Final USPHL Elite Power Rankings: March 3, 2025

by Joshua Boyd

March 3, 2025March 3, 2025

Read About How The United States Premier Hockey League Utilizes Ken’s Ratings For American College Hockey (“KRACH”) to determine its Power Rankings. These rankings are used by the USPHL only to determine Divisional seeding for Premier Nationals; for selecting the Elite wild card team to fill out the 6-team Elite Nationals field; and for seeding […]

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Republished by permission of the New Jersey Devils

Shane Lachance played for the Boston Junior Bruins during the 2020-21 NCDC season, scoring 15 points in 25 regular season games and adding six points in six playoff games. He was drafted in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft by the Edmonton Oilers, one of three players selected that year directly from the NCDC, the most in North America among leagues of a similar level.

By Devils PR / NewJerseyDevils.com

The New Jersey Devils announced on April 16 that the team has signed forward Shane Lachance to a two-year, entry-level contract starting with the 2025-26 season. Lachance will sign an American Hockey League (AHL) Standard Player Contract for the remainder of the 2024-25 season and report to Utica. The announcement was made by President/General Manager Tom Fitzgerald and Devils’ Assistant General Manager/Utica Comets General Manager Dan MacKinnon.

Lachance was acquired by New Jersey from the Edmonton Oilers on March 4. He recently finished his second season with Boston University (Hockey East) at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) level. The Terriers fell to Western Michigan in the National Championship game on Saturday. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound forward recorded 30 points (12g-18a) in 40 games this season. His goals, assist and point totals all ranked in the top five for Boston skaters in 2024-25, while his seven power play goals ranked second (tied) on the team and his three game-winning goals ranked third (tied).

The left-handed shot has totaled 57 career points (25g-32a) in 80 games at the NCAA level and was named team captain for the 2024-25 campaign. Last season, Lachance was named Hockey East Rookie of the Week for the week ending on Dec. 4, 2023. He also earned Hockey East All-Academic honors in 2023-24.

Born on August 30, 2003, in Andover, Mass., the Oilers selected Lachance in the sixth round, 186th overall, in the 2021 NHL Draft. Before his collegiate career, Lachance spent two seasons in the United States Hockey League (USHL) with Youngstown from 2021-22 to 2022-23. Youngstown named Lachance team captain in 2022-23, leading the team to a USHL Clark Cup championship that same season.

Shane’s father, Scott, played 819 NHL games over 13 seasons for the NY Islanders, Montreal, Vancouver, and Columbus. Scott is currently the Devils’ Head of U.S. Scouting.

Former NCDC Rockets Hockey Club defenseman Anthony Allain-Samake has been ranked 101st among North American Skaters in the NHL Central Scouting Final rankings, released on April 16. The United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) proudly celebrates this achievement as another testament to its player development success.

Allain-Samake, a 2007-born native of Gatineau, Que., played in 47 games with the Rockets’ NCDC team in the 2023-24 season, during which he committed to the University of Connecticut, where he is currently set to play in 2025-26. Generally, players ranked in the third round of North American Skater Mid-Term rankings project as fourth-or fifth-round selections in the draft.

The 2025 NHL Entry Draft will be held June 27-28, 2025, in Los Angeles, Calif. Allain-Samake is currently playing for the Sioux City Musketeers in the United States Hockey League, where he has registered 12 assists over 35 games. Allain-Samake was drafted into the USHL in the 2024 USHL Draft.

USPHL / NCDC at NHL Entry Draft

There have been a total of 58 former USPHL Junior and/or Midget players drafted by NHL teams since the USPHL’s 2013-14 inaugural season.

18 former NCDC players have been selected in the NHL Entry Draft since the USPHL’s highest tier junior league opened its first season in 2017-18.
Two USPHL Premier alumni have been selected in the NHL Entry Draft in the current format of the USPHL Premier since 2022. No other league of its kind has had any draft picks since 2019.
The NCDC saw an all-time high of three players selected directly from the NCDC in 2020-21, which was also the most of any league of its kind in 2021.

USPHL Alumni In National Hockey League

Drew O’Connor became the first NCDC alum to make the National Hockey League in 2020-21 and has remained a regular in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ lineup since that season, playing in 165 games to date (Oct. 24). O’Connor played in the NCDC for the Boston Junior Bruins.
There have been a total of 12 players from the USPHL junior leagues that have made the NHL, including six currently active players (Drew O’Connor, John Marino, Ryan Donato, Collin Graf, Cameron Lund, Nick Blankenburg).
There were a total of 27 alumni advancements to the NHL from the former USPHL Midget Divisions (now operated by the Tier 1 Hockey Federation), including 12 active NHL players.
There were a total of 56 players with USPHL ties who attended 2024 NHL Development Camps.

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) and our Premier and Elite Divisions, all geared toward college and pro placement.

Our youth and 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 all-time including over 3,700 into NCAA college hockey, with more than 550 advancing to NCAA Division I hockey. The USPHL has also had 18 players who played in the NCDC drafted by NHL teams.

Former Islanders Hockey Club NCDC defenseman Cole Crusberg-Roseen scored a goal and was a +2 on the night to help Western Michigan University to its first-ever NCAA Division I National Championship. Congratulations to Cole and all of his Broncos teammates.

A Stratham, N.H., native, Crusberg-Roseen advanced from Exeter (N.H.) High School to the Seacoast Spartans Midget program, and then joined the former New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs Midget program in 2018-19. He made his NCDC debut with the former Monarchs NCDC team, playing in eight games that season.

After a season with the Rhode Island Saints and Mount St. Charles Academy in 2019-20, he returned to the NCDC with the Islanders in 2020-21, playing during the Hub City Tampa season. In 13 games, he registered a goal and six assists for seven points.

After playing one more Tier II season in 2021-22, he advanced to the United States Hockey League in 2022-23, scoring 24 points in 65 combined playoff and regular season games for the Lincoln Stars.

In 66 total NCAA games, he has registered 15 points from the blue line, including 12 points in all 42 games the Broncos played this season.

The National Collegiate Development Conference and United States Premier Hockey League congratulate their four alumni who have reached the 2025 NCAA Division I National Championship Game between Boston University and Western Michigan University. The Terriers and Broncos will play at 7:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday.

In Thursday’s semifinals, Western Michigan University defeated the defending National Champion Denver University 3-2 in double OT, and Boston University defeated Penn State University, 3-1.

Shane Lachance, F, Boston University

Boston Junior Bruins (2020-21)

Lachance played in 25 games with the Junior Bruins in 2020-21, scoring 15 points, and also added six points in six playoff games as the Junior Bruins reached the Dineen Cup semifinal round. Lachance was drafted in 2021 out of the NCDC by the Edmonton Oilers, who have since traded his rights to the New Jersey Devils in early March 2025.

Lachance moved on to two seasons with the Youngstown Phantoms before joining the BU Terriers in 2023-24. With the Terriers, he has a careerline of 24-32-56 points in 78 career games. Lachance is Captain of the BU Terriers as a sophomore.

Jack Page, D, Boston University

Rockets Hockey Club (2020-22)

Page made the jump in midseason from the Rockets to the Terriers in 2021-22. He played the full 2020-21 season with the Rockets, and the first 10 games of 2021-22, totaling a 5-27-32 line in 57 regular season games and three points in four games. He was part of the Rockets team that played in the Dineen Cup Championship game in 2021. With the Terriers, Page has registered 26 games with two assists. He’s played in 21 games in this season, his senior year.

Billy Girard, G, Boston University

Connecticut Jr. Rangers (2017-18)

A graduate student at BU, Girard played in two games with the Jr. Rangers in the NCDC’s inaugural season. He played the next two seasons with the Boston Jr. Rangers. From the Rangers, he joined the University of New England, playing four seasons there. He maintained his eligibility to join BU as he had played in just two games as a freshman with UNE, with whom he finished as the Nor’Easters’ all-time wins leader. Girard made one appearance this season with Boston University, on March 6.

Cole Crusberg-Roseen, D, Western Michigan University

N.H. Jr. Monarchs (2018-19)/Islanders Hockey Club (2020-21)

Crusberg-Roseen was a regular with the former Monarchs’ 16U team in 2018-19, when he earned an eight-game call-up with their former NCDC squad. After a year at Mount St. Charles Academy, he returned to the NCDC in 2020-21, joining the Islanders and playing in 13 games, scoring seven points, before adding one assist in five playoff games that year. He played in two more junior seasons, including a season with the Lincoln Stars in 2022-23. He first joined WMU in 2023-24 and in his two seasons there, he has 14 points in 62 games, including 11 points this season.

58 Premier, Elite Alumni Played For NCAA Division III National Tournament Teams

The USPHL congratulates its three USPHL Premier and Elite Alumni who won the NCAA Division III championship with Hobart College, which captured its third straight national championship. These three players were among 58 Premier and Elite alumni who joined their teams at the 2025 NCAA Division III National Tournament.

Below are bio capsules of the three Premier and Elite alumni, followed by a list of all 58 Premier and Elite alumni in the D-III Nationals this year.

Austin Mourar

Richmond Generals – Premier / Elite (2017-19)

Mourar played in the inaugural season of the current USPHL Elite Conference in 2017-18, scoring 36 points in 30 games. He also earned 12 games up with the former Generals’ Premier team that season. Between that first season and his second, he skated in 56 games and produced 54 points playing for former Generals Head Coach R.C. Lyke, currently Head Coach/GM of the NCDC’s West Chester Wolves.

After an additional season of junior hockey in Canada, Mourar first joined the Statesmen roster in 2020-21, but that season was canceled due to COVID-19. That allowed him four more seasons to chase his championship dreams, which he attained three times between 2023 and 2025.

Mourar also produced several individual honors, including twice being named Second Team All-NEHC twice and First Team All-NEHC here in 2024-25. He was the NCAA Division III All-Tournament MVP, as well. He posted 74 points in 113 games for his Hobart career.

Christopher Duclair

Hampton Roads Whalers – Premier (2020-21)

Coming out of Quebec, Duclair started his junior career in 2020-21 with the Hampton Roads Whalers, scoring 18 points in 15 games, as well as four points in three playoff games. Duclair would move on to two more junior seasons, including his 2022-23 season in the BCHL.

He first joined the Statesmen in 2023-24, and over the past two seasons, he’s picked up 46 points in 58 games. He was an NEHC All-Rookie Team selection in 2023-24, when he scored 25 points in 27 games.

Tamas Toth

Islanders Hockey Club – Premier (2021-22)

Toth spent his first North American season, coming out of Hungary, with the Islanders HC in 2021-22. He scored 20 points in 25 regular season games, and then added eight points in eight playoff games as IHC reached the USPHL Premier Nationals. Toth advanced from the Premier up to the NCDC in 2022-23, playing for the Connecticut Jr. Rangers, with whom he was a point-per-game scorer at 43 points in 43 games.

After one further junior season, he joined Hobart as a freshman this season and produced 10 points in 19 games. Toth has played for Hungary in international tournaments and events on eight different occasions.

Below are the 58 Premier and Elite alumni who joined their teams in the 2025 NCAA Division III National Tournament.

#USPHLAdvancement In Action:

Out of the 58 total individual Premier and Elite alumni, 34 individuals also played in the NCDC.
Out of the 57 Premier alumni in the tournament, seven also played in the Elite Conference.
Out of the 8 Elite alumni, five went on to play in the NCDC and seven played in the Premier Conference.
Killian Rowlee, of Curry College, was the only player among the 58 who played in the Elite and NCDC, but not in the USPHL Premier.

USPHL Premier Alumni In 2025 NCAA Division III National Championships

First	Last	College	Level
Rhett	Evjen#	Aurora Univ.	NCAA III
Gage	Dill#%	Curry College	NCAA III
Karim	Gayfullin#	Curry College	NCAA III
Taurin	Haddon-Harris#	Curry College	NCAA III
Eelis	Laaksonen#	Curry College	NCAA III
Ben	Nichols	Curry College	NCAA III
Wilhelm	Patriksson#	Curry College	NCAA III
Blake	Rothstein#	Curry College	NCAA III
Jackson	Collins	Fitchburg State Univ.	NCAA III
Oliver	Cookson	Fitchburg State Univ.	NCAA III
Hunter	Dunn#	Fitchburg State Univ.	NCAA III
Alexander	Falkenhagen	Fitchburg State Univ.	NCAA III
Toivo	Kramer#	Fitchburg State Univ.	NCAA III
Mike	Macchioni#%	Fitchburg State Univ.	NCAA III
Max	Macchioni#%	Fitchburg State Univ.	NCAA III
Isaiah	McKinney	Fitchburg State Univ.	NCAA III
Nicklas	Millhorn	Fitchburg State Univ.	NCAA III
Jack	Saavedra#	Fitchburg State Univ.	NCAA III
Nolan	Sargent#	Fitchburg State Univ.	NCAA III
Trenton	Skaggs#	Fitchburg State Univ.	NCAA III
Freddy	Soderberg	Fitchburg State Univ.	NCAA III
Jacob	Trowt	Fitchburg State Univ.	NCAA III
Ben	Zaranek	Fitchburg State Univ.	NCAA III
Jack	Anderson#	Gustavus Adolphus College	NCAA III
Artyom	Korolyov#	Gustavus Adolphus College	NCAA III
Alexandre	Danis	Hamilton College	NCAA III
Christopher	Duclair	Hobart College	NCAA III
Austin	Mourar%	Hobart College	NCAA III
Tamás	Tóth#	Hobart College	NCAA III
Ethan	Byrne#	St. Norbert College	NCAA III
Evan	Beers#	Stevenson Univ.	NCAA III
Jack	Day	Stevenson Univ.	NCAA III
Ford	DeLoss#	Stevenson Univ.	NCAA III
Dylan	Florit	Stevenson Univ.	NCAA III
Carson	Galin#	Stevenson Univ.	NCAA III
Matthew	Gough	Stevenson Univ.	NCAA III
Nathan	Kirschenbaum	Stevenson Univ.	NCAA III
Aiden	Lindley#	Stevenson Univ.	NCAA III
John	Musella Jr.	Stevenson Univ.	NCAA III
Jake	Roberts#	Stevenson Univ.	NCAA III
Lucca	Munoz#	SUNY-Oswego	NCAA III
Justin	Ryan#%	SUNY-Oswego	NCAA III
Drake	Semrad#	SUNY-Oswego	NCAA III
Tyler	Fox	Trine Univ.	NCAA III
Keiton	Klein	Trine Univ.	NCAA III
Kyle	Kozma	Trine Univ.	NCAA III
Timmy	Organ	Trine Univ.	NCAA III
Kyle	Watson	Trine Univ.	NCAA III
Drew	Welsch	Trine Univ.	NCAA III
Anthony	Bax#	Utica Univ.	NCAA III
John	Gutt#%	Utica Univ.	NCAA III
Brian	Scoville#	Utica Univ.	NCAA III
Matt	Wood	Utica Univ.	NCAA III
Chip	Hamlett#	Univ. of New England	NCAA III
Jacob	Pellerin#	Univ. of New England	NCAA III
Anthony	Sciucco#	Univ. of New England	NCAA III
Mike	Tersoni#	Univ. of New England	NCAA III

# = Also played in NCDC
% = Also played in Elite

USPHL Elite Alumni At NCAA Division III Nationals

First	Last	Pos.	College	Level
Max	Macchhioni*#	(G)	Fitchburg State Univ.	NCAA III
Gage	Dill*#	(RW)	Curry College	NCAA III
Killian	Rowlee#	(F)	Curry College	NCAA III
Jackson	Collins*	(F)	Fitchburg State Univ.	NCAA III
Mike	Macchioni*#	(F)	Fitchburg State Univ.	NCAA III
Austin	Mourar*	(D)	Hobart College	NCAA III
Justin	Ryan*#	(F)	SUNY-Oswego	NCAA III
John	Gutt*#	(F)	Utica Univ.	NCAA III

# Also played in NCDC
* Also played in USPHL Premier

Fraser, Mich. – Bearcat Hockey Club is thrilled to announce the acquisition of the Motor City Gamblers franchise, a strategic move that underscores the organization’s unwavering commitment to excellence, community, and player development in the realm of youth hockey.

Led by dedicated owner Mike McCallum, a retired U.S. Army veteran with a profound passion for fostering young talent, the Bearcat Hockey Club is poised to elevate its role within the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) by integrating the Motor City Gamblers franchise.

In a statement highlighting the shared values between Bearcat Hockey Club and the USPHL, McCallum expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “The Bearcat Hockey Club’s commitment to excellence, community, and player development makes it an ideal candidate for a USPHL Junior Hockey team. By granting us this opportunity, the USPHL will gain a dedicated partner that shares its vision and values while expanding the league’s reach and influence.”

Undoubtedly, the alignment between Bearcat Hockey Club and the USPHL will pave the way for a premier choice in hockey development, providing players with a holistic journey from grassroots to professional play. This integration promises a seamless pathway for players of all ages to grow, excel, and achieve their dreams within a unified system, emphasizing the organization’s dedication to shaping the next generation of hockey talents.

Moreover, Bearcat Hockey Club’s impressive track record speaks for itself, with a history of assisting players in securing opportunities to play hockey at the collegiate level and achieving notable NCAA placements. This legacy highlights the organization’s dedication to empowering players to reach their full potential and attain success in their hockey careers.

Tony Zasowski, USPHL Deputy Commissioner, on the Bearcat Junior Hockey Club:
“We are thrilled to welcome the Bearcat Junior Hockey Club to the USPHL Premier and Elite divisions. The Bearcats bring a strong vision for player development and a commitment to excellence, both on and off the ice. We are confident that this program will provide a fantastic opportunity for aspiring junior hockey players in Michigan and beyond. We look forward to seeing the Bearcats compete and grow within the USPHL family.”

For more information on Bearcat Hockey Club and the acquisition of the Motor City Gamblers franchise, please visit www.bearcathc.com

Media Contact:
Nicole Lauer
Email: Nicole@BearcatHC.com

Photo Courtesy San Jose Sharks

Congratulations to former Boston Junior Bruins NCDC standout Cameron Lund as he made his NHL debut on Thursday, March 27, with the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks played the Toronto Maple Leafs in San Jose. He skated for 11:03 of ice time in an eventual 6-5 shootout win for the Sharks.

Lund played in the NCDC with the Junior Bruins in 2020-21. Lund was a second round, 34th overall, draft pick of the Sharks in 2022. Lund is also a South Shore Kings organizational alum.

With the Junior Bruins, Lund scored 17 goals and 17 assists for 34 points in 40 games during the 2020-21 season. The former NCDC Entry Draft selection was also selected by the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL Draft of 2020. He joined the Gamblers for two games in 2020-21, and then he was a major part of the Gamblers team in 2021-22 with 50 points in 64 games.

From the USHL, he went to Northeastern University for three seasons, registering 36 goals and 93 points in 107 career NCAA games.

Best of luck to Cameron in The Show!

The Carolina Jr. Hurricanes have won the 2024-25 USPHL Elite National Championship after a 5-0 victory against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights.

Gregory Harter scored first at the 10:57 mark of the first period, and Brady Piscitelli followed it up quickly, just 19 seconds later at 11:16.

That 2-0 score stood for the duration of the rest of the first and all of the second period. It wasn’t until the 3:54 mark of the third period that Lincoln Burns scored Carolina’s third goal.

Zachary Rich scored into the empty net to essentially seal the deal at 16:42 of the third, but the Jr. Canes weren’t done yet. Christopher Zwirblia scored into a tended net at 18:39 to close out the day’s offense.

Defensively, Anthony Trantas put together a 37-save shutout to help clinch the championship victory. Additionally, Zwirblia and Piscitelli each added two assists to their goals, and Liam Geyer registered two assists.

The USPHL Elite National Championships will take place on Monday, March 24, as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights will take on the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes. The championship will see puck drop at 1:30 p.m. at the Ice Vault in Wayne, N.J.

The Knights defeated the Islanders Hockey Club, the top-seeded team coming out of the Round Robin, and the No. 2 Jr. Hurricanes defeated the defending champion Northern Cyclones in the semifinals.

Sean Stewart had a four-point showing (1-3-4) to help the Knights to a 6-3 win against the Islanders Hockey Club in the USPHL Elite 1v4 semifinal. Samvel Barsegyan, Wyatt Stasik and Sam Silvestri each scored one goal and one assist, Colin Evans had two assists, and Zans Mednis put in the GWG. In net, Anthony Shaw stopped 41 of 44 shots. They will face the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes in Monday’s Elite Championship game at 1:30 p.m.

The Jr. Hurricanes – who won the 2023 National Championships – defeated the Northern Cyclones by a score of 5-3 on Sunday to advance to the Elite National Championship game. Christopher Zwirblia and Zachary Rich each scored twice, Zwirblia also had an assist, and the trio of Jack Ray, Andrew Pi and Nick Nardone each had two assists.

The USPHL Elite semifinals field is set for Sunday, March 23. The top seed out of the round robin, the Islanders Hockey Club, will face the No. 4 seed Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights. In the No. 2 vs. No. 3 game, the higher-seeded Carolina Jr. Hurricanes will face the Northern Cyclones. The latter game is a battle of the last two Elite National Champions – Carolina won it in 2023 and the Cyclones won it in 2024.

Saturday Round Robin Recaps

Northern Cyclones 4, Chicago Crush 2

The defending #USPHLElite Champion Northern Cyclones have earned themselves a spot in the 2025 Semifinals with their Saturday defeat of the Chicago Crush by a 4-2 score. Kail Burns scored the GWG, Brady Stevens and Jackson Bulthaup each had a goal and an assist, and Collin Goodman had two assists. In net, Nick Cowles made 31 saves on 33 shots. Johnny Augusta made 34 saves on 37 shots.

Islanders Hockey Club 5, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes 2

The Islanders clinched the top seed in the Elite semifinals on Sunday after they defeated the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes, 5-2. The Islanders went 3-0 in the round robin. For Saturday’s game, five different goal-scorers provided the offense, including Nick Digeronimo with the GWG. Cole Kelly made 37 saves on 39 shots for the win.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights 2, Tampa Bay Juniors 1 (OT)

Samvel Barsegyan scored the #OTGWG in the 2-1 win which sent the Knights to the National Semifinals on Sunday. Brody Polacek scored the Knights’ first goal and added one assist. Anthony Shaw scored 35 saves on 36 shots for WBS and Shane Passaro was also strong in net for Tampa, turning away 38 of 40 shots. WBS will advance to the semifinals as the No. 4 seed against the No. 1 seed Islanders Hockey Club with faceoff set for 11:30 a.m. tomorrow.