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Former Junior Bruin Graf Makes NHL Debut, Registers First NHL Point With Assist

by Joshua Boyd

April 8, 2024

SAN JOSE, CA - APRIL 7: Collin Graf #51 of the San Jose Sharks with the puck during the second period against the Arizona Coyotes at SAP Center on April 7, 2024 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Panayiota Good/NHLI via Getty Images)

Photos In This Post Courtesy Of San Jose Sharks

By Joshua Boyd / NCDCHockey.com

Former Boston Junior Bruins NCDC standout Collin Graf has already made his mark in the NHL. After making his pro and NHL debut with the San Jose Sharks on April 6, skating in 13:36 of ice time of a 3-2 overtime victory against the St. Louis Blues.

The next day, April 7, saw Graf skate in 16:37 of ice time and register his first assist when Luke Kunin tied the game for San Jose. Graf sent a textbook pass from behind the net to Kunin for the goal that made it 2-2, before Arizona went on to win 5-2.

#NCDCAlumni #NCDCInThePros: That didn’t take long. Collin Graf earned his first @NHL point in his second game, assisting on a this goal that temporarily tied the @SanJoseSharks‘ game against Arizona.

This was his second game, after making his #NHLDebut on Saturday vs. St. Louis https://t.co/4J5lpsRBaX

— NCDC Hockey (@NCDCJrHockey) April 8, 2024

A former Junior Bruins youth hockey player from nearby Lincoln, Mass., Graf first started playing with the Junior Bruins in the USPHL in 2016-17 as part of their USPHL16U season, starting the season at the age of 14. He played three seasons totaling 67 games and scored 59 points.

He spent the majority of his final year of 16U eligibility with the Junior Bruins 18U team, and the transition was flawless – he was named to the USPHL 16U All-Star Game in 2018 and the 18U All-Star Game in 2019.

The next year, 2019-20, Graf made his NCDC debut at the age of 17, and then captained the Junior Bruins as an 18-year-old in 2020-21. Over two NCDC seasons, he registered 109 points in 97 combined regular season and playoff games. He played in NCDC All-Star Games in both 2020 and 2021.

He played with Union College in 2021-22 (scoring 22 points in 37 games), earning ECAC All-Academic Honors as a freshman. He transferred after that season to Quinnipiac University and was immense in helping the Bobcats to their first-ever NCAA Division I National Championship.

After scoring 59 points, Graf was heavily decorated – Hobey Baker Finalist, First Team East All-American, All-ECAC First Team, and Frozen Four All-Tournament team, just to name a few laurels. He shared Hobey Baker Top 10 Finalist honors with fellow former Junior Bruin and Quinnipiac teammate Yaniv Perets.

This season, he put up 49 points and is once again a Hobey Baker Top 10 Finalist, one of two NCDC alumni in that category, along with former Jersey Hitmen forward and NCDC 2020-21 Player Of The Year Liam McLinskey with Holy Cross.

Montana Buckaroos To Join Tuition-Free National Collegiate Development Conference In 2025-26

Seven USPHL Junior Alumni Named To Team USA Roster For 2025 World University Games

Boston Dogs To Begin Play In NCDC Effective Immediately

Boston Dogs To Join The USPHL’s Tuition Free Tier II NCDC For The 2025-26 Season

By Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com

There will be plenty of action in the USPHL Elite this weekend, especially with two showcases going on in Michigan and Massachusetts – the USPHL Detroit Showcase and the Islanders Hockey Club Showcase. Several teams are enjoying good runs, and there are no longer any undefeated teams.

Below, we will take a look at the top teams from each division from the results of games played between Nov. 15-21.

New England Division

Boston Jr. Bulldogs Enjoy Four-Game Point Streak

The Jr. Bulldogs ended their November portion of their schedule by going 3-0-1-0 going back to Nov. 10, which included three points earned against the defending National Champion and current division-leading Northern Cyclones. They’ve only lost one regulation game in November, falling to the Islanders Hockey Club on Nov. 4. Between Nov. 15-17, they defeated the Springfield Pics in a 3-2 shootout and also by a 6-0 score, both on the Pics’ home ice, and they fell 4-3 to the Cyclones in OT on Nov. 16.

Georgios Timeliadis (‘06/Montreal, Que.) was tapped for two straight shorthanded goal attempts against the Pics and sank them both to move into second in the league in shootout goals with two. Timeliadis has also seen time with the USPHL Premier’s Worcester Railers JHC this year.
Andrew Libby (‘05/Essex Junction, Vt.) moved into the top 10 of goals against average and remains there after stopping 34 of 36 in 65 minutes. He currently stands at 2.14.

Elsewhere In The New England Division

The Northern Cyclones continue to win enough to keep a three-point lead for the division, and they enjoyed two straight wins going into the IHC Showcase. They recently beat the Bulldogs, 4-3, in OT and then on Nov. 17, put up a 10-3 win over South Shore, who had defeated the Cyclones just four days earlier.
The Islanders are enjoying a three-game winning streak, giving them distance at third place over the fourth place Pics. The teams were a point apart a week ago, but the IHC now has a three-point lead heading into their showcase. They beat the South Shore Kings, 9-2, on Nov. 18 in their most recent action.

Southeast Division

Potomac Patriots Win Two In A Row In Mission To Turn Corner

The Patriots went up to Hershey, Pa., and picked up a pair of victories against the first-year Cubs, both by a 3-2 score, with the second of those scores coming in overtime. They hit the 20-point mark and are hoping for a big weekend against the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes, who are one of the two teams tied for second eight points above Potomac.

Patriots veteran Braylen Cox (‘05/Nashville, Tenn.) had a big weekend, scoring four points – all goals. He moved to a tie for first in goals league-wide with 19, and into third on the overall scoring leaderboard with 27 points on the season. He has 53 points in 97 career USPHL games.
Liam Kelly (‘04/Harleysville, Pa.) won the Nov. 16 game against the Cubs, and has five wins on the season with a .936 save percentage. He moved into the third-most minutes played with that game, at 683. He remains third in saves with 379.

Elsewhere In The Southeast Division

The Carolina Jr. Hurricanes won the only other game involving Southeast Division teams, as they beat the division-leading Charlotte Rush, 2-1. They are also now 2-1-0-0 against their in-state rivals the Rush this season. The win helped put them into a tie with the Hampton Roads Whalers, who were idle from game action last weekend. The Whalers travel north to face the Jersey Hitmen this weekend.

Florida Division

Tampa Bay Juniors Win Two More, Remain On 12-Game Point Streak

The Tampa Bay Juniors’ world is very bright, with both their teams entering Friday with either a share of first (in the Premier) or first outright (in the Elite). For the Elite team, it’s been especially sweet as they’re on an 11-0-1-0 point streak going back to the USPHL Southeast Showcase in Virginia. Their last – and still only – regulation loss was on Sept. 27 against the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes. Most recently, they traveled to Atlanta and defeated the MadHatters, 6-2 and 7-2.

Veteran defenseman Carter Trussler (‘06/Land O’ Lakes, Fla.) put up his fifth power play assist on Nov. 17, the third-most in the league. He currently has 57 points in 94 career games. He is two assists away from 50.
Shane Passaro (‘04/Palm Springs, Calif.) won his sixth straight game on Nov. 16, helping him remain as one of the few completely undefeated goaltenders in the league. The only goalie with more wins without taking a loss is the WBS Knights’ Roberts Kravalis, at 7-0.

Elsewhere In The Florida Division

The Florida Eels and Florida Jr. Blades, both of whom met on Nov. 21, have each gone 2-1 over the past week. The Eels defeated the Palm Beach Typhoon, 5-2, on Nov. 15 and the Blades, 7-5, on Nov. 17, before the Blades avenged that loss with a 6-3 win in Estero on Thursday. They stand two points behind the Tampa Bay Juniors entering the two top teams’ Friday night game.
The Jr. Blades are currently alone in fifth place, where they were tied a week ago with Palm Beach. Their Thursday night upset win against the Eels was their last action for a four-game November before a run of nine games in 15 days in December. The Blades also beat the Bold City Battalion, 4-1, on Nov. 15 before falling on Nov. 17 to the Eels.

Atlantic Division

Elmira Ends Knights’ Winning Streak, Improves To .500 With 2-1 Week

In one of the biggest upsets so far this season, the Impact defeated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights, who entered the game on a 15-game winning streak, by a 5-2 score in Ithaca, N.Y. Still feeling good, the Impact went right back out the next day in Ithaca and shut out the Jersey Hitmen, 3-0. The Hitmen came back on Sunday at the Murray Athletic Center in Elmira, winning 5-2 over Elmira. The 2-1 week helped Elmira stand at 9-9-1-0 to end their November schedule.

Three-year veteran Eian Robinson (‘05/Horseheads, N.Y.) had three assists in the win over the Knights and one more against the Hitmen, surging to 17 helpers on the year – he is now tied for the league lead in that category. He has 47 points in 90 career games.
William Drouin (‘06/St-Georges-de-Beauce, Que.) had the game-winning goal against WBS in a three-goal weekend. He is currently second in game-winners by an Elite defenseman with two.

Elsewhere In The Atlantic Division

The Rockets Hockey Club picked up three points to remain in third place in the division, defeating the Connecticut Jr. Rangers, 3-2, on Nov. 16, before falling to the P.A.L. Jr. Islanders in overtime, 3-2, on Nov. 17. The Rockets will carry their four-game point streak (3-0-1-0) into a Nov. 30 game against the WBS Knights to close out their November duties.
As seen above, P.A.L. won their only game in OT against the Rockets, which was their only game action since Nov. 15, and their last for November. They remain just one point behind the 15-1 Knights in both the division and overall league standings, though Charlotte is tied with the Jr. Isles in points at 29 apiece.

Midwest Division

Fort Wayne Spacemen Improve Winning Streak To Four Games, Hold First By One Point

The Spacemen, who were entering the USPHL Detroit Showcase on Friday, have won their past four games in a row, including their most recent ahead of the showcase – a 9-1 defeat of Motor City on Nov. 16. They hold 22 points heading into the showcase, just one ahead of the Metro Jets and five against the Chicago duo of the Crush and Cougars. Everyone will be busy in Motown, so it’ll be intriguing to see who comes out on top in the end.

The Spacemen as a team improved from fifth to third in goals per game, with 4.35, up from 4.27 last week.
Veteran goaltender Brendan Kusbel (‘05/Mount Pleasant, Mich.) inched up from third to second in goals against average over the past week to second at 1.36, and he also moved from fifth in save percentage on Nov. 15 to third Friday morning at .951. He is 12-6-1-3 for his career with a .914 save percentage.

Elsewhere In The Midwest Division

On Nov. 21, the Chicago Crush played their first game since the last showcase – the USPHL Fort Wayne Showcase – ended for them on Nov. 9. The Crush are 6-0-1-0 in their last seven games, including the three-game sweep of the Fort Wayne event. They defeated the Motor City Gamblers, 4-0, on Thursday and will face the Fort Wayne Spacemen on Friday.
The Metro Jets will finish a 13-game November with the showcase of which they are the host team. They started on Thursday by defeating the 4-3, and they will play in five total games at the event.

Week of Nov. 21, 2024

Games of Nov. 12-18, 2024

Southeast Division

Forward: Braylen Cox, Potomac Patriots

Cox (‘05/Nashville, Tenn.) put up four goals, including a hat trick on Nov. 17, as the Patriots got two wins against the host Hershey Cubs last weekend. He improved to 19 goals on the season, which has him tied for first in the Elite Conference. Overall, Cox has 53 points in 97 career games.

Defense: Jakob Kolega, Potomac Patriots

On Nov. 16, Kolega (‘05/Ijamsville, Md.) put up a goal and an assist against the Cubs on Nov. 16, giving him his first junior goal. He has put up four points in 16 games for the Patriots this year. Kolega is an alum of the Atlantic Hockey Federation’s Montgomery Blue Devils organization.

Goaltender: Anthony Trantas, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes

Trantas (‘05/Morrisville, N.C.) registered his fourth straight victory, seventh this season and 21st for his career when he defeated the Charlotte Rush with 26 saves on 27 shots. He is 21-5-1-0 with a .923 save percentage since joining the Jr. Canes in 2023-24.

Florida Division

Forward: Joshua Mason, Florida Jr. Blades

Mason (‘07/Toronto, Ont.) has been a part of the Jr. Blades organization since 2022, and most recently put up a 3-4-7 line in his first two Elite games of this season. For his Elite career, he’s played in 63 games, putting up 38 points. He has also played in 29 Premier games over his career in Estero, Fla.

Defense: Ty Elzinga, Florida Eels

The second-year Eel Elzinga (‘07/Cape Coral, Fla.) registered four assists against the Palm Beach Typhoon and Florida Jr. Blades, helping him to continue to improve his career best points total to 13 over 17 games. He also earned his first two games up with the Premier Eels over the Nov. 9 weekend at the USPHL Fort Wayne Showcase.

Goaltender: Cooper White, Bold City Battalion

White (‘06/Rapid City, S.D.) put up 37 saves on 38 shots in helping the Battalion to a 2-1 victory on Nov. 17. He now has a 3-3-0-0 record for the season.

Selection Process: Divisional statistical leaders are presented to coaches, who are able to vote on the leaders, or nominate and vote on alternate candidates.

Summaries by Joshua Boyd

Week of Nov. 21

Games of Nov. 12-18

Atlantic Division

Forward: Gunnar McLellan, Elmira Impact

McLellan (‘05/Ogdensburg, N.Y.) was a vital contributor for Elmira Impact this week, posting five goals and one assist to help the team win two of their three games. In McLellan’s third season with the USPHL Elite and first with the Impact, he has registered nine goals and four assists for 13 points, the most he’s accumulated in one season thus far.

Defense: Samvel Barsegyan, Wilkes-Barre Scranton Knights

The Wilkes-Barre Scranton Knights only put in one game this week, and Barsegyan (‘08/Russia) was a key player with two assists in both goals posted against the Elmira Impact on Nov. 15. Barsegyan has played 15 games in his first season with the USPHL Elite, one goal and 11 assists so far this season.

Goaltender: Felix Olesen, Elmira Impact

Olesen (‘04/Haslen, Switzerland) performed a stunning 26-save shutout to help Elmira Impact win against the Jersey Hitmen on Nov. 16. It was his first game playing the full 60 minutes. This is Olesen’s first season with the USPHL Elite.

New England Division

Forward: Brady Stevens, Northern Cyclones

Stevens (‘05/Newburyport, Mass.) scored two goals and had four assists across the Northern Cyclones’ three games this week. He scored the overtime goal against the Junior Bulldogs to win the game on Nov. 16. In his first season with the USPHL Elite, he has five goals and 18 assists, including two game-winning goals.

Defense: Jackson Bulthaup, Northern Cyclones

Northern Cyclones left defenseman Bulthaup (‘05/Big Rock, Ill.) two goals and four assists this week, including a powerplay goal that took the Cyclones and Bulldogs to overtime on Nov. 16. So far this season, Bulthaup has eight goals and nine assists for 17 points.

Goaltender: Isaac Malfy, Boston Jr. Bulldogs

Malfy (‘08/Falmouth, Mass.) helped the Boston Jr. Bulldogs dominate on Nov. 17, with a 35-save shutout against the Springfield Pics. Malfy is 2-1-0-0 in his first season with the Bulldogs.

Midwest Division

Forward: Dylan Davis, Fort Wayne Spacemen

In the Spacemen’s sole game this week, Davis (‘06/Fort Wayne, Ind.) scored two goals and had one assist against the Motor City Gamblers on Nov. 16. Davis has captured 21 points in his second season with the Spacemen, with 10 goals and 11 assists. He has 46 career points with the Spacemen.

Defense: Samuel Baldry, Fort Wayne Spacemen

Baldry (‘05/Missoula, Mont.) posted two assists on Nov. 16 to help the Spacemen 9-1 against the Gamblers. He has six career goals and 12 assists in his two seasons with the Spacemen.

Goaltender: Brendan Kusbel, Fort Wayne Spacemen

Kusbel (‘05/Mount Pleasant, Mich.) conceded only one goal against the Gamblers on Nov. 16. He had 37 saves on 38 shots for a .974 save percentage. He is 5-1-0-0 in his second season with the Spacemen for a .951 save percentage.

Selection Process: Divisional statistical leaders are presented to coaches, who are able to vote on the leaders, or nominate and vote on alternate candidates.

Summaries by Taylor Dean

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NOVEMBER 21, 2024

The United States Premier Hockey League (“USPHL”) is pleased to announce that the Montana Buckaroos will be joining the tuition-free National Collegiate Development Conference (“NCDC”) for the 2025-26 season. Owned by Claude Fortin, who also owns the USPHL Premier’s Montreal Black Vees organization, the Buckaroos will be located in Billings, Mont., and will join the Mountain Division as its seventh member for next season.

The Buckaroos are a new organization founded by Claude Fortin that will begin play in 2025-26 at the existing Centennial Arena. Construction will begin in Spring 2025 on their permanent home arena, the new Signal Peak Energy Arena, which will be a new state-of-the-art, two-sheet facility with ice hockey seating for more than 2,000 spectators, as well as several modern amenities for a first-class entertainment experience for Buckaroos fans. Signal Peak Energy Arena is currently scheduled to open in November 2025.

“I am thrilled to have the Montana Buckaroos join the NCDC. This has been a project of mine for the past four years, and I am very happy to make it happen,” said Claude Fortin, owner of the Buckaroos. “We have received tremendous support from the Mountain Division owners and from the City of Billings. We are excited for the opening of Signal Peak Energy Arena and we are also looking forward to providing our Montreal Black Vees players with advancement opportunities from the USPHL Premier to the NCDC.”

“The Montana Buckaroos will be an outstanding addition to the NCDC’s Mountain Division in 2025-26, and will continue the trend of fan-fueled exciting hockey in the Rocky Mountain states,” said Tony Zasowski, Deputy Commissioner of the USPHL. “Through his work in guiding the Montreal Black Vees, Claude Fortin has already established himself as a driven and successful owner in the USPHL, and we are excited to work with him at the tuition-free NCDC level now as well.”

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 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 8U 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 in the 2023-24 season. The USPHL has also had 18 players who played in the NCDC drafted by NHL teams.

Nov. 22-24, 2024

Merrimack College / Skate 3 Ice Arena

North Andover / Tyngsborough, Mass.

The Islanders Hockey Club Showcase will bring USPHL Premier and Elite action to New England, amid the landscape of more than 60 NCAA colleges and dozens of ACHA and AAU schools, as well. College scouts will have a convenient, centrally-located opportunity to scout players from some of the Northeast’s top Premier programs, including the last two National Champions – the Connecticut Jr. Rangers (2024) and Northern Cyclones (2023). The host Islanders Hockey Club’s Premier team were also 2024 finalists.

Overall, for the USPHL Premier, the IHC Showcase will feature eight New England Division teams, as well as four teams from the Premier’s new Canada Division and two Atlantic Division teams.

On the USPHL Elite side, there will be six full-season Elite teams competing at the showcase, alongside three guests from the North American Prep Hockey League. Players at the IHC Showcase will be provided a great stage to pave their Pathway To College Hockey.

Last year, more than 300 USPHL Premier players advanced to NCAA, ACHA and AAU college hockey, including 17 NCAA Division I-committed alumni. More than 60 USPHL Elite players and alumni also moved on to all college hockey levels from the 2023-24 season.

Full Islanders Hockey Club USPHL Premier Showcase Schedule

Full Islanders Hockey Club USPHL Elite Showcase Schedule

Nov. 21-25, 2024

Mount Clemens Ice Arena, Mount Clemens, MI

For the seventh year, several USPHL Premier and Elite teams will join together at Mount Clemens Ice Arena, home to the Metro Jets organization. The USPHL Detroit Showcase will throw open its doors to welcome a total of 17 USPHL Premier and seven USPHL Elite teams over a span of five days in the metropolitan area of Detroit, also known as Hockeytown.

The USPHL Premier action will feature six teams from each of the Great Lakes and Midwest Divisions, along with two teams apiece from the Canada Division and North Division, plus one Atlantic Division team joining the festivities. The players from these teams will have a fantastic opportunity to skate in front of NCAA, ACHA and AAU teams from across the Midwest, as well as scouts traveling from afar to see this outstanding cross-section of teams. All six USPHL Elite Midwest Division teams will compete, plus one Atlantic Division team in addition to one team from the North American Prep Hockey League.

The USPHL Premier saw more than 300 college commitments during the 2023-24 season, and the USPHL Elite conference has sent more than 80 players from the 2023-24 season and prior years to the NCAA, ACHA and AAU levels for the 2024-25 season.

Schedules:

Full USPHL Detroit Showcase Premier Schedule

Full USPHL Detroit Showcase Elite Schedule

By Joshua Boyd / NCDCHockey.com

The United States Premier Hockey League congratulates its seven Junior alumni who were named to the Team USA squad that will play at the World University Games, running Jan. 12-23, 2025, to be held in Torino, Italy. The alumni include five former USPHL Premier players and four who played in the National Collegiate Development Conference. All of the players announced for the roster are currently playing for teams in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA).

Just over one year after the World University Games, the city of Torino will join Milan, Italy, in co-hosting the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Doug Wakelyn, G, University of Nevada-Las Vegas

Wakelyn played in the 2019-20 season for the P.A.L. Jr. Islanders – seven games with the Premier and one game with the NCDC. Two seasons later, he played a full season with the Pueblo Bulls in 2020-21, when they were also in the Premier.

Konrad Kausch, G, Liberty University

Kausch played for two seasons in the USPHL Premier with the Bridgewater Bandits between 2020-22. During his two seasons in the Premier, he registered 19 wins in 26 games.

Jack Thomas, D, Grand Canyon University

Thomas played with the Islanders Hockey Club’s NCDC team during the 2021-22 season, playing in 19 games and registering six assists.

Lazarus Kaebel, D, Liberty University

Kaebel played for two seasons in the USPHL Premier and NCDC, first playing a full season with the Tampa Bay Juniors in 2020-21, and then in 2021-22, he split the season between the NCDC’s Thunder Hockey Club (formerly the Twin City Thunder) and Philadelphia Hockey Club.

Carter Hobbs, D, Purdue Northwest University

Hobbs was a two-year member of the Minnesota Blue Ox in the USPHL Premier, playing in exactly 100 combined regular season and playoff games between 2020 and 2022, and scored 75 points in that time.

Sebastian Smith, F, Adrian College

Smith played the full 2020-21 season with the former Wooster Oilers in the USPHL Premier. He scored 49 points in 35 games.

Hunter Schmitz, F, Grand Canyon University

Schmitz was a member of the Thunder Hockey Club’s NCDC team during the 2020-21 season, playing in 26 games and registering 11 points.

Best of luck to all of our USPHL junior alumni in Torino!

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 8-21 in more than 100 organizations across the North, South, Midwest, West, and Canada. Our Junior Divisions consist of the tuition free Tier II National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC) and our pay-to-play Tier III Premier and Elite conferences, all geared toward college and pro placement.

Our youth and midget divisions (operated through the Tier 1 Hockey Federation) field full season 8U 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.

By Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com

The United States Premier Hockey League joins the Tampa Bay Juniors organization in congratulating two-year Juniors veteran Jan Zeman (’06/Clearwater, Fla.) for being awarded a Hobey Baker High School Character Award, presented by the same foundation that awards the Hobey Baker Award each year to the top NCAA Division I hockey player in the nation.

Zeman played for both the Tampa Bay Juniors in the USPHL Elite Conference and Palm Harbor University HIgh School during the 2023-24 season, and he had also played with Palm Harbor University H.S. in 2020-21. WIth the Juniors, he has posted 22 goals and 44 points in 49 career regular season games.

According to the Hobey Baker Foundation website, the Hobey Baker High School Character Award was established in 2003 to “honor high school hockey players who exemplify the Hobey Baker ideal that ‘Character Builds Excellence.’ We believe that character makes the game better and it makes our players better.”

“I am truly humbled and honored to receive this recognition. This award is not just a reflection of my own efforts, but of the support and inspiration I’ve received from those around me. It’s a reminder that growth happens together, and success is best shared. Thank you [to the Hobey Baker Foundation] for this incredible honor,” said Zeman.

“Jan is a hard worker both on and off the ice. Jan is a tremendous asset to our program and is very deserving of this award!” said Juniors Head Coach Garrett Strot.

Congratulations again to Jan Zeman on his Hobey Baker High School Character AWard and best of luck to the Tampa Bay Juniors in 2024-25!

Week of Nov. 14, 2024

Games of Nov. 5-11, 2024

Southeast Division

Forward: Viktor Pettersson, Charlotte Rush

Pettersson (‘05/Sundsvall, Sweden) was dishing out the helpers with aplomb last weekend against the Potomac Patriots, registering five assists along with one goal for six points in the sweep weekend for the Rush. Pettersson now has 20 points in 15 Rush games this year.

Defense: Raymond Johnson, Hampton Roads Whalers

Johnson (‘05/St. Augustine, Fla.) scored just one goal against the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes last weekend but he made it count as it was the 3-3 tying goal for the Whalers in an eventual 5-3 victory against the Jr. Hurricanes. The second-year USPHL defenseman improved to 10 points in 20 games this season, and he has 25 points in his 60 career games.

Goaltender: Janic Kennedy, Hampton Roads Whalers

Kennedy (‘04/Mission Viejo, Calif.) won one game and lost another in a shootout, albeit earning a shutout in that loss by making 31 saves in 65 minutes. All in all, he stopped 54 of 57 total shots for a .947 save percentage on the weekend to earn three points against the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes. For this season, Kennedy is 8-3-0-1 with a .943 save percentage

Florida Division

Zayn Haddon-Harris, Florida Eels

Haddon-Harris (‘04/Boca Raton, Fla.) was huge for the Eels during their run at the USPHL Fort Wayne Showcase, scoring four goals and five assists for nine points in four games. His biggest game was a 3-2-5 line against Decatur, and he’s improved to 18 points in 15 games, and 60 points in 55 career USPHL games.

Onrii Dalgity, Atlanta MadHatters

The second-year MadHatter Dalgity (‘04/Brisbane, Australia) registered a pair of goals – including a GWG – in his Nov. 10 game against the Bold City Battalion, giving him five goals for the season and a career-high nine points in 16 games.

Goaltender: Zen Janik, Atlanta MadHatters

Another second-year USPHL veteran, Janik (‘06/Kenosha, Wis.) was immense with making 43 saves on 46 shots on Nov. 10 against the Battalion, giving him his third victory of this season.

Selection Process: Divisional statistical leaders are presented to coaches, who are able to vote on the leaders, or nominate and vote on alternate candidates.

Summaries by Joshua Boyd

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