Week of Dec. 23
Games played Dec. 17-22
Southeast Division
Forward: Matvei Naumov, Potomac Patriots
Naumov (‘04/Ufa, Russia) helped the Potomac Patriots go 3-1 this week at the USPHL Florida College Showcase, registering 10 points across three goals and seven assists, including the game-winning goal on Dec. 22. In his third season with the Premier, Naumov has 88 career games across 75 games, with three game-winning goals to his name.
Defense: Cooper James, Potomac Patriots
In his second consecutive Player of the Week nomination, James (‘04/Huntington, Calif.) scored one goal and posted four assists across four games with the Patriots this week. The blueliner is on a four-game points streak, adding to his career tally of 28. This is his third season with the Patriots, with 53 games played in his Premier career.
Goaltender: Timo Johner, Hampton Roads Whalers
Johner (‘05/Brutter, Switzerland) went 2-0 for the Whalers in Estero, Fla., this week, making 60 saves on 64 shots for a .938 save percentage. He is 9-3-0-1 in his first Premier season with a .921 save percentage.
Florida Division
Forward: Bryson Walz, Bold City Battalion
Walz (‘06/Rockford, Ill.) posted 14 points over five games this week for the Bold City Battalion, with six goals and eight assists, to continue his seven-game points streak throughout December and become the Battalion’s scoring leader this season with 43 total points. Walz has 88 career points across two seasons, approaching his centennial point with 67 games played.
Defense: Mitchell Berens, Bold City Battalion
On the Battalion’s defensive side, Berens (‘04/Plainfield, Ill.) registered two goals and seven assists as the highest-scoring defenseman for the franchise and third-highest scoring leader overall for the Battalion this season. In his first Premier season, Berens has 27 points across 25 games.
Goaltender: Russ Decoste, Florida Eels
Decoste (‘05/Enfield, Canada) went 3-0 this week, including a 33-save shutout. Making 88 saves on 93 shots, Decoste posted a .946 save percentage and 1.64 goals against average over the three games. This is his second shutout of the season, and he is 9-2-0-1 with a .940 season save percentage. He is the fifth-best-performing goaltender in the Premier League this season.
Selection Process: Divisional statistical leaders are presented to coaches, who are able to vote on the leaders, or nominate and vote on alternate candidates.
Summaries by Joshua Boyd
