Selection Process: The league media office sends top statistical candidates to divisional coaches for review and coaches either approve or challenge the nominations.
By Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com
Forward: Josh Bruno, Northern Cyclones
During the month of January, Bruno (‘04/Glendora, Calif.) put up 11 goals and eight assists for 19 points. In so doing, he also made Cyclones history to hit the 110-point mark for his career and become the all-time leading scorer in Cyclones Elite history. His 19 points are just part of the 42 points he’s posted for this season over the 24 games he’s played. Bruno first started playing for the Cyclones in 2021-22 with their USPHL 18U team, where four other of his current teammates also played alongside Bruno that year.
Forward: Bogdan Guntypov, Islanders Hockey Club
Guntypov (‘06/Astana, Kazakhstan) got his team fired up all month by posting six goals and adding 11 assists for 17 points over eight games. Guntypov has jumped into the scoring lead for the IHC, who have been USPHL Nationals the last few seasons, and they’re hoping to make it back to Utica again this year. He has 48 points in 35 games, and he also got his first USPHL Premier call-up on Jan. 25.
Forward: Eamon Navin, Islanders Hockey Club
The ‘06 out of San Francisco, Calif., has been a great find for the Islanders. He joined the IHC out of the Golden State Eagles, a Tier II Nationals competitor last season, and recently provided a 2-13-15 line in eight January games as a rookie junior player. That also pulled him up to just shy of a point per game average for the season, as he has registered 35 points in 36 games so far. He is joined on the IHC by fellow former Golden State Eagle Luca Tartaglia.
Defense: Matthew Taylor, Northern Cyclones
Taylor (‘05/Wake Forest, N.C.) has been a regular on this list, as he never stops contributing on both ends for the Cyclones. Taylor has helped the Cyclones average just 2.00 goals against per game and 24.00 shots against per game, both good for second in the league among full-season teams. He also posted eight assists in eight games and lifted his season total to 40 points in 32 games. Like Bruno, he is another player who came up from the 18U Cyclones of 2022-23.
Defense: James Delaney, Springfield Pics
Delaney (‘05/Palmer, Mass.) is a lifelong Pic who just keeps developing in the right direction. Recently, he put up two goals and three assists for five points and he’s also the leading scorer among Pics defensemen with 19 points in 21 games. Delaney started out in the USPHL at the 15U level of the Springfield Pics, and then he went on to win the USPHL 16U American championship in 2020-21.
Goaltender: Jack Munini, Islanders Hockey Club
Munini (‘05/Reading, Mass.) joined the IHC out of Team Maryland and has been terrific in net, with a 4-1-0-0 record during January. He stopped 139 of 149 shots over 300 minutes of action for a .933 save percentage and a 2.00 GAA. He put up a shutout to start the month on Jan. 7 against the Boston Junior Bruins. He is 6-3-0-0 for the season with a .919 save percentage.
