Florida Division
Forward: Yiorgios Bikakis, Florida Eels
Bikakis (‘06/Tampa, Fla.) enjoyed a great first weekend in his second season with the Eels. He put up a goal and added three assists as the Eels secured the sweep of Atlanta. He shares the points lead in the Elite after the first weekend with Charlotte’s Viktor Pettersson.
Defense: Onrii Dalgity, Atlanta MadHatters
Returning MadHatters blueliner Dalgity (‘04/Brisbane, Australia) equaled his 2023-24 points posted over 22 games with his first weekend of this year. He is the only Elite defenseman with two goals so far, including his second that gave the MadHatters a temporary 4-3 lead in Sunday’s game against the Florida Eels.
Goaltender: Ethan Rotante, Florida Eels
Rotante (‘06/Wall Township, N.J.) stopped all 32 shots he faced from the Atlanta MadHatters to get the Eels off to a 1-0 start on Saturday. Fun fact: Rotante was a four-year Wall High School teammate of this week’s USPHL Premier Atlantic Defenseman Of The Week Carter Jolly.
Southeast Division
Forward: Viktor Pettersson, Charlotte Rush
Pettersson (‘05/Sundsvall, Sweden) got into eight Elite games with the Rush last year coming over later from Sweden. From the start of this second season, he’s jumped out to a quick tie for the points lead with four assists in a split weekend against the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes.
Defense: Cooper Thomas, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes
Thomas (‘07/Apex, N.C.) put up a pair of assists in his Elite debut after a longtime youth and Midget career for the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes. He assisted on Keoni Bolte’s goal, which was the first of the Elite season, on Friday. He also assisted on Liam Geyer’s goal scored 19 seconds into Saturday’s 3-1 loss to Charlotte.
Nick Kremnitser, Hampton Roads Whalers
Kremnitser (‘06/San Mateo, Calif.) played briefly in the USPHL Elite Conference last season, but he really started off this second campaign with a splash, making 29 saves in a shutout victory over Potomac on Sunday.
Atlantic Division
Forward: Kurt Smock, P.A.L. Jr. Islanders
Smock (‘06/York, Pa.) joined the Jr. Islanders with a great track record in youth and Midget in the Atlantic Hockey Federation and Tier 1 Hockey Federation. In Saturday’s season opener for P.A.L., he scored two straight goals, including the game-winner, against the Rockets Hockey Club.
Defense: Anthony De Simone, Rockets Hockey Club
De Simone (‘04/Staten Island, N.Y.) comes out of the same deep Staten Island community that has yielded past All-Star Rockets like the Elite’s all-time leading scorer John Crowdell and single season record-holder Jace Lombardo. De Simone put up his first Elite goal and added an assist in the season-opener.
Goaltender: Jonathan Hager, Jersey Hitmen
Hager (‘05/Rochelle Park, N.J.) started the campaign with one of his best performances of his two-year career. He stopped 46 of 47 shots in a 3-1 victory against the P.A.L. Jr. Islanders. Hager joined last year out of the Paramus Catholic High School.
