#USPHLPlayoffs: Chicago Crush vs. Battle Creek Kernels

by Joshua Boyd

February 29, 2024

Midwest East Division Battle Creek Kernels (6) vs. Chicago Crush (3) All Games At Addison Ice Arena Olympic Rink Friday, March 1, 7:30 p.m. CST Saturday, March 2, 4:10 p.m. CST Sunday, March 3, 8:05 p.m. CST (If Necessary) By Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com The Chicago Crush have progressed quickly in two seasons, […]

By Joshua Boyd / NCDCHockey.com

The National Collegiate Development Conference and United States Premier Hockey League are excited to announce that nine players who have played in the Tier II NCDC and two more who played in the Tier III USPHL Premier Conference have been selected in the United States Hockey League Draft.

Five of the players selected on Tuesday, May 7, played in the NCDC during the 2023-24 season, while four more are NCDC alumni. Two players selected have played in the USPHL Premier, including one this past season.

Waylon Esche, G, Utica Jr. Comets NCDC (2022-24)

Round 8, 122nd Overall, Fargo Force

The ‘05 Utica-born goaltender has not only been one of the busiest NCDC goalies of the last two seasons, but he’s also sixth all-time in NCDC games played at 67 in the regular season. He also ranks in the top 10 all-time in wins and saves. Esche has been a two-time NCDC All-Stars event selection, playing in the 2023 Young Guns Game and in the main 2024 All-Star Game. The son of former NHL goalie Robert Esche, Waylon has grown up in the Jr. Comets organization and played for their USPHL 16U and USPHL Premier teams before joining the NCDC in 2022.

Anthony Allain-Samake, D, Rockets Hockey Club NCDC (2023-24)

Round 10, 147th Overall, Sioux City Musketeers

Allain-Samake, a 2007-born recruit of the University of Connecticut (NCAA Division I / Hockey East) played in 47 regular season games and posted seven assists. Allain-Samake was also a selection for the 2024 NCDC All-Star Game along with Esche. He also registered 121 takeaways on the season.

Vlad Bryzgalov, G, Ogden Mustangs NCDC (2023-24)

Round 13, 192nd Overall, Sioux City Musketeers

The 2006-born native of Haddonfield, N.J., is – along with Esche – also the son of a former NHL goalie, Ilya Bryzgalov. Vlad made his NCDC debut this year with the Ogden Mustangs, who were themselves in their first NCDC season, and put up 14-5-0-0 record with a .933 save percentage, remaining with the Mustangs from their September debut through February.

Dallas Potter, F, Rockets Hockey Club NCDC (2023-24)

Round 15, 222nd Overall, Sioux City Musketeers

Potter, a 2007-born native of Madison, Conn., was originally selected by the Rockets in the 2023 NCDC Entry Draft. He played the majority of this season with the South Kent School 16U AAA team, but was brought up to the Rockets for four NCDC games in March, scoring in his March 8 debut against the Connecticut Jr. Rangers and also adding an assist with RHC.

Luke Gallo, F, P.A.L. Jr. Islanders NCDC (2023-24)

Round 19, 275th Overall, Des Moines Buccaneers

A 2006-born native of Melville, N.Y., Gallo started the season with the Jr. Islanders and played in eight games. In his time with P.A.L., he registered 14 defensive takeaways and fired seven shots on goal.

Jack Hamilton, D, Columbus Mavericks Premier (2023-24)

Round 13, 189th Overall, Tri-City Storm

Hamilton, a 2006-born defenseman from Powell, Ohio, started this past season with the Mavericks and played in eight games, scoring six goals and adding one assist for seven points. He was the only player from the 2023-24 USPHL Premier season to be selected.

Alumni

Tyler Dysart, F, Rockets Hockey Club (2021-22)

Round 8, 117th Overall, Sioux City Musketeers

Dysart, an ‘04 from Sunnyvale, Calif., played the entire 2021-22 season with the Rockets, putting up a 9-19-28 line in 49 games, and he also had two goals in five playoff games that year.

Luke Santilli, D, New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs NCDC (2021-22)

Round 9, 133rd Overall, Youngstown Phantoms

Santilli (‘04/Reading, Mass.) played in the Islanders Hockey Club and former New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs Midget programs between 2018 and 2021 before joining the Monarchs NCDC team in 2021-22. The defenseman played in 44 games and registered one assist.

Kyle Rohrer, F, Rockets Hockey Club NCDC (2022-23)

Round 14, 203rd Overall, Sioux Falls Stampede

Rohrer came out of Team Wisconsin when he joined the Rockets in 2022-23, having been drafted in the first round, 10th overall, by the Rockets in the 2022 NCDC Entry Draft. He joined in November 2022 and played right through March 2023, getting additional call-ups to six USHL games with the Sioux City Musketeers during his time with RHC. With the Rockets, he scored 27 points in 28 NCDC games in the regular season, plus two points in two playoff games. He is bound for NCAA Division I Lindenwood University in 2025-26.

Zackary Ferris, G, Rockets Hockey Club (2022-23)

Round 15, 214th Overall, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

Ferris (‘05/Venetia, Pa.) went 10-7-2-2 with the 2022-23 Rockets, coming out of the prestigious Long Island Gulls AAA program.

Landon Wright, F, Idaho Falls Spud Kings USPHL Premier (2022-23)

Round 16, 235th Overall, Waterloo Black Hawks

Wright, a University of Maine recruit, joined the Spud Kings – formerly of the USPHL Premier Conference – in November 2022 and spent the remainder of that 2022-23 season with Idaho Falls, scoring 24 points in 30 regular season games, and he also played in all four of the Spud Kings’ playoff games.

By Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com

The United States Premier Hockey League’s USPHL Elite Conference thanks everyone who took part in the first round of Fan’s Choice Award voting these past couple days.

We are excited to announce Final Voting, between just two players in each category.

One winner in each category will be announced during the live coverage of the 2024 NCDC Entry Draft on Monday, May 13, on the USPHL YouTube Channel!

You are voting for the Most Valuable Player and Goaltender Of The Year. Please see the final candidates below for each category. We again want to thank the more than 1,750 fans, players, parents and other USPHL supporters who voted for these following candidates and many more during the first round of voting. Below are the two top vote-getters in each category.

USPHL Elite MVP Candidates

Jace Lombardo, Rockets Hockey Club – Lombardo currently holds the single season points record with 113 after this year, after putting up 44 goals and a league single season record of 69 assists. Lombardo was a second-year Rocket along with teammate and fellow MVP candidate John Crowdell, and is ranked fifth all-time with 147 points.

Noah Malcolm, Northern Cyclones – Malcolm improved from 39 points last year to 69 points as a veteran Cyclones forward. He helped lead the Cyclones to the 2024 USPHL Elite National Championship, when he added 11 points in seven games. He was one of 12 second-year Elite Cyclones who lifted the trophy at the end of the year.

USPHL Elite Goaltender Of The Year Candidates

Jean Berthaudin, Hampton Roads Whalers – Berthaudin set a single season and career record for shutouts in 2023-24, getting eight doughnuts during the year – he is tied on the career side with former Whaler Ty Morton. He went 14-7-1-1 for the Whalers, his .948 save percentage ranked second in the league, and his 1.74 GAA was good for sixth.

Ryan Kalina, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes – Kalina is an ‘05 homegrown product from Raleigh, N.C., who made his USPHL debut this year and was huge for his team. He finished in a tie for the league’s lowest goals against average at 1.48 and finished sixth in save percentage at .934. He also finished with a 13-2-0-0 record and five shutouts for the season.

Final Ballot Below!
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By Joshua Boyd / NCDCHockey.com

The National Collegiate Development Conference and United States Premier Hockey League are gearing up for their second Combine Series event of this season, as the 2024 USPHL NCDC Chicago Combine kicks off Saturday morning and runs to Sunday afternoon. All the action will take place at the Fifth Third Arena in downtown Chicago, Ill.

The Combine will feature six full teams playing three games apiece during the event, in addition to a goaltender-specific session. Players and their families can also learn more about the NCDC and USPHL junior conferences during Informational Seminars, which will feature NCDC GMs and Coaches, as well as league personnel, present to answer questions.

Dozens of NCDC and USPHL junior teams’ coaches are expected to be in attendance, and will be meeting with select players to discuss opportunities with their teams.

There are currently two spots open for hopeful registrants (forward or defense only). Register NOW, as this opportunity will not last!

This event also comes immediately prior to the NCDC Entry Draft on May 13. The Draft will have a Phase I focusing on 2007-and 2008-born players, but will also feature a four-round Phase II where teams will have the opportunity to draft players born between the years 2004 and 2006. All of the NCDC Entry Draft will be broadcast live on the USPHL’s YouTube channel.

For those players registered, Team Assignments will be sent out today, including Game Schedules. We wish all the players the very best of luck in paving Their Path To College Hockey.

About the United States Premier Hockey League
Founded in 2012, the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) is comprised of over 150 teams, fielding more than 20,000 players aged 9-21 in more than 100 organizations across the North, South, Midwest, West, and Canada.

Our Junior Divisions consist of the National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC), a tuition-free, Tier 2 Junior hockey division, and our Premier & Elite Divisions, all geared toward college and pro placement. Our youth & midget divisions (operated through the Tier 1 Hockey Federation) field full season 9U through 18U teams.

The USPHL has sent over 8,000 players to all levels of college hockey including over 3,300 into NCAA college hockey and over 200 players into NCAA Division I hockey. The USPHL has also had 17 players who played in the NCDC drafted by NHL teams.

By Joshua Boyd / USPHL.com

The United States Premier Hockey League’s USPHL Premier and USPHL Elite Conferences are pleased to announce that the league is opening up Fans Choice Awards Voting for individual awards – Most Valuable Player and Goaltender Of The Year – for the 2023-24 season. Following the USPHL Premier and USPHL Elite All-Star awards announced from mid-April through early May, we now pass the selection of these new awards on to all those beyond the league and coaches: to the players, the parents, the fans and all other supporters.

For the USPHL Premier and USPHL Elite, any forward or defensemen who skated in at least 22 games or goaltender who played in at least 14 games during the 2023-24 season are eligible for these awards.

In conjunction with our media partners at The Dan K Show, the league has identified four prime candidates for each award, but the write-in option allows all those voting the freedom to voice their choice for each award!

We will again hold a vote of the top two vote-getters in each category later this week.

USPHL Premier MVP Candidates

Hunter Scanlon, D, Connecticut Jr. Rangers – All-time leading defenseman scorer for the USPHL Premier with 212 points. First USPHL Premier blueliner to cross 200 points in a career and 100 points in a regular season (108). Ranked seventh in all-time USPHL Premier career scoring. Captain for USPHL Premier National Champion Connecticut Jr. Rangers.

Noak Persson, F, Fresno Monsters – Became the USPHL Premier’s all-time leader in points for both a career and for a single season, with the latter marks being 85 goals and 62 assists for 147 points, an improvement by 54 points over his prior season totals. He not only has a league-leading career total of 126 goals and 240 points, but his regular season 3.75 points per game average – over just 64 career games – is also the best ever in the Premier.

Siamion Marshchanok, F, Potomac Patriots – His 112 points tied for fifth all-time in a single USPHL Premier season, and his 73 assists ranked fourth all-time. He won 558 faceoffs for a 63 percent success rate.

Jay Ellingson, F, Minnesota Squatch – Scored 101 points this year, becoming second member of his family to score 100 points in the Premier Conference (brother Daniel scored 103 points last year). Jay’s hat trick goal ended a triple-overtime playoff games against the Hudson Havoc, which won the series and sent the second-year Squatch to their first USPHL Nationals.

USPHL Premier Goaltender Of The Year Candidates

Levente Hegedus, Vernal Oilers – Hegedus, a Hungarian native, finished fifth in USPHL Premier save percentage at .935 and was eighth in wins, with a 16-4-0-0 record. He helped the Oilers make a second straight run to the USPHL Nationals in their two USPHL Premier seasons.

Bora Yildirim, Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings – Yildirim led the USPHL Premier with his .950 save percentage, the best all-time for a single Riverkings goaltender season, and seventh all-time in the USPHL Premier. He also went 3-0 in the postseason to help the Riverkings to a Nationals berth for the first time since 2018.

Aiden Winslow, Bold City Battalion – Helped the first-year Bold City Battalion make it to the USPHL Nationals in their inaugural season. He tied for fourth in save percentage with a .935, and also tied for eighth in goaltender wins with a 16-10-0-0 record. His five shutouts this year were also tied for fourth.

Cameron Prodin, Northern Cyclones – Prodin (‘04/Dearborn, Mich.) was able to close his season by finishing in the top 10 in both goals against average at 2.07 and save percentage at .929. In his second season with the Cyclones, Prodin put up a 14-3-3-1 record during the regular season. Prodin was one of 11 members of the 2022-23 Cyclones championship team that returned in 2023-24.

Premier Voting Ballot
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USPHL Elite MVP Candidates

Kirill Golubev, Potomac Patriots – The 2007 Russian-born blueliner led all USPHL Elite defensemen in scoring this year with 56 points in 34 games. He was the Elite’s only representative at the NCDC Young Guns prospects game at Boston University on Jan. 15, and started the scoring in that highly-scouted event.

John Crowdell, Rockets Hockey Club – In February, Crowdell became the USPHL Elite’s All-Time scoring leader with 191 points over his 87 games in two years. His 86 career goals and 105 career assists are also both No. 1 all-time in those categories, and his 108 points this season was second to teammate and fellow MVP candidate Jace Lombardo for single season scoring in Elite history.

Noah Malcolm, Northern Cyclones – Malcolm improved from 39 points last year to 69 points as a veteran Cyclones forward. He helped lead the Cyclones to the 2024 USPHL Elite National Championship, when he added 11 points in seven games. He was one of 12 second-year Elite Cyclones who lifted the trophy at the end of the year.

USPHL Elite Goaltender Of The Year Candidates

Nick Cowles, Northern Cyclones – Cowles was an essential piece to the Cyclones’ championship puzzle. He registered a save percentage of .931 while going 13-1-0-0 in the regular season. In his three postseason appearances, he went 3-0 with a .961 save percentage and just a 0.74 save percentage.

Jean Berthaudin, Hampton Roads Whalers – Berthaudin set a single season and career record for shutouts in 2023-24, getting eight doughnuts during the year – he is tied on the career side with former Whaler Ty Morton. He went 14-7-1-1 for the Whalers, his .948 save percentage ranked second in the league, and his 1.74 GAA was good for sixth.

Ryan Kalina, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes – Kalina is an ‘05 homegrown product from Raleigh, N.C., who made his USPHL debut this year and was huge for his team. He finished in a tie for the league’s lowest goals against average at 1.48 and finished sixth in save percentage at .934. He also finished with a 13-2-0-0 record and five shutouts for the season.

Shane McKone, Springfield Pics – McKone came in fourth overall in save percentage this season, with a .939, which now stands as the Pics’ single best mark for a single season as well as for a career mark. In the playoffs, McKone gave up only three goals on 139 shots against the Islanders Hockey Club, giving him a .976 save percentage. That was the USPHL Elite’s second best save percentage not only in the postseason this year, but also in Elite playoff history.

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The National Collegiate Development Conference is pleased to announce that the 2024 NCDC Draft will be held on Monday, May 13, 2024, and will be conducted in two phases. The NCDC Draft will be conducted live on the USPHL YouTube channel beginning at 1 p.m. EST on May 13.

The 18 NCDC teams set to compete next season will select to a maximum of 46 rostered players during the initial entry draft, which will be open to players with birth years 2007 and 2008. Following the conclusion of that phase, teams will take part in a four-round second phase, during which teams will draft 2004-through 2006-born players until capping to 50 protected players.

Teams will reduce their rosters to 46 players on Sept. 1, separated into a 26-player active roster plus an additional 20 players on each team’s 46-player protected list. This marks a reduction in the amount of protected players by NCDC teams by 25 percent.

About the United States Premier Hockey League

Founded in 2012, the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) is comprised of over 150 teams, fielding more than 20,000 players aged 9-21 in more than 100 organizations across the North, South, Midwest, West, and Canada. Our Junior Divisions consist of the National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC), a tuition-free, Tier 2 Junior hockey division, and our Premier & Elite Divisions, all geared toward college and pro placement.

Our youth & midget divisions (operated through the Tier 1 Hockey Federation) field full season 9U through 18U teams. The USPHL has sent over 8,000 players to all levels of college hockey including over 3,300 into NCAA college hockey and over 200 players into NCAA Division I hockey. The USPHL has also had 17 players who played in the NCDC drafted by NHL teams.

Summaries By Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com

Selection Process: Voting took part in two phases. In the first phase, the division’s coaches voted for three of their own players and three players from other teams in the division. Once these results were compiled, the division’s coaches voted on the final team.

Forwards

Peter Spiridonakos, Metro Jets

Spiridonakos (‘05/Laval, Que.) was one of a set of twins who put the Jets Elite team right on the map immediately, following the trend of their precedent Metro Jets and Metro Jets Development Program (MJDP) squads in the USPHL Premier. The Jets won the first-ever Midwest Elite regular season championship and earned one of their first two USPHL Nationals berths. Spiridonakos was a driving force of this success by scoring 31 goals, 52 assists and 83 points. He also saw nine games up with the MJDP and put up a 4-1-5 line. He put up five points in five playoff games.

John Spiridonakos, Metro Jets

John Spiridonakos (‘05/Laval, Que.) was the Jets’ goal-scoring leader, putting up 36 goals to rank fourth in the Elite Conference this year. He added 28 assists for 64 points in 39 games. Like his brother, he also played in five MJDP games and also played in one additional game for the Premier Jets team.

Mark Bonnay, Motor City Gamblers

Bonnay (‘05/Casco, Mich.) joined the Gamblers from Anchor Bay High School and was a big hit with his new junior team, scoring 19 goals and 27 assists for 46 points in 41 games. The Premier Gamblers also brought Bonnay up for six additional games.

Lukas Kurowski, Chicago Cougars

Kurowski (‘05/Elk Grove Village, Ill.) came up with the Northwest Chargers Midget program for several seasons before being picked up by the first-year Cougars Elite team. He played in 36 games, with 24 goals and 22 assists for 46 points. He was called up for the first Cougars Premier game on Jan. 31, and scored his first Premier goal right away. Kurowski also played in three more Premier games, as well.

Joe Richardson, Fort Wayne Spacemen

Richardson (‘03/Broomfield, Colo.) joined the Spacemen after an earlier Elite season with the former Richmond Generals in 2022-23. This second season, he provided the Spacemen with some great veteran experience, scoring 22 goals and 34 points in 27 games. He helped the Spacemen to a 22-16-3-3 record, registering three points in five games. Richardson also provided three assists in five games with the Premier Spacemen.

Trevor Touchton, Motor City Gamblers

Touchton (‘04/Utica, Mich.) is a local product who came to the Gamblers via the Metro Jets organization, after a strong career with the Utica-Ford Unified high school team. He scored 27 goals and 59 points in 41 games. Touchton got an eight-game call-up with two points.

Nick Allen, Motor City Gamblers

Allen joined his Utica-Ford Unified teammate Trevor Touchton in coming to the Gamblers Elite program and kicking up some junior offense right off the bat. He scored 19 goals and added an additional 22 assists for 41 points in 34 games. He had two points in two playoff games. He, too, had a call-up with the Premier Gamblers, earning an assist in three games.

Samuel Shaul, Motor City Gamblers

Shaul (‘04/Trenton, Mich.) is another in the long line of junior-experienced players that the first-year Gamblers brought on board, helping them to a 24-17-1-2 record in Year 1 of their Elite existence. The former Trenton High School defenseman scored 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points in 25 games.

Austin Kessel, Chicago Crush

Kessel (‘05/Crown Point, Ind.) is a first-year junior player who pushed the Crush to a 27-14-0-3 record and a Nationals berth in the end for the second-year Crush organization in their first year with the Elite squad. Kessel scored 20 goals and 15 assists for 35 points in 42 games. He had four points in six postseason games, including two points in three Nationals games.

Andrew Engstrom, Chicago Cougars

Engstrom (‘06/St. Charles, Ill.) came to the Cougars Elite squad out of the Orland Park Vikings program. He scored 17 goals and 22 assists for 39 points in 38 games. Engstrom, Kurowski and fellow All-Star Jack Gardner were keys to the Cougars coming across the finish line with a winning record of 23-18-2-1 overall.

Defense

Jack Squire, Motor City Gamblers

The ‘06 native of Livonia, Mich., was especially impressive as a newcomer to junior hockey, bringing good size (6-feet-3-inches, 205 pounds) and an offensive edge to his game. He scored six goals and added 39 assists for 45 points, leading all Midwest Elite defenders in points. In addition to also registering two assists in two playoff games, he had a helper during a four-game USPHL Premier call-up.

Jack Gardner, Chicago Cougars

The ‘06 defender Gardner was a similarly energetic newcomer for the Cougars, putting up 31 points in 39 games as a junior rookie. He put in four additional points in three games as the Cougars pushed the Fort Wayne Spacemen in a three-game series. He is another who also brought size to his team’s young blue line, standing 6 feet and weighing 185 pounds.

Tyler Rentner, Chicago Crush

Renter (‘05/Skokie, Ill.) brought valuable junior experience from the Premier level as he helped guide the Elite Crush to the organization’s first USPHL Nationals berth. He put up an 8-20-28 line in 37 games, in addition an assist during a run of eight games at the USPHL Premier level for the Crush.

Goaltender

Johnny Augusta, Chicago Crush

Augusta (‘04/Medinah, Ill.) led the Elite Midwest Division in both goals against average, at 2.27, and save percentage, with a .924 mark. In 15 games played during the regular season, he went 9-3-0-1 in his full decisions, and he was aces in his relief spots. He held the high-powered offense of the Metro Jets to one goal in 40 minutes of action in November, and nearly shut down Fort Wayne, giving up just one goal in a period of relief duty in February.

Braedyn Sullivan, Motor City Gamblers

An impressive up-and-coming ‘07 goaltender, Sullivan – a native of Manchester, N.H. – joined Motor City out of the Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning 16U team and registered a .921 save percentage and 8-3-0-0 record as a 16-year-old, along with a 2.80 goals against average. With four years remaining of junior eligibility, he has a long runway to move up in the junior world.

Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com

Forward

Cole Davis, Springfield Pics

Davis (‘06/East Longmeadow, Mass.) continues the Pics’ tradition of homegrown products doing amazing work with their junior teams. He has been a longtime teammate of several fellow Elite pics this year. After a very impressive 2022-23 season in the THF 16U division, he jumped to juniors for the first time and had 47 points in 43 Premier games, plus a goal in two USPHL Premier games this year. Davis’ 47 points are third most in a single USPHL Elite season.

Noah Malcolm, Northern Cyclones

Malcolm (‘03/Londonderry, N.H.) improved from 39 points last year to 69 points as a veteran Cyclones forward. He helped lead the Cyclones to the 2024 USPHL Elite National Championship, when he added 11 points in seven games. The University of Louisville (ACHA) recruit’s 69 points ended up tied for fourth in the Cyclones’ long history. His loyalty was shared by 12 other Cyclones teammates who won it all in this, their second season.

Bogdan Guntypov, Islanders Hockey Club

Guntypov (‘06/Astana, Kazakhstan) had a fantastic first junior season, churning out 60 points off a 26-34-60 line in 41 games. He is fifth in single season scoring for the Islanders Hockey Club Elite team, and scored four more points in the postseason over six games as the Islanders went to the USPHL Nationals. He also skated in two January Premier games, showing them a bit of what he can do for the future.

Adam Hadi, Islanders Hockey Club

Hadi (‘05/’Coppell, Texas) made the move from his home Lone Star State last year, playing in all 44 regular season games and scoring 53 points. He added four points in the team’s six playoff games, as well.

Josh Bruno, Northern Cyclones

This ‘04 from Glendora, Calif., first came to New England in 2021-22 to play for the Boston Hockey Academy. In this, his second season with the Elite team, he put up 63 points in 33 games for the Cyclones to now stand No. 1 overall in Elite Cyclones scoring history with 131 points in 75 games. That is also good for eighth all-time in USPHL Elite history. He added 10 points in seven games to push his team to the top of the mountain.

Defense

Matthew Taylor, Northern Cyclones

Taylor (‘05/Wake Forest, N.C.) stayed strong throughout the season and was the Cyclones’ two-way powerhouse, helping to keep their goals against to 2.07 per game, second lowest league-wide. He joined the Cyclones’ 18U AA team during the 2022-23 season and moved up to the Elite squad this year and led the blue line with 54 points in 42 games, plus eight more points in seven games in the postseason en route to lifting the Elite Championship trophy. Additionally, Taylor was called up for his first two Premier games this year as well.

James Delaney, Springfield Pics

Delaney (‘05/Palmer, Mass.) came up through the Pics youth system alongside Cole Davis, and has had similar success on the defensive side, while also contributing his share of offense. He put in 21 points in 29 games, and also played in five USPHL Premier games. Somehow, he also found the time to play in 20 games with the Phillips Academy prep team in Andover, Mass., a prestigious NCAA Division I feeder.

Goaltender

Tagger Tamburo, Islanders Hockey Club

Tamburo (‘04/Phoenix, Ariz.) was huge as he helped the Islanders reach the Nationals for a fourth straight year at the Elite level. He joined as a junior rookie player this year out of Desert Vista High School, and was an immediate success in going 15-6-0-0 (setting an IHC Elite single season wins record), and putting up a .928 save percentage, the best for an IHC Elite goalie playing more than 10 games in a season. His 1.95 GAA and .928 marks were also good for Top 10 in the league this year.

Shane McKone, Springfield Pics

McKone (‘05/Scotia-Glenville, N.Y.) came in fourth overall in save percentage this season, with a .939, which now stands as the single best mark for a single season as well as for a career mark. In the playoffs, McKone gave up only three goals on 139 shots against the Islanders Hockey Club, giving him a .976 save percentage. That was the USPHL Elite’s second best save percentage not only in the postseason this year, but also in Elite history.

Nick Cowles, Northern Cyclones

Cowles (‘05/Irvine, Calif.) joined the Cyclones this year out of the Anaheim Jr. Ducks program and was an essential piece to the Cyclones’ championship puzzle. He registered a save percentage of .931 while going 13-1-0-0 in the regular season. In his three postseason appearances, he went 3-0 with a .961 save percentage and just a 0.74 save percentage.

Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com

Forward

Spencer Barrow, Charlotte Rush

Barrow (‘04/Massapequa, N.Y.) grew up seeing the success that his older brother Tyler Barrow enjoyed while with the Rush, en route to a highly-decorated college career at Wilkes University, and current pro career. So, it made perfect sense that Spencer should sign on with the proven Charlotte squad. This season, he put up nearly two points per game this year, his second with Charlotte, with 51 points in 28 games. His 1.82 points per game was good for eighth overall in the USPHL Elite. His 99 points, scored over 67 Elite games, is third in Elite Rush history.

Yianni Tsatsoulis, Charlotte Rush

Tsatsoulis (‘04/San Clemente, Calif.) was the top playmaker for the Rush, as he pushed himself to 33 assists and ultimately 48 points on the season in just 27 Elite games. Tsatsoulis also earned 15 games up with the Premier Rush and was also productive at that level, scoring 13 points in 15 games. His 20:10 per game of ice time also led Rush forwards this year. Tsatsoulis is right behind Barrow in all-time Rush scoring with 91 points.

Charles Norris, Charlotte Rush

Norris (‘06/Weddington, N.C.) ended the season as Charlotte’s goal-scoring leader with 25 tallies on the year. He also had 21 assists for 46 points in 27 games for this year, in addition to the three points he registered in 14 Premier games. He holds the record for best goals per game average in a season in Elite Rush history. He also finished secondi n plus-minus with a +26.

Noah Ribeiro, Potomac Patriots

Ribeiro (‘05/Montreal, Que.) finished second in assists this year in the USPHL Elite, dishing out 57 helpers and adding 15 goals for 72 points in 37 games. He also was a point-per-game postseason player with five points in five games as the Patriots made their USPHL Nationals debut. His 57 assists and 72 points were also No. 1 all-time in a single season in Patriots Elite history. He finished the regular season on a nine-game assist streak, putting up 14 assists during that time. Noah is the son of former NHL player Mike Ribeiro.

Liam Hanna, Potomac Patriots

Hanna (‘03/Fredericksburg, Va.) began playing with the Patriots Elite team in 2020, and he had a two-year USPHL midgets career prior to that dating back to 2018. With 27 goals and 37 assists for 64 points, he had his best of his four Elite seasons. He is the team’s No. 1 all-time leading scorer with 67 goals and 100 assists for 167 points in 152 regular season games. That also stands for third in Elite history. He takes this big game on to George Mason University (ACHA) next season.

Ilya Biesiedin, Potomac Patriots

Biesiedin (‘05/Kharkov, Ukraine) has improved over the past three seasons from 20 to 32 to 47 points. And with 99 points in 98 games, he is right behind Hanna in all-time Patriots Elite scoring. He also continues to be in the plans for the Patriots Premier team, who also made their USPHL Nationals debut this year. He played 11 games this year with the Premier team, scoring four points and he’s played 31 games at that level in his career. His five shorthanded goals and six shorthanded points were both good for third in the league.

Luke Moses, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes

Moses (‘03/Fort Bragg, N.C.) came across the season’s finish line with 51 points in 37 games and became the Elite Jr. Canes program’s all-time leading scorer with 107 points. The 2023 National Champion, who first began playing for Carolina in 2021-22, was second for his team in this year’s playoffs – which marked a return trip to Nationals – with 10 points in seven games. He also earned call-ups to two Premier games.

Brayden Taylor, Hampton Roads Whalers

Taylor (‘03/Virginia Beach, Va.) closed his career as a lifelong Whaler with 13 goals and 21 points in 36 Elite games. The four-year Elite standout finished third in career scoring in the current USPHL Elite (going back to 2017) with his 80 career points going back to his junior debut in 2020-21. Brayden is the son of former USPHL Premier National Champion head coach Rod Taylor, who led the Whalers to back-to-back Premier titles in 2018 and 2019.

Defense

Kirill Golubev, Potomac Patriots

The 2007-born native of Kostroma, Russia, had quite the year for the Patriots and certainly put himself on a lot of high-level scouting lists. He led all Elite defensemen this year in scoring with 56 points in 34 games (as well as in points per game, at 1.65). That was the most ever by a Patriots Elite defenseman and tied for third most in a Patriots season. Additionally, he was the only USPHL Elite representative to play in the NCDC Young Guns All-Star Game at Boston University on Jan. 15 – and he scored the game’s opening goal!

Hudson Hinich, Hampton Roads Whalers

Hinich (‘03/Ancaster, Ont.) ended the season as the only blueliner to lead his team in scoring this year in the USPHL Elite. The Oakland University (ACHA) recruit put up 26 points in 39 games. Additionally, he led the team in hits with 40, never shy about throwing his 6-foot, 170-pound frame around for his team. His 22:38 in average ice time was second on the team, and among Whalers defensemen, his average shorthanded time (3:34) and power play time (3:29) per game ranked second.

Max Sullivan, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes

Another returning member from the 2023 National Champions, Sullivan (‘05/Cary, N.C.) put up 39 points in 41 games this year, improving from 21 points last season as he was one of many key players for the title team. This year, Sullivan was also heavily counted upon (and delivered) – along with tying for the team lead in scoring among defenseman with fellow returnee Colby Markham, he led the team in hits with 39 and was second in average ice time at 24:07. His +36 was third best on the team. A Virginia Tech (ACHA) recruit, he played his third straight season with the veteran group of Markham, Carter Radosta and Christopher Cuddy, after they also played in 2021-22 on the Jr. Canes’ 16U AAA team.

Goaltender

Ryan Kalina, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes

Another career Jr. Canes player, Kalina is an ‘05 from Raleigh, N.C., who made his USPHL debut this year and was huge for his team. He finished in a tie for the league’s lowest goals against average at 1.48 and finished sixth in save percentage at .934. He also finished with a 13-2-0-0 record and five shutouts for the season, the latter category seeing a tie for second in doughnuts with creasemate Anthony Trantas.

Jean Berthaudin, Hampton Roads Whalers

Berthaudin (‘03/St-Rose-du-Lac, Man.) ended up at the very top of that shutout leaderboard, with eight. That many blankings tied him for the all-time career lead, with former Whaler Ty Morton. Berthaudin, however, is the only Elite player to have ever earned eight shutouts in one season! The Aquinas College (ACHA) commit was truly the straw that stirred the drink in Chesapeake, Va., as he went 14-7-1-1 on a team that went 20-19-1-2 for the season. His .948 save percentage ranked second in the league, and his 1.74 GAA was good for sixth.

Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com

Forwards

Dylan Hineman, Tampa Bay Juniors

The ‘06 local talent from Steinbrenner High School was the leading scorer for the Tampa Bay Juniors’ Elite team, registering 54 points in 41 games as a junior rookie. Hineman was a co-leader for the team in plus-minus at +43. He joined the Juniors as one of 10 former Tampa Bay Jr. Crunch players, including one other All-Star on this list.

Kevin Rosello, Tampa Bay Juniors

Rosello (‘03/New Port Richey, Fla.) came to the Juniors out of J.W. Mitchell High School, where he played with fellow Junior Carter Trussler, and ended up leading the Juniors in points per game with 1.51 (52 points in 37 games). Rosello and Hineman are both now in the top 10 for single season points in the Juniors’ elite history. He also saw five games up with the USPHL Premier team. Rosello finished the season with nine power play goals, good for third in the Elite Conference.

Mookie Killen, Tampa Bay Juniors

Killen comes from the aforementioned group of 10 former Tampa Crunch 16U teammates who would move on to join the Juniors. The ‘06 from Steinbrenner High School put up 40 points in 37 games with the Juniors, during the same season in which he put up 19 points in 13 games for Steinbrenner.

Fynn O’Neill, Florida Eels

O’Neill (‘03/Calgary, Alb.) put up 51 points in 43 games to lead the way offensive for the Eels this season. He just completed his third season of junior hockey, as he came from the Heritage Jr. B Hockey League in his home conference. O’Neill’s 23 goals were also tied for most from an Eels player this year. The Purdue Northwest University (ACHA) recruit put up a +35 on the season, to rank second among the Eels forwards, and he won 564 faceoffs for a 72 percent success rate.

Alex Cochran, Florida Eels

Cochran (‘05/Plano, Texas), a product of the McKinney North Stars AAA program, started his junior career very well by putting up 42 points in 36 games. He was a huge playmaker, both overall (26) and on the power play (seven assists to lead the team).

Zayn Haddon-Harris, Florida Eels

Haddon-Harris (‘04/Boca Raton, Fla.) joined the Eels, which had previously seen his older brother Taurin enjoy great success at the Premier level before moving on to Curry College in 2022. Zayn is making his own name with the Fort Myers, Fla.-based Eels, putting up 42 points in 40 games this year. His 23 goals on 141 shots gave him an impressive 16.3 shooting percentage.

Colby Sims, Atlanta MadHatters

Sims (‘04/Rocky Mountain House, Alb.) was a huge part of helping the MadHatters make their first trip to the USPHL Nationals, putting up 39 points in 36 games. Another product of the Heritage Jr. B League in Alberta, Sims became the MadHatters Elite team’s all-time leader in goals (37), assists (46) and points (83). He finished with 10 more points in nine career playoff games, including six games this year in the MadHatters’ first-ever Nationals run.

Will McLaughlin, Atlanta MadHatters

McLaughlin (‘04/Yorktown, Va.) ended up joining the MadHatters in the middle of the season and became a key cog in the machine that pushed its way into the USPHL Nationals for the first time. After 19 games with his previous team that ended up folding, he jumped to the MadHatters and registered 19 more games and came out with a total of 39 points in 38 games. He also had nine points in six playoff games.

Vincent Faggioli-DeLong, Florida Jr. Blades

Another local Florida talent who became a go-to player for his team, Fort Myers, Fla.’s own Faggioli-DeLong (’06) finished as the leading scorer for the Jr. Blades with 32 points in 39 games. A former member of the Florida Jr. Everblades Midget program, Faggioli-DeLong also got a chance to play in two games with the Jr. Blades Premier team.

Arnaud Bourgeois-Barry, Palm Beach Typhoon

The ‘05 from Quebec jumped right into his first junior season and immediately lead the Typhoon in scoring for his first year, scoring 34 points in 40 games. Bourgeois-Barry’s 34 points ranked fifth in the three-year history of the Typhoon.

Defense

Jacob Munkwitz, Tampa Bay Juniors

Munkwitz (‘04/Smithtown, N.Y.) came to the Juniors from Long Island, where he had three prior years of USPHL experience with the P.A.L. Jr. Islanders organization. Jumping into a new organization was a seamless transition for this strong blueliner, who put up 41 points in 40 games in the regular season. He also helped the Juniors in the postseason, adding four assists as they made a run in the USPHL Nationals. His 20:12 of ice time was second on the Juniors, as were his 37 blocked shots. His 119 shots on goal led the Tampa Bay defense.

Lucas Gonzalez, Tampa Bay Juniors

Gonzalez (‘04/Superior, Colo.) is another who came from beyond Florida to join the many longtime teammates on the Juniors and mixed right in – and led the way as well. Gonzalez skated the most of any Juniors player this year, at 21:18, while also contributing 36 points in 43 games in his second USPHL season. Having previously played with the WBS Knights, he was able to make his second straight trip to USPHL Elite Nationals. His +43 on the season tied Dylan Hineman for the Juniors team lead.

Sean Burke, Florida Eels

Burke (‘03/Wellesley, Mass.) unfortunately saw his season interrupted due to injury – he missed all of January – but while he was on hand for the Eels, he was extremely strong. He scored 23 points in 24 games this year from the blue line, and he led the team in average ice time at 22:23 per game. The second-year blueliner, an Elon University (ACHA) recruit, leaves junior hockey with 46 points in 64 Elite games, and he also played in nine Premier games, joining that team through most of October 2023.

Goaltender

Jackson Bernier, Atlanta MadHatters

Bernier (‘03/Belfast, Maine) posted the USPHL Elite’s second best save percentage for a single season at .952 – ranked first in 2023-24 – thanks to his huge season of going 9-5-0-0 and pushing the MadHatters to a first-ever trip to the USPHL Nationals. Bernier went 2-0 during the postseason while making four total appearances. Bernier is first in MadHatters history for his .952 save percentage as well as his 1.58 single season goals against average.

Ethan Carlone, Tampa Bay Juniors

Carlone (‘04/Tecumseh, Ont.) joined the Juniors in October and was off to the races, coming out of the regular season with a .924 save percentage and an 11-3-0-0 record, along with a 2.30 GAA. He then went 4-1-1-0 with a .935 save percentage in the postseason, including the Juniors’ Nationals run.

The United States Premier Hockey League (“USPHL”) is pleased to announce the hiring of Mark Kumpel as Tier 3 Director of Operations. Mark played for University of Massachusetts-Lowell prior to embarking on a lengthy career in the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League including 288 games with the Quebec Nordiques, Detroit Red Wings and Winnipeg Jets.

Mark was also a member of the 1983 Team USA Gold Medal World Champions and the 1984 Olympic team. Mark also had a distinguished career as a scout and coach for teams in the NHL (Scout for Atlanta Thrashers), AHL (Head Coach of Portland Pirates), and East Coast Hockey League (Head Coach of Nashville Knights and Dayton Bombers) as well as having won several championships as a coach in junior hockey.

Mark served as the Team Leader for Team USA in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup from 2016-2019 and 2021. Mark previously was also the director of hockey operations for the Eastern Hockey League, a Tier 3 league based in New England, and the Eastern Hockey Federation, the largest youth hockey league in New England.

“We are thrilled to welcome Mark to the USPHL,” said Interim Commissioner, Murry N. Gunty. “Mark is exactly what our league needs right now and will bring rigor to our operations and support to our member clubs to make the USPHL the best Tier 3 league anywhere. Mark will join Jim Hunt (Senior Hockey Advisor), Kevin Abrams (NCDC Director of Operations) and Tony Zasowski (Deputy Commissioner) in the senior leadership of the USPHL and will truly help us propel our league forward.”

“I am excited for the next chapter in my hockey career,” said Mark Kumpel. “I am looking forward to using my past experience to help the USPHL players and clubs to achieve their goals on and off the ice.”

“Mark is the right person at the right time for our league,” said Jim Ford, Executive Committee Member and Owner of the Islanders Hockey Club. “We were fortunate that my partner Gary Ford and I have a longstanding relationship with Mark and as a result we were able to bring Mark into our league where we are confident he can make a huge difference.”