Forwards
Brendan Birmingham, Springfield Pics
Birmingham (‘04/Ellington, Conn.) put up eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points over the course of just nine games, good for a 2.44 points per game average. Birmingham has more than doubled his 2023-24 output with 54 points in 37 games for this season. He is on an active 14-game point streak, with 34 points in that stretch.
Ryan Netkovick, Springfield Pics
Netkovick (‘07/South Hadley, Mass.) is, like his teammate Birmingham, on a massive point streak. In the last 12 games, he has 8-17-25. Part of that is the 4-12-16 line he had in his nine January games. Netkovick is a true homegrown product, progressing from the Pics’ 15U and 16U teams in the Tier 1 Hockey Federation up to the Elite team. He has 37 points in 37 games for the season.
Chase Darcey, South Shore Kings
With games that saw him score four and three goals in January, Darcey (‘06/Billerica, Mass.) may have worn out his welcome in the Elite. After all, he’s already posted seven points in his first five USPHL Premier games with the Kings, all in January. During the month of January, he posted 11 goals and added three assists for 14 points in just seven Elite games and is now a goal-per-game player through 36 games. He has 49 points on the season.
Honorable Mention: Nicholas Posthumus, Islanders Hockey Club
Defense
Gavin O’Keefe, Islanders Hockey Club
O’Keefe (‘05/Reading, Mass.) put up 12 points off four goals and eight assists in 12 games in a very busy month for the blueliner. He pushed his season total to 36 points in 39 games.
Robert Ritter, Northern Cyclones
Ritter (‘06/East Baldwin, Maine) put up a goal and nine assists for 10 points in 10 games. He has 26 points in 38 games on the season.
Honorable Mention: Matteo Johnson, Northern Cyclones
Goaltender
Cole Kelly, Islanders Hockey Club
Kelly (‘05/Binghamton, N.Y.) completed an 11-game winning streak to close January, and he went 5-0 during that month alone. He made 149 saves on 159 shots for a .937 save percentage and a 1.97 GAA. He is 14-4-0-0 overall and he has a .913 save percentage.
Honorable Mention: Gavin Carpenter, Springfield Pics
Selection Process: The division’s coaches are presented with a ballot form with statistical leaders (ranked by points per game average for skaters and save percentage for goaltenders) and vote on that form. The league takes the results of that vote and presents the coaches with the finalists, who are able to vote on further changes if desired.
Summaries by Joshua Boyd
