very good,” said Dill. “Education has always been an important part of hockey. Without a good education and good grades, I wouldn’t be able to play.”

Dill is excited to be getting ready for Year 2 with Curry and feels like he’s in an even better place now thanks to his familiarity with the NCAA game and his teammates.

“I feel like I will have a bigger impact now that I know how the CCC is, how the game is played, and how my teammates are on and off the ice,” he added. “I’m more comfortable coming into this year’s situation.”

The USPHL congratulates Gage Dill on a fantastic first NCAA hockey season with Curry College and wishes him the very best of luck in his future seasons.

NCAA 2022-23 Season Also Saw Alumni Honored With 80 Captaincy Positions;172 Alumni Win Championships

By Joshua Boyd / NCDCHockey.com

The National Collegiate Development Conference and the United States Premier Hockey League as a whole is looking forward to another huge NCAA hockey season in 2023-24, especially after research has shown that it is truly the home of #CommittedLeaders. Several leagues see college commitments every year, but NCDC and USPHL alumni stand out with the sheer amounts of winners in several categories of NCAA hockey honors across the NCAA Division I, II and III landscapes every year. The 2022-23 season was no different.

Individually, there were 208 individual NCDC and USPHL alumni who earned awards, ranging from weekly prizes to major awards, including Players of the Year in various conferences and multiple Hobey Baker Nominees in the Division I realm.

CHECK OUT ALL OF THE AWARDS FROM 2022-23 RIGHT HERE!

Additionally, NCDC and USPHL alumni were instrumental in helping their teams to conference as well as National Championships. More than 170 alumni were members of regular season, playoff and/or National Championship teams.:

Five members of Quinnipiac University’s NCAA Division I championship team played in the NCDC, including Hobey Baker Top 10 finalists goaltender Yaniv Perets and forward Collin Graf. Both were former Boston Junior Bruins players – and Perets won the Dineen Cup with his former team in 2019. Perets also won the 2023 ECAC Goaltender of the Year award and QU teammate Samuel Lipkin (Rockets Hockey Club) was named ECAC Rookie Of The Year.
The Northeast-10, the nation’s only NCAA Division II-level hockey conference, saw no less than 19 USPHL alumni on the Saint Anselm College regular season and playoff championship roster. This included Co-Captains Matthew Hayes (South Shore Kings) and Andrew Andary (Islanders Hockey Club).
At the NCAA Division III level, National Champion Hobart College featured 16 USPHL alumni – including Northeast Hockey Conference Player of the Year Luke Aquaro and NEHC Rookie of the Year Damon Beaver (both former Jersey Hitmen), Captain Zach Tyson (South Shore Kings/Jersey Hitmen) and Alternate Captain Artem Buzoberya (P.A.L. Jr. Islanders/Jersey Hitmen).

Leadership and grace under pressure continues to be a hallmark of former NCDC and USPHL players, as seen by the fact that no less than 80 alumni wore either a “C” or an “A” on their jersey during the 2022-23 season.

There were 17 captains for either the 2022-23 season or announced for 2023-24 among the league’s alumni playing NCAA Division I hockey. Domenick Fensore (P.A.L. Jr. Islanders) was a Captain with the Hockey East Association Regular Season and Playoff Champion Boston University Terriers, and was also a First Team All-Hockey East selection in 2022-23. Dartmouth College Captain Tanner Palocsik (Jersey Hitmen) was an All-Ivy League Second Team Selection and a New England Hockey Writers All-Star. Former USPHL 16U standout Paul DeNaples (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights) wore the “C” for a second full season for the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Big Ten Conference, and won the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
A total of 68 NCAA Division II and III players either wore a letter for 2022-23 or have been announced as wearing a “C” or “A” for 2023-24. Former Connecticut Jr. Rangers 16U player Donnie Feldman will be Captain of Arcadia University for his second straight year in 2023-24. Teammate Cam Parrott (Charlotte Rush) will wear the “A” for a third straight season next year. Salem State University saw enough maturity in three-year Islanders Hockey Club USPHL Premier star and former captain Ryan Barrett to bestow an “A” on him as a freshman in 2022-23! USPHL and NCDC alumni occupied 100 percent of the captaincy positions for Salem State, as well as numerous other teams. In fact, all five of Utica University’s letter-wearers in 2022-23 were USPHL alumni!

Individual awards, as mentioned above, seemed to be magnetically drawn to NCDC and USPHL alumni during the 2022-23 season, as 208 alumni won in-season and post-season honors. Some of the Division I highlights:

In addition to the aforementioned individual honors won by members of Quinnipiac University’s National Championship team above, former Junior Bruins 16U player Sean Farrell was named ECAC Player of the Year and joined Graf as a First Team East All-American East selection. Perets was named a Second Team East All-American, giving the Junior Bruins organization all three of the ECAC’s All-Americans. Farrell, Perets and Graf also formed about 33% of the Hobey Baker Top 10 field. Farrell followed up his success by signing with, and playing for, the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens after the conclusion of the NCAA season, and Perets signed his first pro contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. USPHL alumni won 13 of 22 monthly honors in the ECAC in 2022-23.
Former NCDC blueliner Hunter McDonald – a Philadelphia Flyers Draft Pick – was named Best Defensive Defenseman in the Hockey East and joined Northeastern University teammate and former Junior Bruins NCDC player Cameron Lund – a San Jose Sharks Draft Pick – on the Hockey East All-Rookie Team. NCDC and USPHL Alumni won 16 weekly awards and seven end-of-season honors in the Hockey East.
NCDC and USPHL alumni won seven postseason all-conference and all-rookie team spots in the Atlantic Hockey Association. This included First Team Selections Blake Bennett, of American International College and a Charlotte Rush alum, and former USPHL 16U standout Neil Shea, who were both also among the first announced nominees for the 2022-23 Hobey Baker Award.

Division II/III Individual Award Highlights:

Players Of The Year in three different conferences came from the NCDC and USPHL. In the Commonwealth Coast Conference, former Twin City Thunder Andrew Kurapov, of regular season and playoff champion Endicott College, was named Player of the Year. • Two College of St. Scholastica players earned Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year nods. Former New York Aviator Arkhip Ledenkov won Offensive Player Of The Year, and former Minnesota Mullets goaltender Jack Bostedt won Defensive Player Of The Year. Both were named as First Team All-Americans and were joined in that honor by CSS teammate and former Aviator Filimon Ledenkov – Arkhip’s twin brother.
As aforementioned, Hobart’s Luke Aquaro (Jersey Hitmen) was named the Player of the Year for the NEHC, as well as a First Team All-American.
NCDC and USPHL alumni were named as Rookies of the Year in five NCAA Division III conferences – the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference chose former NCDC standout Colton Friesen, who has moved to NCAA Division I Augustana University for 2023-24; the United Collegiate Hockey Conference chose former Twin City Thunder Caden Smith, of Chatham University, as their ROTY; the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference tabbed former Charlotte Rush Zach Dill, of Salem State University; the Commonwealth Coast Conference selected as its ROTY former Florida Eel Gage Dill, of Curry College; and the NEHC, as aforementioned, chose former Hitmen goalie Damon Beaver.
Overall, NCDC and USPHL alumni had better than 50% of major individual award-winners in five different conferences.
In terms of postseason all-conference honors distributed throughout 2022-23, NCDC and USPHL alumni won 50% or better of all available spots in the UCHC, MASCAC and CCC. They also had at least 50% of such spots on the NEHC First Team, NESCAC First Team, SUNYAC Second Team and 50 percent or better on both the Northeast-10 Second Team and All-Rookie Team.

The NCDC and USPHL wish all of their alumni continuing or beginning their NCAA college hockey seasons in 2023-24 the very best of luck and we know they will continue to show just how well our leagues produce #CommittedLeaders!

To pave Your Path To College Hockey today, go to NCDCHockey.com and fill out an NCDC Prospects Form!

By Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com

The United States Premier Hockey League has released its 2023-24 regular season schedule for the Premier and Elite Conferences, and these can be found online at USPHLPremier.com and USPHLElite.com.

The USPHL Premier continues to operate from coast-to-coast – Seattle to San Diego, and from Maine to Florida – and in 25 of the 50 United States of America – and with 61 teams remains the World’s Largest Junior Hockey League.

The USPHL Elite has seen expansion to the Midwest for this season, and will field 28 squads, its largest size in its current incarnation since 2017-18. That count of 28 are only the full-time teams, as there will be nine additional teams from Canada’s North American Prep Hockey League that will play between three and 12 games apiece at USPHL Showcase Series events.

2023-24 USPHL Premier Schedule Link:

https://www.usphlpremier.com/stats/schedule/all-teams/134/all-months?league=2

2023-24 USPHL Elite Schedule Link:

https://www.usphlelite.com/stats/schedule/all-teams/135/all-months?league=3

Points of Interest about the 2023-24 Season

There will be 1,349 games played at the USPHL Premier level during the 2023-24 regular season, and 649 regular season games in the USPHL Elite.
The 61 USPHL Premier teams will be divided into nine divisions – Atlantic, Florida, New England, Southeast, Great Lakes, Midwest West, Midwest East, Pacific, Northwest.
The 28 USPHL Elite teams will be divided into five divisions – Atlantic, Florida, New England, Southeast, Midwest.
Two new USPHL Premier teams will make their debut in 2023-24: Bold City Battalion (in Jacksonville, Fla.) and Casper Roughnecks (in Casper, Wyo.)
New USPHL Elite teams include the Bold City Battalion, as well as the entire six-team USPHL Elite Midwest Division: Chicago Cougars, Chicago Crush, Decatur Blaze, Fort Wayne Spacemen, Metro Jets Elite, Motor City Gamblers.
The USPHL Elite’s nine North American Prep Hockey League (NAPHL) Division teams will compete in select regular season games during Showcase Series events and earn standings points along with their opponents, but will not compete in the USPHL Elite playoffs.
The first USPHL Elite and USPHL Premier games take place on Friday, Sept. 8. The Elite opener features the Columbia Infantry playing host to the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes, with their Elite teams playing at 5 p.m. EST and their Premier teams playing at 7:45 p.m. Additionally, the Nashville Spartans and Columbus Mavericks kick off a weekend series at 7:30 p.m. in Columbus to mark the first official USPHL Premier game.
The last USPHL Elite and USPHL Premier games take place on Sunday, March 3, 2024, with the Bold City Battalion hosting the Palm Beach Typhoon. Their Elite teams play at 9 a.m., EST, followed by their Premier teams at 12 p.m. in Jacksonville, Fla.
A full 202 of 649 USPHL Elite games (for 31 percent) will take place during USPHL Showcase Series events.
A total of 292 out of 1,349 USPHL Premier games (for 22 percent) take place during USPHL Showcase Series events.

There will be 11 USPHL Showcase Series events during the 2023-24 regular season for the Premier and Elite Conferences.

Exact Dates Subject To Change

Boston Junior Bruins Shootout (Premier, Elite): Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2023, New England Sports Center, Marlboro, Mass.
Jersey Hitmen Classic (Premier, Elite): Oct. 5-9, 2023, Ice Vault, Wayne, N.J.
USPHL Southeast Showcase (Premier, Elite): Oct. 6-9, 2023, Wake Competition Center, Morrisville, N.C.
USPHL Midwest Showcase (Premier): Oct. 26-30, 2023, Fogerty Ice House, Blaine, Minn.
Fort Wayne Showcase (Elite): Nov. 9-11, 2023, SportONE Parkview Ice House, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Islanders Hockey Club Showcase (Premier, Elite): Nov. 16-20, 2023, Skate 3, Tyngsboro, Mass./Merrimack College, North Andover, Mass.
USPHL Detroit Showcase (Premier, Elite): Nov. 16-20, 2023, Mount Clemens Ice Arena, Mount Clemens, Mich.
USPHL Florida College Showcase (Premier, Elite): Dec. 15-18, 2023, Hertz Arena, Estero, Fla.
USPHL Las Vegas Showcase (Premier): Dec. 18-20, 203, City National Arena, Las Vegas, Nev.
USPHL Tampa Showcase (Premier, Elite): Jan. 3-6, 2024, AdventHealth Center Ice, Wesley Chapel, Fla.
Northern Cyclones Showcase (Premier, Elite): Feb. 9-12, 2024. Cyclones Arena, Hudson, N.H.

Playoffs for the USPHL Premier and USPHL Elite will begin in March, and the USPHL National Championships will be held in late March. Watch this space for details on the 2024 Playoffs and Nationals Coming Soon!

Look for every USPHL Premier and Elite regular season game to be broadcast on FloHockey.TV, beginning in September and continuing straight through to the National Championship Game for each conference.

By Joshua Boyd / USPHLNCDC.com

A full survey of NHL teams’ Development Camp rosters showed that 47 former United States Premier Hockey League players competed at the camps, held to introduce prospects to the teams that have newly drafted them and re-evaluate past draft picks as well as newly invited free agents.

Despite a league history of just 10 years, the still young USPHL has been growing its profile as a feeder for National Hockey League teams, with 49 players having been drafted out of the USPHL since its 2013-14 inaugural season. No less than 14 players that skated in the NCDC have been drafted from among that number, including a North American Tier II record of three drafted directly from the NCDC in the 2021 Entry Draft.

Some additional points of interest about the list:

The Florida Panthers and Washington Capitals each had four USPHL alumni at their Development Camps, while the reigning Stanley Cup Champion Vegas Golden Knights and the Vancouver Canucks were just behind with three alumni.
Out of the 47 former USPHL players listed, 24 are NHL Entry Draft selections by their teams, including the most recent being former Rockets Hockey Club 16U player Nicholas VanTassell, selected by the Ottawa Senators in Round 7 of the 2023 Draft.
Six of the 47 are players who signed contracts as free agents with their NHL organizations, a list topped by former Boston Junior Bruins goaltender and Dineen Cup Champion Yaniv Perets. This is the same Yaniv Perets who helped Quinnipiac University to their first NCAA Division I National Championship this past spring and was a two-time Hobey Baker Finalist. He signed with the Carolina Hurricanes shortly after the NCAA championship game.
Eighteen of the 47 players were Development Camp Invites, or players that the NHL teams might potentially sign as a free agent in the future. This group includes nine former NCDC players, among these being past Dineen Cup Champions Justin Pearson (Islanders Hockey Club, 2018), Luke Rowe and Mike Brown (Boston Junior Bruins (2019) and Liam McLinskey (Jersey HItmen, 2021).
Two recent USPHL Premier players earned Development Camp roster spots. Former Chicago Cougar Mats Lindgren (2020-21) was a 2022 Draft Pick of the Buffalo Sabres. Lindgren also volunteered to be mic’d up during the Sabres’ Camp. Additionally, former Elmira Jr. Enforcer Jack Rogers (2020-21), currently with St. Cloud State University, earned an invite to the Washington Capitals Development Camp.

NHL Team	Player First Name	Player Last Name	USPHL Organization	Level	Draft/Free Agent/Invite
Anaheim Ducks	Ian	Moore	Boston Junior Bruins	NCDC	Draft
Anaheim Ducks	Sam	Colangelo	Boston Junior Bruins	16U	Draft
Arizona Coyotes	Sam	Lipkin	Rockets Hockey Club	NCDC	Draft
Buffalo Sabres	Mats	Lindgren	Chicago Cougars	PRE	Draft
Buffalo Sabres	T.J.	Semptimphelter	Boston Junior Bruins	NCDC	Invite
Calgary Flames	Arseni	Sergeyev	Rockets Hockey Club	NCDC	Draft
Calgary Flames	Connor	Murphy	Jersey Hitmen	NCDC	Free Agent
Carolina Hurricanes	Domenick	Fensore	P.A.L. Jr. Islanders	16U	Draft
Carolina Hurricanes	Yaniv	Perets	Boston Junior Bruins	NCDC	Free Agent
Chicago Blackhawks	Dominic	Basse	South Kent Selects Academy	18U	Draft
Colorado Avalanche	Owen	Allard	Northwood School	18U	Invite
Columbus Blue Jackets	James	Fisher	Boston Junior Bruins	16U	Draft
Columbus Blue Jackets	Justin	Pearson	Islanders Hockey Club	NCDC	Invite
Detroit Red Wings	Liam	McLinskey	Jersey Hitmen	NCDC	Invite
Edmonton Oilers	Shane	LaChance	Boston Junior Bruins	NCDC	Draft
Edmonton Oilers	Mike	Brown	Boston Junior Bruins	NCDC	Invite
Florida Panthers	Tyler	Muszelik	Rockets Hockey Club	16U	Draft
Florida Panthers	Evan	Nause	Newbridge Academy	18U	Draft
Florida Panthers	Skyler	Brind'Amour	South Kent Selects Academy	18U	Free Agent
Florida Panthers	Luis	Lindner	Boston Junior Bruins	NCDC	Invite
Los Angeles Kings	Braden	Doyle	Boston Junior Bruins	NCDC	Draft
Los Angeles Kings	Ben	Steeves	New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs	16U	Invite
Minnesota Wild	Ryan	Healey	Boston Advantage	16U	Draft
Minnesota Wild	Nate	Benoit	Northern Cyclones	16U	Draft
Nashville Predators	Gunnarwolfe	Fontaine	Providence Capitals	16U	Draft
Nashville Predators	Collin	Graf	Boston Junior Bruins	NCDC	Invite
New Jersey Devils	Brendan	Fitzgerald	Islanders Hockey Club	16U	Invite
New Jersey Devils	Luke	Rowe	Boston Junior Bruins	NCDC	Invite
Ottawa Senators	Nicholas	VanTassell	Rockets Hockey Club	16U	Draft
Philadelphia Flyers	Hunter	McDonald	Rochester Monarchs	NCDC	Draft
Philadelphia Flyers	Matt	Brown	Rockets Hockey Club	18U	Invite
San Jose Sharks	Cam	Lund	Boston Junior Bruins	NCDC	Draft
San Jose Sharks	Danny	Weight	P.A.L. Jr. Islanders	16U	Invite
Seattle Kraken	David	Goyette	P.A.L. Jr. Islanders	NCDC	Draft
Seattle Kraken	Ryan	Bottrill	South Shore Kings	NCDC	Invite
Tampa Bay Juniors	Tristan	Allard	Northwood School	18U	Free Agent
Vancouver Canucks	Jackson	Dorrington	Boston Junior Bruins	NCDC	Draft
Vancouver Canucks	Christian	Felton	Skipjacks Hockey Club	16U	Invite
Vancouver Canucks	Joseph	Dunlap	Manchester Monarchs	16U	Invite
Vegas Golden Knights	Cameron	Whitehead	Utica Jr. Comets	NCDC	Draft
Vegas Golden Knights	Joe	Fleming	Northern Cyclones	NCDC	Free Agent
Vegas Golden Knights	Ian	Carpentier	Boston Junior Bruins	NCDC	Invite
Washington Capitals	Mitchell	Gibson	Team Comcast	16U	Draft
Washington Capitals	Chase	Clark	Jersey Hitmen	NCDC	Draft
Washington Capitals	Simon	Tassy	Newbridge Academy	18U	Invite
Washington Capitals	Jack	Rogers	Elmira Jr. Enforcers	PRE	Invite
Winnipeg Jets	Parker	Ford	South Kent Selects Academy	16U	Free Agent

By Joshua Boyd / NCDCHockey.com

On Monday, July 17, the National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC) announced its new website domain, www.NCDCHockey.com, as well as a new NCDC Mobile App for all Apple and Android devices and exclusive NCDC Social Media Channels for Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

The NCDC is a Tier II Junior Hockey Conference operating in 11 states across the United States, including its newest division, the Mountain Division, making its debut in 2023-24 with six teams in Utah, Idaho, Colorado and Wyoming. These teams will join the existing teams operating in the Northeast, many since the NCDC’s inception in 2017.

While still operating within the nationwide United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL), the NCDC is moving towards more independent, team-directed operations and thus is featuring these new NCDC-dedicated digital platforms that will better deliver its message, of player development and advancement to the highest levels of college and pro hockey, to the world.

Since its inaugural 2017-18 season, the NCDC has advanced 265 players to NCAA Division I hockey, and has also seen 14 players selected in the NHL Entry Draft, including three selected directly from the NCDC in 2021, a Tier II North American best for that year.

Below is a breakdown of the new digital products for the National Collegiate Development Conference going forward:

NCDCHockey.com

The new domain, NCDCHockey.com, reflects the NCDC’s team-and mission-driven approach to operations, wherein the 18 teams across the country will be working around the clock and the calendar to develop players for the highest levels of college and pro hockey, with an elevated emphasis on promotion of these players to college and pro teams as well as the world at large on its vibrant website, which was fully redesigned by the experts at Tripine Creative in 2022.

On NCDCHockey.com, visitors will find league-and team-generated news items, Video and Podcast offerings by The Dan K Show (The Most Watched Show In Junior Hockey), a directory of all 18 teams with links to each team’s website, links to the NCDC’s new Social Media Channels, an NCDC Player Prospect Form (free to fill out for all players born in 2003 or later), College Commitments, NCDC alumni (and NCDC organizational alumni) in the NHL, NCDC Entry Draft Picks, Players Of the Week And Month, and so much more, including the FloSports-generated Game Center.

The NCDC GameCenter will continue to be the headquarters for all of your NCDC Schedules, Live Scores, Rosters and Statistics when the puck drops on the seventh NCDC season on Sept. 22, 2023 both on the East Coast and in the Rocky Mountains. Additionally, there will be links to watch every NCDC game, all with play-by-play broadcasts, on the NCDC’s Exclusive Broadcast Partner, HockeyTV.com, including preseason exhibition games and every in-season Showcase Series event!

Set your bookmarks to NCDCHockey.com and get ready for high-octane hockey energy coming your way this fall!

NCDC Mobile App

The National Collegiate Development Conference is also proud to introduce its new NCDC Mobile App, built by the great technical minds at FloSports. A mobile companion to the new NCDCHockey.com, the app is a convenient handheld platform with all of the NCDC news you need, along with GameCenter-generated scores, schedules, standings and all the info necessary to follow the NCDC all year long. From your handheld device, you can check out The Dan K Show, click the link for the NCDC Prospects Form, jump over to HockeyTV’s mobile app to watch every game, check out the latest NCAA College Commitments and visit our NCDC-exclusive Social Media Channels.

The NCDC app is available now and FREE to download from Apple’s App Store as well as in the Google Play store for Android devices.

NCDC On Social Media

The National Collegiate Development Conference is proud to announce new Social Media Channels on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as we head into the historic 2023-24 season, which will feature 18 teams in the Eastern and Western U.S. for the first time. The NCDC on Social Media will be your first stop for exclusives like Video Interviews from our events, The Dan K Show Presents: NCDC This Week, Daily Photo Galleries from NCDC Showcase Series events, as well as from select head-to-head games during the season, NCAA Commitments, Polls, Final Scores with Video Highlights, and so much more every day!

Follow The NCDC today at:

Facebook: @NCDCHockey

Twitter: @NCDCJrHockey

Instagram: @NCDCJrHockey

YouTube NCDC Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu4jl_1A47pxEuyYcf9vNsBwN8GEx1D0k

It’s a new day here at the National Collegiate Development Conference, and we’ll be right there with the players all year, working and pushing ourselves to new levels, promoting the players’ and teams’ outstanding accomplishments and being the best NCDC we can be!

By WBS Knights Staff

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights, of the United States Premier Hockey League, are proud to announce that Eric Brule has been named Head Coach of the Premier team and Assistant Coach of the NCDC team for this upcoming 2023-24 season.

Coach Brule has had a remarkable career playing pro hockey for 10 years, including signing his first pro contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991 and another with the Montreal Canadiens in 1993. Brule scored his first pro goal with Pittsburgh during an exhibition game vs the Calgary Flames in September 1991. Brule mostly played in the ECHL, AHL and in Europe, finishing his career with the ECHL’s Trenton Titans. Brule also played major junior in Quebec four years for the Saguenéens de Chicoutimi, winning the President’s Cup and being named captain of the Quebec All-Star team against the Ontario All-Star team – and their captain, Eric Lindros – in front of a sellout crowd at the Montreal Forum in December 1990. During the same season, Brule and his team made a participation at the Memorial Cup .

Brule has been coaching hockey for over 20 years, including 10 years at the Junior A level. In that span, he has won three playoff championships in a row, two regular season championships in a row, two division championships, named NA3EHL Coach of the Year, NA3EHL Eastern Division All-Star Head Coach, and NSHL “best of the rest” All-Stars coach.

Coach Brule is a level 4 USA Hockey certified coach, Safesport certified, Concussion Awareness certified, Health and Wellness certified, and a board member of Hockey Players in Business non-for-profit organization.

Brule also coached nine years for the Lawrenceville Prep School, including coaching a record-breaking season with assistant coach and Stanley Cup Champion, Scott Stevens. Eric coached and trained players at all levels, including coaching at professional level in the ECHL with the Trenton Titans with Bill Armstrong, currently General Manager of the Arizona Coyotes. He is well-respected in the hockey world and has contacts in the collegiate and professional levels, which plays a huge part in his player movement.

Brule also served as Scout for the Wichita Falls Wildcats of the NAHL including the 2015-16 season Robertson Cup finalist. It is not surprising with the tremendous hockey network coach Brule has, in combination with his teaching/coaching abilities, that he moved so many players to the next level including John Carlson (Washington Capitals), Ross Colton (Tampa Bay Lightning), Arthur Kaliyev (LA Kings) and endless players to college hockey.

“I am excited and honored to be part of the Knights family. Can’t wait to get things started and help all the student-athletes that I will be involved with to develop on and off the ice and achieve their goals to the best of my abilities.”

Photo/Graphic: Iowa Wild

By Seamore Sports Staff

When you think of the Charlotte Rush you think of consistency in their work. Everyone in the organization believes in setting the standard every day.

That phrase, “Set the standard” – and its variants – often can be overused in this sport.

Not with the Charlotte Rush.

Ray Sylvester starts work for the AHL Iowa Wild as a Video Coach a mere two years after working with the USPHL’s Charlotte Rush. He went from helping junior hockey players get better to progress to where he was, the USHL, to helping pro hockey players develop for the NHL.

How?

Find out by reading the full article at SeamoreSports.com!

By Joshua Boyd / USPHL Staff

The Ottawa Senators, on June 29, drafted former Rockets Hockey Club USPHL 16U player Nicholas VanTassell. He was selected in the seventh round, 215th overall, of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

A 2004-born native of Basking Ridge, N.J., VanTassell played his youth hockey for the Rockets and, as a 15-year-old, was part of the Rockets’ 16U Black team that went 21-0 in USPHL league games. The Rockets’ Black team consisted of the organization’s 15 Pure team that was nationally ranked in the Top 20.

VanTassell was named a USPHL 16U All-Star and played in that year’s 16U All-Star game. He scored 22 goals and 26 assists for 48 points in playing all 20 league games that year. In 76 overall games, he scored 102 points as a 15-year-old.

VanTassell went on to play the next season for the Rockets’ primary 16U team in 2020-21. The team, which did not compete in USPHL games during that COVID-dominated year, did finish ranked sixth in the nation in Myhockeyrankings for the 16U level and competed at the USA Hockey Nationals.

From the Rockets, VanTassell moved on to the USHL with the Green Bay Gamblers, where he put up 55 points in 120 games. He committed to the University of Massachusetts in January of 2022 and will begin his NCAA career there this coming fall.

Other players on the Rockets’ 16U Black team headed to the NCAA Division I ranks are Zach Wagnon (Yale) and Will Reardon (Holy Cross), while their former 16U Black teammate Tyler Muszelik played his first season with the University of New Hampshire in 2022-23.

Muszelik was selected in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft by the Florida Panthers, in the sixth round, 189th overall.

Jason McCrimmon of Detroit, Michigan, is the recipient of the 2023 Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award™, given to an individual who – through the sport of hockey – has positively impacted their community, culture or society in the United States.

This season, the NHL presented the 2023 Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award to one winner in the United States and the Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award presented by Hyundai to one winner in Canada – Dean Smith (Halifax, Nova Scotia).

McCrimmon is the President and Founder of Detroit Ice Dreams Youth Hockey Association, a nonprofit youth hockey organization that minimizes the barriers that prevent underrepresented communities from access to ice hockey. In addition to on-ice programming, McCrimmon gives back through turkey giveaways, care packages for the homeless, adopt a family for Christmas, and provides backpacks filled with school supplies to children in need. McCrimmon is also the Associate Head Coach, GM, and Owner of the USPHL’s Motor City Gamblers Junior A team. Motor City has sent numerous players to the collegiate level to further their career on and off the ice. As a retired player, Jason has played and excelled at every level, including amateur, collegiate, professional, and as a coach (2014 MWJHL coach of the year). He is also part of the NHLCA BIPOC Coaches Program as the Detroit Red Wings Youth Ambassador. Watch a video about McCrimmon’s community impact here.

“The work Jason has done and continues to do with the Detroit Ice Dreams Youth Hockey Association to further the game of hockey is inspiring,” said Willie O’Ree. “Jason’s dedication to his association has positively impacted many children and their families throughout Detroit due to his hard work. I’m proud to present the award to such a deserving individual. Congratulations, Jason.”

Other finalists for the 2023 Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award were Karen Ota-O’Brien (Coconut Creek, Florida), founder of the South Florida Women’s Hockey Program, the Lucky Pucks Hockey Club and co-founder and current President of the Florida Women’s Hockey League, and Marty Richardson (Littleton, Colorado), founder of Dawg Nation Hockey Foundation.

Fans submitted candidates for the Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award at NHL.com/OReeAward. The three finalists, and ultimate winner, were determined by a judging panel with weighted votes from Willie O’Ree and the NHL. A public fan vote also helped determine the winner.

McCrimmon will receive a $25,000 USD prize and Ota-O’Brien and Richardson will each receive a $5,000 USD prize, each of which will be donated to a charity of their respective choice.

The Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award honors former NHL forward Willie O’Ree, who on Jan. 18, 1958, became the first Black player to compete in the League. O’Ree, who lost sight in his right eye at a young age, went on to play professional hockey for 21 years. For more than two decades he has served as the NHL’s Diversity Ambassador, traveling across North America to schools and hockey programs to share his story and experiences as well as to promote messages of inclusion, dedication, and confidence. O’Ree has used hockey as a platform to build character and teach life skills and has used his influence to foster positive values through the sport. In 2018, O’Ree was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

By Gene Binda / Referee’s Crease

The goal of Referee’s Crease is to recruit, train, and advance officials to higher levels of officiating through our comprehensive officiating program.

It is our long-term mission to create a pool of officials who implement rules and call the game in similar fashion at all levels of hockey.

The Referee’s Crease tryout and training camps will assist officials in reaching their goals and advancement.

Recently, Referee’s Crease Co-Director Gene Binda Jr. was named the Supervisor of Officials for the Atlantic Hockey Association, an NCAA Division I conference. Several Referee’s Crease officials have moved on from youth and junior hockey to the NCAA and up to the professional ranks over the years.

All camps will have classroom lectures and discussions, on-ice training, and video review of games worked. Our instructors have worked all levels of hockey. They will provide feedback on skating, mechanics, and game management.

Supervisors from the leagues and organizations listed below will be on hand answer any questions you have about advancement:

National Ice Hockey Officials Association (NIHOA)
Junior Hockey all leagues and levels,
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1-3 Men’s and Mens and Women’s Hockey
Professional Hockey.

All of our camps and tryouts are free for any official. Look for more announcements coming soon for camps in Detroit, Mich., and Los Angeles, Calif.

Registration link for all events https://www.emailmeform.com/builder/form/UCfxt8QdYv

Introduction to Three Officials System
June 30th – July 2nd North Attleboro, MA – USA Hockey NE District Camp U15
This camp is designed for officials looking to learn the one referee and two linesperson system. We will teach the basics of the 3-man system for officials interested in working juniors and advance to College level. The registration deadline for this camp is June 26.

Entry Level – Juniors and Division 3 Men’s and Women’s Camp
July 12th – 16th, Foxboro, MA
This camp is designed for the officials who have some experience at the midget and junior level. Classroom instruction, on-ice and games on July 12th. There is a tournament July 13-16 for those wishing to work the weekend. Games will be assigned by experience for the weekend games.
The registration deadline for this camp is July 3rd.

Junior – College Level Entry Camp
July 16th-17th, Wayne, NJ
This two-day event will consist of classroom and live games. This camp will be used for entrance points for Tier 1 Junior Hockey and Division 1 men’s and women’s hockey.
The registration deadline for this camp is July 3rd.

Junior – College and Professional Level Camp
July 19th – 23rd, Marlboro, MA
This camp is designed for Tier 1 Junior Hockey, College all level D1-D3-Professional Level. This event will have live games for those with junior and college experience. Acceptance is based on work experience. We have reserved 28 spots for those interested in a golf outing on July 20. Respond to gene@refcrease for the golf. The registration deadline for this camp is July 3rd.

Registration link for all events https://www.emailmeform.com/builder/form/UCfxt8QdYv

Referees’ Crease Home page link to see what we are about: http://www.refereescrease.net/

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me gene@refcrease.com or geno gbinda@refcrease.com