NAHL Announces Bauer Hockey Stars of the Week

The North American Hockey League (NAHL) announced today the Bauer Hockey Divisional Stars of the Week for the week ending December 21, 2025. Only players that are nominated by their respective teams are considered for the Divisional Player of the Week awards.

Central Division Star of the Week: EJ Paddington, Forward, Austin Bruins

A second-year skater for the Bruins, EJ Paddington played a crucial role in the Bruins’ success on the road against the Aberdeen Wings. The 6-foot-4 lefty kicked off his weekend with a three-point performance on Friday night. Paddington helped Austin battle from behind in the second frame of the game. Heading into the middle period, the Bruins were down 2-1. The Thunder Bay, Ontario native first secured a primary assist on Alex Perrault’s tally at the 19:03 minute mark. Paddington would then secure a power-play assist less than three minutes later on Gavin Hruza’s goal. Midway through the frame, the second-year veteran would find twine, now giving Austin the 4-2 lead. His ability to change the momentum of the game helped his team secure the 5-2 victory over the Wings.

Moving into Saturday night, the ‘05 skater would notch his fifth two-goal performance in his NAHL career. His first tally came five minutes into the contest on a breakaway from the blue line. Paddington would score his second goal of the contest midway through the second period. The 6-foot-4 skater scored off the face-off to give Austin the 3-1 lead heading into the final period.

His offensive production helped the Bruins secure a weekend sweep over the Wings while securing his team the number one spot in the Central Division standings. For the weekend, Paddington spotlighted a five-point performance, tallying three goals and two assists. On his roster, Paddington is tied for second with 16 goals and fourth overall with 32 points on the year.

Head coach of the Bruins, Steve Howard, explains what he has seen from Paddington this season.

“Our organization could not be happier for EJ earning this honor! He continues to show up on the scoresheet and plays the game the right way. He is a power forward who works hard on and off the ice.”

2nd Star: Fuji Suzuki, F, North Iowa Bulls

3rd Star: Dane Callaway, G, Bismarck Bobcats

 

East Division Star of the Week: Sam Schulte, Defenseman, Rochester Jr. Americans

Making an impact in his debut weekend as a Jr. American, Sam Schulte spotlighted career-high numbers in his first two games with Rochester. Kicking things off on Friday night, the Minnesota native lit the lamp first with a tally while skating in from the blue line. He would continue to be an offensive catalyst with three assists in the contest. The ‘07 blueliner first provided the primary assist on Colin Dustin’s shorthanded goal at the 3:40 minute mark in the opening frame. He would then provide the assists on Owen King’s power-play goal and then Corson Maguire’s goal in the final three minutes of the game. That lone game marked his first four-point contest in his NAHL career.

Heading into game two on Saturday night, Schulte would strike first once again, almost at the same minute mark from the first game. The 6-foot-1 blueliner would find the back of the net at the 8:28 minute mark after scoring the night before at the 8:27 minute mark. His offensive prowess would continue in the contest. He provided a power-play assist on Adam Gionta’s goal less than a minute after his own tally. Schulte would notch his second power-play assist of the night on Owen King’s goal in the final frame.

The Army West Point commit secured a seven-point weekend in his debut as a Jr. American. He scored two goals while making five assists for Rochester.

Head coach of the Jr. Americans, Francois Methot, shares more on what he has seen from Schulte in a short amount of time.

“Sam was acquired midweek and made sure to arrive on time for our weekend games. We realized very quickly that he is a special talent. He quickly adapted to our style of play and contributed significantly to both wins against a strong, well-coached Danbury team. We are looking forward to starting to work with him and making him college-ready.”

2nd Star: Skogen Schrott, F, New Jersey Titans

3rd Star: Damon Myers, F, Maine Nordiques

 

Midwest Division Star of the Week: Sammy Doyon-Cataquiz, Goaltender, Springfield Jr. Blues

Hailing from Falls Church, Virginia, Sammy Doyon-Cataquiz has made his mark as a dominant goaltender with his work between the pipes. The 6-foot-2 netminder kicked off his weekend series on Thursday night against the Anchorage Wolverines. The contest started with the Wolverines taking the lead first; however, the Jr. Blues struck back and added insurance in the third period. Springfield would skate away with a 5-2 win. Between the pipes, Doyon-Cataquiz stopped 29 out of 31 shots on net, extending his win streak to four straight games. Heading into Friday night, the Quinnipiac commit had a lights-out performance while notching his first shutout. Doyon-Cataquiz turned away all 35 shots, helping to lift his team to a 3-0 victory. Saturday night, the 18-year-old replicated his performance in the blue paint. He stopped all 35 shots, earning his second shutout in his career in back-to-back fashion.

Doyon-Cataquiz continues to dominate for the Jr. Blues, spotlighting six consecutive wins, not losing once while between the pipes. Over the weekend, he spotlights a .067 goals-against average over the three games and a .980 save percentage. He faced a total of 101 shots over the series, stopping 99 of them.

Head coach of the Jr. Blues, Todd Pococke, explains what he has seen from the goalie in his short time with Springfield.

“Sammy has come in and been a rock for us right away. His competitive level is extremely high at all times. He makes the right saves but also makes the big saves when he needs to. We’re very proud of him, and his back-to-back shutouts were well earned.”

2nd Star: Oliver Barna, F, Fairbanks Ice Dogs

3rd Star: Kyle Rohrer, F, Fairbanks Ice Dogs

 

South Division Star of the Week: Leo Gabriel, Goaltender, Lone Star Brahmas

The 18-year-old hailing from the State of Hockey, Leo Gabriel showcased his dominant work in the blue paint and secured his first weekend sweep in the blue paint. The 6-foot netminder started his weekend on Friday night at George’s Pond against the Shreveport Mudbugs. Through the first frame, Gabriel stopped all eight shots on net. Midway through the second frame, the 18-year-old allowed one lone goal and never looked back. He spotlighted an 18-save performance, helping his team to a 4-1 victory on the road. Moving into Saturday night, it was a battle in the blue paint as both teams traded chances. With the first and second period scoreless, it was shaping out to be an exciting third period. Gabriel was able to stop all 25 shots on net, securing the first shutout of his NAHL career. The Brahmas skated away with a tight 1-0 victory thanks to Gabriel’s ability between the pipes.

The first-year netminder only allowed one goal between the two games. He spotlights a 0.50 goals-against average and a .978 save percentage between the two games. On the season, Gabriel has not lost in net during regulation and has not allowed more than two goals in any game this season.

Head coach of the Brahmas, Dan Wildfong, dives into detail on Gabriel’s work this past weekend.

“Leo had an unbelievable weekend. He was playing his best hockey and had stepped up on all marks. He featured great rebound control while having a consistent game. The Brahmas would not have won the series without him.”

2nd Star: Sean Gibbons, F, New Mexico Ice Wolves

3rd Star: Billy Stuski, G, Oklahoma Warriors