Forwards
Kayden Suy, Potomac Patriots
A second-year USPHL veteran, Suy (‘05/Gainesville, Va.) was especially generous in terms of passing out 14 assists in eight games for 14 points last month, an average of 1.75 points per game. This season, Suy has put up 33 points and he has 47 points in 57 games. He entered 2025 on a six-game, 14-point scoring streak.
Braylen Cox, Potomac Patriots
Cox (‘05/Nashville, Tenn.) registered a 6-5-11 line during his eight games of December, pushing him to 38 points in 30 games in his third USPHL season, accounting for much of his 64 points in 107 career games.
Zachary Rich, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes
Rich (‘05/Omaha, Neb.) put up a strong performance of four goals and six assists for 10 points in the final month of 2024. He scored points in all but one December game and kept up a scoring streak through the first weekend of 2025 that is now at 12 points in his last nine games.
Forward Honorable Mention: Viktor Pettersson, Charlotte Rush
Defense
Nikolai Shevchenko, Potomac Patriots
Shevchenko (‘07/Kaliningrad, Russia) put up four goals and added three assists for seven points, averaging 1.17 points per game in December. This included a four-game, six-point scoring streak to end 2024 which he’ll hope to resume in 2025.
Rafe Armstrong, Potomac Patriots
Armstrong (‘07/Long Beach, Calif.) put up three goals and three assists for six points for 0.75 points per game average – and half of his 12 total points – in December.
Defense Honorable Mention: Colin Browning, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes
Goaltender
Owen Nasholds, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes
Nasholds (‘07/Raleigh, N.C.) went 3-1-0-0 in December, with the three wins coming all in a row and starting what is currently a five-game winning streak after the USPHL Tampa Showcase. He has recorded four straight shutouts, as well. Nasholds is now the No. 1 active Elite player in goals against average at 1.43 and save percentage at .941.
Goaltender Honorable Mention: Janic Kennedy, Hampton Roads Whalers
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 finalists to the coaches, who are able to vote on further changes if desired.
Summaries by Joshua Boyd
