NAHL announces monthly player awards for February
The North American Hockey League (NAHL) has announced its monthly player awards for the month of February. The Bauer Hockey NAHL Forward of the Month is Brett Chorske from the St. Cloud Norsemen. The Bauer Hockey NAHL Defenseman of the Month is Cullen Ferguson from the Aberdeen Wings. The Vaughn NAHL Goaltender of the Month is Josh Seeley from the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks. Only players who are nominated by their respective teams are considered for the NAHL monthly awards.
Bauer Hockey NAHL Forward of the Month: Brett Chorske, St. Cloud Norsemen
St. Cloud Norsemen forward Brett Chorske, 19, had quite the month of February and his results are quickly earning him the moniker of ‘Mr. Clutch.’ The 6’6/195 lbs. native of Edina, MN, posted 10 points (5 goals, 5 assists) and was a +2 in 10 games during February. Of the five goals that Chorske scored during the month of February, three of those were game-winners and all three of those game-winners came in overtime. Chorske had at least a point in eight of the 10 games played during the month and on February 10th he made his commitment to play NCAA Division I hockey for Colorado College. Chorske currently leads the Norsemen in scoring this season with 15 points in 22 games. “Brett has obviously been a big part of our offense. I believe his recent NCAA Division I commitment to Colorado College has helped him relax and play a more confident game, and that showed this past month,” said St. Cloud head coach Corey Millen.
“I’m fortunate to be in the situation that is close to home and I am very comfortable in. I think in regard to the overtime winners last month, I am happy to be on the ice and trying to make a difference. It is all about time and space and trying to get open for a chance on goal. I finally feel like there is some chemistry with our team. When the whole group is going and playing well, you definitely find individual success, which is what happened in February,” said Chorske. “Once I made the commitment decision last month to Colorado College it lifted some stress, and I was able to settle in and play my game. Right now, we are just trying to gain some momentum, win as many games as we can, and make the playoffs. I’m excited to play NCAA hockey next season, get an education, try and win an NCAA title. After that would like to play hockey professionally.”
Runner-Up: Ryan Taylor, Bismarck Bobcats
Honorable Mention (alphabetical): Andrew DeCarlo, Lone Star Brahmas – Braiden Dorfman, Shreveport Mudbugs - Isaiah Fox, Maine Nordiques – Peter Jacobs, Austin Bruins - Luc Laylin, Minnesota Magicians – Cade Lemmer, Wichita Falls Warriors – Bret Link, Fairbanks Ice Dogs – Will Margel, Johnstown Tomahawks - Payton Matsui, Aberdeen Wings – Shane Murphy, Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks – Jack Musa, Odessa Jackalopes – Charlie Schoen, Janesville Jets – Jack Suede, New Jersey Titans – Jere Vaisanen, Amarillo Bulls – Ethan Wolthers, Minnesota Wilderness
Bauer Hockey NAHL Defenseman of the Month: Cullen Ferguson, Aberdeen Wings
Aberdeen Wings defenseman and Union College commit Cullen Ferguson, 20, settled into his new role with the Wings in February. The 6’0/180 lbs. native of Billbrook, ON, played in seven games during the month and posted eight points (3 goals, 5 assists) and was also a +7. Two of Ferguson’s three goals during the month were game-winners for the Wings, who lead the NAHL with a 29-1-1 record. He also had two multi-point games and recorded at least a point in seven of the eight games played in Feburary. Since joining the Wings in January, Ferguson has nine points in 12 games played. “Cullen has been a tremendous addition. He competes every shift of every game. When he arrived, Cullen was an instant leader from the time he walked in our locker room. His consistent play adds a great amount of depth to our blue line,” said Wings head coach Scott Langer.
“I am really happy with the way the team has played. There is a lot of great players and chemistry in the lockerroom, so I am excited for the remainder of the season and the playoffs. The NAHL has a great brand of hockey and there is a lot of talent. The style of play in the league is aggressive and based on taking away time and space, so I have had to adapt to that, and it really puts the focus on being solid as a team at both ends of the ice,” said Ferguson. “My goals haven’t changed much since making my NCAA commitment. I’m here to win a National Championship with the Wings. I want to put personal accolades aside. All I care about right now is getting better and helping the team win and be successful.”
Runner-Up: Luke Gramer, Bismarck Bobcats
Honorable Mention (alphabetical): Nolan Barrett, Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks – Mitchell Digby, Lone Star Brahmas – Grant Docter, Minnesota Wilderness – Karl Falk, Minnesota Magicians – Marcus Frantz, Wichita Falls Warriors – Andrew Garby, Fairbanks Ice Dogs – Greg Japchen, Amarillo Bulls – Brendan Kim, St. Cloud Norsemen – Travis Shoudy, Austin Bruins - Casper Soderling, Maine Nordiques
Vaughn NAHL Goaltender of the Month: Josh Seeley, Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks
Danbury goaltender Josh Seeley, 19, put up some impressive numbers in February and definitely faced his fair share of shots. The 6’4/200 lbs. native of Trenton, MI, appeared in seven games during the month, totaling 403 minutes and posted a 4-1-1 record. Seeley faced a total of 235 shots and allowed just 12 goals, making 222 saves, which was good for a .945 save percentage and a 1.94 goals against average in February. He faced over 33 shots per game during the month and only gave up more than two goals just once. His .931 save percentage currently is tied for 2nd among all NAHL goaltenders. “Since Day 1 at training camp, Josh has been fantastic for our club. He is 100% committed to improving his game and has really found his stride this month, as his numbers speak for themselves. One thing that doesn’t go unnoticed in our room is the fact that Josh is dedicated to being the best teammate he can possibly be. His character, on and off the ice, provides our team with leadership and the confidence to know that when we do break down, the guy behind us will always have our backs,” said Matt Voity, Jr. Hat Tricks Goalie Coach.
“It was nice to get back to playing hockey and February felt about as normal as it has been all year. This season has been a great experience and I thank God and am blessed to be playing in the NAHL this season in Danbury,” said Seeley. “I like games that do have a lot of shots because it allows me to stay dialed in. The guys have played really well in front of me, so I consider this more of a team award than anything. For the rest of this season, I think I can keep working hard to take my game to another level and try and help Danbury win a Robertson Cup. I have been through some adversity and they took a chance of me, so I would like to reward our fans and my teammates. After playing junior hockey, I would like to play NCAA Division I hockey and hopefully play professional hockey.”
Runner-Up: Jake Sibell, Aberdeen Wings
Honorable Mention (alphabetical): Owen Bartoszkiewicz, Wichita Falls Warriors – Andy Beran, Minnesota Magicians - Guy Blessing, Lone Star Brahmas – Sam Evola, Johnstown Tomahawks – Kayden Hargraves, Fairbanks Ice Dogs – Kaleb Johnson, Minnesota Wilderness – Tyriq Outen, Maine Nordiques – Arseni Sergeyev, Shreveport Mudbugs – Christian Stoever, New Jersey Titans – Andrew Takacs, Amarillo Bulls
