Stars of the Week

Central Star of the Week: Justin Bartley - Watertown Shamrocks

Central Division Star of the Week: Justin Bartley, Defenseman, Watertown Shamrocks

The 6-foot-3 captain from Chicago, Illinois, Justin Bartley skates to a six-point weekend for the Shamrocks at the annual NAHL Showcase. Bartley is a veteran defenseman of the Shamrocks, playing for the South Dakota-based team since its inception. His offensive performance on the ice started on Wednesday at the NAHL Showcase against the Wisconsin Windigo with a two-point night. He first showed up on the scoresheet with a tally as the power play was expiring for the Shamrocks in the second frame. His next point in the contest would come in helper fashion for Watertown in the third. Bartley carried the puck across the neutral zone into Watertown’s offensive zone to set up Kyle Greene’s goal.

Moving into Friday morning at the Super Rink, the 6-foot-3 blueliner recorded another multi-point contest for the Shamrocks. Bartley showed up in the opening frame on the scoresheet with a primary assist on Justin Obrochta’s second tally. He added another assist with less than a minute on the clock on Owen Chartier’s short-handed goal in the final frame.

The ‘06 defenseman finished out his NAHL Showcase with another two-point game, this time against the Corpus Christi IceRays on Saturday afternoon. Bartley scored on the power play through traffic in the second frame to give his team the 2-0 advantage heading into the third period. In the final period of regulation, the captain provided the setup once again for his team, registering another power-play point in the contest. Thanks to his help, Watertown swept the NAHL Showcase and returned to Watertown on a three-game heater.

In the three games played, Bartley produced six points for the Central Division club. He tallied two goals while recording four assists for the Shamrocks.

Head coach of the Shamrocks, Casey Kirley, shares more on Bartley’s impact on and off the ice.

“Justin has been both a great player and leader for us over the past three seasons. He uses his skating, poise with the puck, and defending abilities to make an impact on every game. He is also a leader both in the locker room and in the community. We are grateful to see Justin be rewarded for his efforts this past week and look forward to his continued success throughout the season.”

2nd Star: Brendan Espenell, D, Bismarck Bobcats

3rd Star: Mason Gudridge, G, Watertown Shamrocks

 

East Star of the Week: Dominic Pajkic - Northeast Generals

East Division Star of the Week: Dominic Pajkic, Defenseman, Northeast Generals

The ‘08 defenseman from St. Clair Shores, Michigan, Dominic Pajkic, played a huge role from the blue line and highlighted a six-point performance for the Generals at the NAHL Showcase. The Western Michigan commit got his week started with a Wednesday night battle against the Lone Star Brahmas. The 18-year-old lefty produced a primary assist on Jack Messick’s tally in the second period for the Generals.

His skating ability from the blue line continued into the remainder of the Showcase, specifically on Thursday afternoon with a three-point performance against the Kenai River Brown Bears. Pajkic notched his first assist on Emil Szepesi’s goal midway through the second frame. The ‘08 defenseman recorded his next point with a setup on Logan Poulin’s power-play goal at the start of the third frame. His final assist of the game would be in the final minutes of the game as he kept the puck out of Northeast’s defensive zone and went on to provide the assist on Matthew Lacombe’s tally in the contest. The Generals skate to a big 7-3 victory with the help of him on the ice.

In Pajkic’s final game of the weekend, the ‘08 lefty recorded a two-point game on Friday morning against the Houston Bulls. His first assist of the contest was in helper fashion for Logan Poulin’s first-period goal. His final point of the weekend would be in the final minute of the game, this time providing an assist on Braydon Hudtloff’s goal.

Pajkic skates away from the weekend with six assists across the three games for the Northeast Generals.

Head coach of the Generals, Bryan Erikson, describes the impact Pajkic has had for the team so far.

“Dom has been outstanding for us since day one. He was a big target for us this offseason and has not disappointed. His ability to move pucks is great, but his work on the d-side and his toughness have really stood out. It’s nice seeing that I have a younger d-man who can be trusted in all three zones. I am really excited to watch Dom’s continued development.”

2nd Star: Ben Varsa, G, Philadelphia Rebels

3rd Star: Evan Kensey, F, Johnstown Tomahawks

 

Midwest Star of the Week: Izaak Kalis - Fairbanks Ice Dogs

Midwest Division Star of the Week: Izaak Kalis, Goaltender, Fairbanks Ice Dogs

The State of Hockey netminder, Izaak Kalis, dominated the crease for the Ice Dogs in his two games played at the NAHL Showcase. His weekend started in a Wednesday night matchup against a longtime former foe, the Bismarck Bobcats. The 6-foot goaltender turned aside 26 out of 27 shots by the Bobcats while recording a .963 save percentage and 1.00 goals-against average for Fairbanks.

Moving into Saturday night, the ‘07 Little Falls, Minnesota native was perfect between the pipes and stopped all 47 shots by the USNTDP. Kalis posted his first shutout of the season for the Midwest Division club and helped to lift the Ice Dogs to a 4-0 victory. His work in net for Fairbanks was one of the many reasons why the Ice Dogs skated to a win over USNTDP.

For the weekend, the ‘07 Minnesota goaltender recorded two wins, notched a 0.50 goals-against average and a .986 save percentage. He turned aside a total of 73 out of 74 shots on net in his two games played.

Head coach of the Ice Dogs, Dakota Bell, shares more on why he is not surprised that Kalis is going home with accolades.

“Hearing that Izaak has been named Star of the Week for our division is no surprise, as he was extremely valuable to us at the showcase. He helped us secure two victories with phenomenal performances against really strong teams in Bismarck and Team USA 17s.”

Bell explains why Kalis has found success so quickly with Fairbanks.

“Izaak approaches the game with a smile on his face every day and loves playing the game. He’s always sure to mention his teammates and gives credit to them, so seeing him get recognized here is great. When Izaak is in the net, his teammates trust him, and that allows the five guys playing in front of him to be creative and play with confidence. We are lucky to have him, and we can’t wait to see what else he’s able to achieve with us this season as he chases his Division I commitment.”

2nd Star: Hans Hedlund, F, Janesville Jets

3rd Star: Karim Kazhibekov, F, Kenai River Brown Bears

 

Mountain Star of the Week: Joey Fankhanel - Billings Cattle Punchers

Mountain Division Star of the Week: Joey Fankhanel, Forward, Billings Cattle Punchers

The 6-foot-4 righty from the State of Hockey, Joey Fankhanel, dominated offensively on the ice for the Cattle Punchers and recorded a six-point week at the NAHL Showcase. His offensive ability kicks off on Wednesday against the Minnesota Mallards. The NAHL veteran showed up first on the scoresheet with a primary assist on Devon Winder’s tally midway through the opening frame. Fankhanel utilized his speed to help make the passing play to get Billings on the board first. Following his opening period performance, the Minnesota native goes top-shelf from the point in the second frame to regain Billings’ lead. He finished out his performance with one more tally in the final minute of the game to give the Cattle Punchers a decisive 4-2 victory.

Moving into Friday afternoon, the NAHL veteran sported a two-point performance in his team’s 5-3 win over the Oklahoma Warriors. Fankhanel was able to gain possession of the puck following a faceoff in the first frame. He would provide the setup to Landon Jamieson’s tally midway through the period. His skill in capitalizing off the faceoff continued into the third frame as the 6-foot-4 forward scored from the point while on the power play for the Cattle Punchers. He helped to lift his team to another victory at the Showcase.

To end his NAHL Showcase experience, on Saturday morning the Minnesota native recorded one more assist for his team, this time in power-play fashion on Devon Winder’s opening period tally. Fankhanel skated to a six-point performance and was a major contributor to his team’s success for the start of the year.

Head coach of the Cattle Punchers, Steve Haddon, explains how Fankhanel’s ability on and off the ice has been one of the reasons for Billings’ quick success.

“Joey has been a true professional since day one of camp. He has come in and been a leader by example. He’s putting in the work, and he’s definitely getting rewarded. He has been a big part of our team having a solid start to the season. I’m excited to see what he can accomplish this season.”

2nd Star: Jack Foy, G, Ogden Mustangs

3rd Star: Jonathon Pylypuik, F, Pueblo Peppers

 

South Star of the Week: Hugo Zetterlund - Lone Star Brahmas

South Division Star of the Week: Hugo Zetterlund, Forward, Lone Star Brahmas

The 5-foot-11 righty, Hugo Zetterlund, lit up the scoresheet night after night for the Lone Star Brahmas at the NAHL Showcase. Zetterlund’s offensive prowess kicked off on Wednesday afternoon against the Northeast Generals. The first-year Brahma showed up on the scoresheet with a primary assist on Leo Lundblad’s opening period tally. The Swede would then record another point for Lone Star with a helper on Dylan Chernoff’s late second-period goal. Zetterlund would light the lamp for the first time in the contest himself with a quick third-period goal to give the Brahmas the advantage once again in the tight contest with the Generals. As the matchup moved into overtime and an eventual shootout, the 5-foot-11 forward would be crucial in lifting the Brahmas to a shootout win. Zetterlund found twine in the third round of the shootout and helped to give the South Division club a 5-4 victory.

Moving into Friday night against the USNTDP, the first-year Brahma got the scoring started for Lone Star with a power-play tally midway through the second period. Zetterlund beat the Mason Martin short-side to give his team their first goal of the night. The Brahmas would eventually take the win in 3-0 fashion with the help of him on the ice.

On Saturday afternoon, the Brahmas took on the Janesville Jets in their final game of the NAHL Showcase. The 5-foot-11 skater scored with a little over eight minutes on the clock in the first period with a power-play one-timer for the Brahmas.

For his NAHL Showcase, Zetterlund spotlighted a three-goal and two-assist performance for the Lone Star Brahmas.

Head coach of the Brahmas, Dan Wildfong, states how big of an impact the Swedish skater was for Lone Star last week.

“We are super proud and happy for Hugo this past week. He has come to the United States and immediately found success in a different playing style. We are excited as he pursues his NCAA Division I aspirations.”

2nd Star: Mike Azzarone, F, Corpus Christi IceRays

3rd Star: Dimitri Tioumentsev, F, Lone Star Brahmas

Central Star of the Week: Maddox Malmquist - Bismarck Bobcats

Central Division Star of the Week: Maddox Malmquist, Forward, Bismarck Bobcats

The 5-foot-10 lefty, Maddox Malmquist, had a huge offensive debut in the League of Opportunity for the Bobcats. His offensive tear started on Friday night with two tallies in the opening frame for the Bobcats. His first goal was scored in short-handed breakaway fashion thanks to a feed by Will Harker less than two minutes into the contest. His second tally was notched on the man advantage and off a rebound in front of St. Cloud’s net with 2:01 left on the clock. The Bemidji State commit continued his scoring ways into the second frame with a one-timer on the power play for the Bobcats. In the span of the first 22 minutes of the matchup, Malmquist scored a hat trick for the Central Division club. The ‘08 forward’s night was not over on the scoresheet; Malmquist recorded one more point, this time providing the set-up for Harker’s tally in the second frame. The 5-foot-10 rounds out his debut game with Bismarck with a four-point night.

Moving into Saturday night, the Bemidji State commit continued his scoring ways on the power play for the North Dakota-based club. Malmquist gets the scoring started for the Bobcats in the first frame with a top-shelf tally on the man advantage. His second goal of the night would be the final marker of the night for Bismarck. With 7:16 left in the game, Malmquist lights the lamp with a backdoor power-play goal.

For the weekend, the ‘08 forward skated to a six-point performance for the Bobcats. He tallied five goals and an assist over the two-game set. The 5-foot-11 lefty was effective on special teams, scoring four of his goals on the power play and one tally short-handed. He ends his debut weekend with a +7 rating on the ice.

Head coach of the Bobcats, Garrett Roth, talks more about what impressed him from Malmquist’s performance.

“Our group had a nice start to the season, and Maddox was a huge factor in us getting two wins on the weekend. His goal-scoring and offensive ability were on full display, but he played with a ton of pace and energy to help lead our team in being hard to play against. Maddox was able to play in all three phases of the game for us, and we felt he was one of our best penalty killers, which added to the difference he was able to make in the games. It was a great start for him, his line, and our group. We are looking forward to him building on his performance heading into this week.”

2nd Star: Will Harker, F, Bismarck Bobcats

3rd Star: Kyle Sorensen, F, Austin Bruins

East Star of the Week: Matt Maglio - Elmira Aviators

East Division Star of the Week: Matt Maglio, Forward, Elmira Aviators

The 6-foot-3 righty from Ringwood, New Jersey, Matt Maglio, was an offensive force for the Aviators over the weekend. Starting on Friday night, the third-year veteran recorded five points in Elmira’s 7-5 victory over the New Hampshire Mountain Kings. Maglio got his night started with a power-play assist on Timofei Korober’s goal in the opening frame. He continued his night with another assist, this time in the middle frame with 25 seconds on the clock for Lucas Novak’s goal. Moving into the final period of the contest, the game would be tied 4-4 between the two East Division clubs. New Hampshire would take the lead with a power-play goal with a little over five minutes on the clock. With the help of Matt Maglio on the ice, Elmira was able to battle back with three straight goals in the last four minutes of the contest. His playmaking started with a power-play assist on Cruz Ferguson’s tally. He then set up Nico Pohjola’s power-play goal. To round out his night, he scored the final tally of the contest, marking his first of the season.

Moving into Saturday, the alternate captain lit the lamp on two occasions for the New York-based club. Maglio opened the scoring with an unassisted power-play tally in the first period. The third-year veteran would finish up his weekend with another power-play goal, this time in the third frame for the Aviators.

For the weekend, the ‘06 forward registered seven points, tallying three goals and four assists over the two-game series.

Head coach of the Aviators, Leeor Shtrom explains what he saw from the Elmira veteran.

“Matt had a big summer, came back stronger and faster. He’s hard to handle in between the dots. We are looking forward to seeing him continue to keep getting better.”

2nd Star: Nico Pohjola, F, Elmira Aviators

3rd Star: Vincent Glos, D, Maryland Black Bears

Midwest Star of the Week: Dean Andrews - Fairbanks Ice Dogs

Midwest Division Star of the Week: Dean Andrews, Defenseman, Fairbanks Ice Dogs

The ‘06 defenseman from Park Ridge, Illinois, Dean Andrews played a key offensive role from the blue line for the Midwest Division club. The third-year NAHL veteran got his weekend started on Friday night with a three-point performance. Andrews first showed up on the scoresheet with an assist on Ben Green’s tally in the opening frame. The Park Ridge, Illinois, native notched his next point of the night in power-play fashion. Andrews fired from the blue line in the second period, recording his first goal of the season for the Ice Dogs. His final point of the night against the Minnesota Mallards would come just seconds later in the middle frame as he provided the set-up to Dane Gatmaitan’s power-play goal.

Heading into Saturday night, the third-year veteran repeats his second-period performance, this time against the Janesville Jets. While the Ice Dogs were on the penalty kill, Ryan Shanahan was able to force a turnover of the puck in Fairbanks’ defensive zone. Andrews would then carry the puck across the neutral zone and score in breakaway fashion for the Ice Dogs. His ability to aid Fairbanks’ offensive efforts continued minutes later as he provided the primary assist on Dane Gatmaitan’s power-play tally in the middle frame. He skated to his second multi-point game for the Midwest Division club.

For the weekend, the 6-foot blueliner recorded five points for the Alaska-based club. He tallied two goals and recorded three assists for the Ice Dogs’ two-game set.

Head coach of the Ice Dogs, Dakota Bell, explains in detail what it means to see the Fairbanks veteran earn recognition for his work on the ice this past weekend.

“As one of our veteran players, it’s great to see Dean recognized on our first weekend of action for his performances. Dean put in a ton of work in the gym this offseason, and he’s come into camp from day one with a point to prove. Since we acquired him a couple of years ago, all he’s done is get better every day and continue to develop. Combine that with the experience and leadership he brings, and we have a pretty special player on our hands. Dean’s success this year will come from his skating, as he’s one of the most mobile defensemen in the NAHL. He plays in all situations for us and is someone we’ll lean on heavily as we prepare for the Showcase this coming week!”

2nd Star: Dane Gatmaitan, F, Fairbanks Ice Dogs

3rd Star: Ryan Lucarelli, F, Minnesota Mallards

Mountain Star of the Week: Nicolas Rempel - Billings Cattle Punchers

Mountain Division Star of the Week: Nicolas Rempel, Goaltender, Billings Cattle Punchers

The 6-foot-2 NAHL veteran, Nicolas Rempel, takes home the first Mountain Division weekly honor with back-to-back wins in the blue paint. On Friday night, the ‘06 netminder turned aside 34 out of 36 shots in the Cattle Punchers’ inaugural game as a team. The two goals scored on him in the contest were both power-play tallies by the Grand Junction River Hawks. Rempel skates away with a .944 save percentage in the Friday night opener. Moving into Saturday, the third-year NAHL goaltender topped his previous night’s performance with 41 saves in net, marking an NAHL career high for him. He posted a .953 save percentage from the contest while earning his second win of the season.  

For the weekend, Rempel turned aside 75 out of 79 shots for the Montana-based team. He recorded a 2.00 goals-against average and a .949 save percentage for the Mountain Division club.

Head coach of the Cattle Punchers, Steven Haddon, explains why Rempel was a key piece in their Cattle Punchers’ success over the weekend.

“Remps showed his experience and the value of what he brings to our team this weekend. That’s why we went out and acquired him. He brings all those elements you need in a starting goalie. He allowed our team to find ourselves. Being brand new, we had some rough moments this weekend, and he was there giving us time to reset and find our game.”

2nd Star: Evan Foiles, F, Billings Cattle Punchers

3rd Star: Dylan McFadyen, G, Idaho Falls Spud Kings

South Star of the Week: Jakob Hanlan - Oklahoma Warriors

South Division Star of the Week: Jakob Hanlan, Goaltender, Oklahoma Warriors

The 6-foot-1 netminder from Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, Jakob Hanlan spotlighted back-to-back dominating performances in the blue paint for the Oklahoma Warriors. Starting on Friday night, Hanlan turned aside 37 out of 39 shots in the Warriors’ 3-2 victory over the New Mexico Ice Wolves. He recorded a .949 save percentage from the opening night contest. Moving into Saturday night, the second-year NAHL veteran continued his dominance in the blue paint, this time stopping 33 out of 34 shots by the Ice Wolves. The ‘07 goaltender featured a .971 save percentage from the Saturday night affair.

Thanks to his work in the blue paint, Hanlan recorded a 1.50 goals-against average and a .959 save percentage for the Oklahoma-based club. He played a critical role in lifting his team to a weekend sweep over the Ice Wolves.

Head coach of the Warriors, Eric Ballard, shares more on the second-year veteran’s performance between the pipes.

“Hanlan was spectacular between the pipes for us all weekend long. He made saves that kept us moving forward and gave us the chances to win two big games. Extremely happy with his performance, to say the least.”

2nd Star: Oliver Czaja, F, Corpus Christi IceRays

3rd Star: Nikola Kharinov, F, Amarillo Wranglers

 

East Star of the Week: Logan Poulin - Northeast Generals

East Division Star of the Week: Logan Poulin, Forward, Northeast Generals

The King of Cape Cod strikes again, this time in the season opener for the Generals. Logan Poulin earns East Division Star of the Week honors after a three-point night Saturday against the Johnstown Tomahawks. The NAHL’s 2025-26 Rookie of the Year got his night started by recording a secondary assist on the Generals’ opening goal. The captain would add to the Generals’ lead with a power-play tally himself in the middle frame. To finish his three-point night, Poulin scored his second goal on the man advantage, this time in top-shelf fashion for the East Division club. The 5-foot-11 forward contributed to half of the goals in the Generals’ 6-3 victory.

Head coach of the Generals, Bryan Erikson, went into detail on how the second-year veteran played a key role in Northeast’s success this past weekend.

“Logan is a special person and player. Offensively, he picked up right where he left off. He is an elite goal-scorer. But as a Captain, I thought he did an amazing job keeping the boys focused on the next shift. He played hard in all three zones and set the standard for how we want to play shift after shift. I am really proud of Logan for how hard he works on his game. He just keeps getting better and better.”

2nd Star: Michael Iliff, G, Maryland Black Bears

3rd Star: Dominic Pajkic, D, Northeast Generals

Midwest Star of the Week: Jakeb Lynch - Minnesota Wilderness

Midwest Division Star of the Week: Jakeb Lynch, Forward, Minnesota Wilderness

The ‘07 forward from Nebraska, Jakeb Lynch, featured a dominant offensive performance on the ice this past weekend for the Wilderness. The Miami University commit registered six points for the Midwest Division club’s opening weekend. Lynch kicked off his 2026-27 campaign with a four-point performance on Friday night. His name showed up on the scoresheet early in the contest with a tip-in tally in the opening frame. Lynch would record his next point with a primary assist on Jackson Lackas’ power-play goal in the second period. His offensive edge would carry in the period with another tip-in tally for the Wilderness, to give his team the insurance marker. His final primary assist of the night came in the third frame for Kash Crawford’s goal. Lynch helped to lift his team in a big 10-5 victory over the Wisconsin Windigo.

Moving into Saturday, the 19-year-old continued his scoring ways with a two-goal night for the Midwest Division club. Lynch got his night started with a goal off a rebound from the Wisconsin netminder late in the first period. His second tally of the game was scored in top-shelf fashion for the Wilderness in the final period. He helped Minnesota secure the sweep with a big 7-2 win in game two against the Windigo.

Head coach of the Wilderness, Sam Graham, shares more on what it means to see Lynch earn the recognition.

“Lynchy is a special talent, and he showcased that this weekend. I am glad he’s getting the recognition he deserves, and I am confident this is the first of many.”

2nd Star: Nathan Mach, G, Janesville Jets

3rd Star: Kevin Lysohir, F, Minnesota Wilderness

 

South Star of the Week: Vincenzo Capano - Lone Star Brahmas

South Division Star of the Week: Vincenzo Capano, Forward, Lone Star Brahmas

The 6-foot forward from New Jersey, Vincenzo Capano, spotlighted a big seven-point weekend for the Brahmas. The Army-West Point commit kicked off his age-out season with a three-point performance for Lone Star on Friday night. Capano contributed on the scoresheet first with a primary assist on Nolan Wildfong’s tally in the first period. The captain would shortly go on to score the first goal of his 2026-27 campaign in a silky backdoor fashion for the Brahmas. His final point of the night would be registered in the opening frame when he provided the helper to Jackson Vaites’ goal.

Heading into Saturday night, the captain was critical in lifting the Brahmas to a 4-3 overtime win against the Amarillo Wranglers. The veteran skater contributed to every Lone Star goal in the contest. His first point was notched with a helper on Dylan Chernoff’s goal in the first period. His ability to set up a goal would continue into the second frame as he provided the primary assist on Jackson Vaites’ tally. As the contest moved into the third period, Capano took it into his own hands as he scored on the power play off a rebounded shot in front of Amarillo’s net less than a  minute into the final period of regulation. With the game tied, the matchup would be forced into overtime, and that is when the Army-West Point commit delivered for the Brahmas. With less than a minute left of the extra frame, Capano forced a turnover and went on to score a top-shelf goal for Lone Star. He secured the overtime win and a weekend sweep for the Brahmas.

Capano rounded out his weekend with three goals and four assists during the weekend set.

Head coach of the Brahmas, Dan Wildfong, shares more on the impact of Capano this past weekend.

“Vinny made another step in his development while carrying the team. He put the team on his back this past weekend. He is at another level and is playing college hockey in juniors right now.”

2nd Star: Cody Niesen, G, Odessa Jackalopes

3rd Star: William-Alexis Tremblay, F, Shreveport Mudbugs