Junior Hockey’s Rising Stars - Feb. 16th - Feb. 22nd, 2026
WRITTEN BY JOSHUA BOYD
Each week, check back with The Dan K Show as Joshua Boyd breaks down the past week's top performances from 2007 and younger U.S. junior players (2008 and younger for USPHL Elite and EHL Premier). All statistics are taken from league sites; if there are any statistical errors, please contact the league in question. We are also now monitoring top performances by 2026 NHL Draft prospects, based on NHL Central Scouting rankings.
Games of Feb. 16-22
Top 3 USHL Players In NHL Mid-Term Rankings (NA Ranking)
1. Jack Hextall, Youngstown Phantoms, 2GP-2G-3A-5PTS (33rd)
2. Landon Hafele, Green Bay Gamblers, 3GP-3G-1A-4PTS (48th)
3. Evan Jardine, Youngstown Phantoms, 2GP-1G-2A-3PTS (155th)
G - Tobias Trejbal, Youngstown Phantoms, 16 saves on 17 shots, .964 save %, W (3rd-G)
USHL
Michigan State University have an exciting future - and more than likely an NHL team will in the more distant future - with the addition of Jack Hextall '08. Hextall's recent run of five points (2-3-5) between Feb. 20-21 saw him double his goals total of 2024-25 with 17 this year, after scoring eight last year. His 49 points on the season also put him into a tie for ninth in USHL scoring - the only 2008-born player in the Top 10. His four-point game on Feb. 21 was a two-year career high. Hextall, ranked 33rd among North American Skaters for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, joined Youngstown following his 2024 USA Hockey Tier I 15U Nationals Championship with the Chicago Mission.
While Hextall is a good bet to see a draft selection this summer, it won't be before the summer of 2027 when Sioux Falls defenseman Jake Prunty '09 can become an NHL prospect. He surely is on the map already, considering he's the highest-scoring 2009-born player in the USHL, and a blueliner to boot. The University of Massachusetts recruit registered a goal and four assists for five points Feb. 20-21 to improve to a 1.00 points per game average with 31 points in 31 games. That leads all USHL defensemen, and his points total is seventh. Prunty was selected in the sixth round (87th overall) of the 2025 USHL Phase I Draft. He previously played with the Rockets Hockey Club, including at the 16U level earlier this season.
Another defensemen earning a mention is Phantoms blueliner Carter Murphy '07. Murphy is ranked fourth in USHL defenseman scoring with 34 points in 49 games. On Feb. 21, Murphy registered a season-and-career-best four points, all assists. Originally making a three-game debut in 2023-24, Murphy now has 107 regular season games under his belt, and he's scored 47 points in that space. Murphy, a Minnesota-Duluth recruit, was selected in the 2023 USHL Phase I Draft (fourth round, 47th overall) out of the Dallas Stars Elite program.
For the Tri-City Storm, goaltender Owen Nelson '07 has pushed his season-and career-best winning streak to five games, including a Feb. 21 shutout of 21 saves on 21 shots. Nelson improved to a goals against average of 2.79 and a save percentage of .905, both of which put him into the Top 10. He has an 8-8-1-0 record, since joining this year from Team Wisconsin.
NAHL
It continues to be a huge rookie season for the Bismarck Bobcats' Camden Alemond '08, whose three points in two games (2-1-3) for Feb. 20-21 gave him 43 points in 41 games. He is the highest-scoring 2008-born player in the NAHL this season. On Feb. 21, he earned his first two-goal game in his young junior career. The Bobcats signed Alemond from the St. Louis Blues AAA program.
His Bobcats teammate Mark Evans '07 also had a three-point weekend, all in one Feb. 20 game. It was his fifth such performance of the year, and pushed him to 37 points in 43 games. Along with his time in the NAHL, the Robert Morris University recruit also played in two USHL games with the Dubuque Fighting Saints, earning his first assist at that level in December. He joined from the prestigious Pittsburgh Penguins Elite AAA organization.
Like Alemond, Patrik Ula '09 is the top scorer for his birth year in the NAHL. Playing for the Danbury Hat Tricks, he recently earned three points (1-2-3) over Feb. 20-21, improving to 17 points in 19 games. A University of Vermont recruit, Ula started the season with the North Jersey Avalanche AAA team. He was selected in both the 2025 NAHL Draft and the 2025 OHL Priority Selection by the Hat Tricks and Sudbury Wolves, respectively. Ula played in four December games for the Wolves.
Ethan Phillips '07 put up a strong performance on Feb. 20, stopping 29 of 30 shots he faced in a close loss. Phillips has earned three wins since joining the Shreveport Mudbugs as he prepares for an NCAA career with Providence College. Phillips is a second-year NAHL veteran who originally joined the league from the Bishop Kearney Selects organization.
NCDC
Charles Martel '07 enjoyed a productive run of six points in three games between Feb. 19-21 for Universel Quebec. Martel moved up to second on the Universel leaderboard with 40 points in 49 games, joining the NCDC team after a powerful 2024-25 season with Universel Sherbrooke in the USPHL Premier Conference.
For the defending Dineen Cup Champion Idaho Falls Spud Kings, Thomas Harnett '07 produced a season-and career-best four points (2-2-4) on Feb. 20. He also earned an assist one night earlier for five points in two games, giving him 27 points in 42 total games. Harnett joined Idaho Falls from the Connecticut Jr. Rangers in November. The Jr. Rangers selected him in the second round of the 2025 NAHL Draft (36th overall) from the Elite Hockey Academy AAA program.
We've highlighted Mathew Bolduc '07 and why wouldn't we? The Boston Junior Bruins defenseman is the highest-scoring 2007-born blueliner in the NCDC, recently earning three assists Feb. 16 and 21 to lift him to 24 points in 48 games. Bolduc joined the Junior Bruins from Mount St. Charles Academy.
Northern Cyclones goaltender Giulio Torriero '07 improved to a 4-0 record after two very busy outings over the past week. On Feb. 19, he stopped 30 of 32 shots and then followed that up with stopping 39 of 40 shots on Feb. 22. That is 69 of 72 for the weekend, both wins, to give him an unblemished record since joining the Cyclones in late January. Torriero was a Pittsburgh Penguins Elite teammate of Mark Evans, playing in three USA Hockey Nationals together.
EHL
The EHL's youngest stars remain as they have been throughout the year as familiar names continue to receive our compliments. HC Rhode Island's Aiden Forcier '07 stands at third overall in the league with 30 goals and 63 points in 33 games. He has been Mr. Consistent this year - it hasn't been through massive individual performances, it's been a constant flow. It's telling that he scored just his second hat trick of the season on Feb. 21 and yet he remains one of the most productive players in the league overall.
On defense, Forcier's HC Rhode Island defenseman Jack Fraser '07 leads all EHL blueliners with 35 points in 36 games. Since Feb. 13, he has produced two points in three of his last four games, including on Feb. 21. Fraser previously played with Norwich Hockey Academy's AAA program.
In net, it's been Lewis Brocklehurst '07 week after week performing his best, win or lose, for the Philadelphia Little Flyers. Recently, he stopped 55 of 59 shots in a close loss, his first defeat in six starts. Brocklehurst leads the EHL in save percentage with a .945 mark, and he is in the Top 10 with a goals against average of 2.12. Brocklehurst is a product of Bridgton Academy in Maine.
USPHL Premier
Brett Holman '07 has been on a tear recently, lifting to the 50-point mark thanks to a 17-point February thus far for the league-leading (and defending National Champion) Vernal Oilers. Between Feb. 20-21, he scored a 1-5-6 line in just two games. Holman joined the Oilers from two seasons with the Idaho Jr. Steelheads, who made deep drives in two straight USA Hockey Tier II National Tournaments.
Speaking of fantastic scoring streaks averaging better than two points per game, we present the Ontario Jr. Reign's Walker Chitwood '07. In the last six games, he has produced 14 points, including a line of 3-2-5 over Feb. 21-22. Chitwood also goes into his next game with a five-game goal streak, scoring six over each game since Feb. 13. Chitwood has improved to 52 points in 42 games in his first USPHL season after joining from the Prairie Junior Hockey League's Carrot River Outback Thunder in his native Saskatchewan.
Evan Jacob '07 is the top-scoring 2007-born defenseman in the Premier, racking up 38 points in 37 games for the Rockets Hockey Club. Jacob is a homegrown product for the RHC, having played in their 18U program last season, in addition to playing for Hopewell Valley High School in Pennington, N.J. Over three games between Feb. 16-20, he produced a 3-3-6 line. That is part of a larger five-game, 10-point scoring streak.
In goal, Wyatt Demers '07 has not given up a goal in the month of February (through Feb. 21), putting up four shutouts between Feb. 6-21. For his two most recent shutouts, he stopped 13 and 17 on Feb. 18 and 21, respectively. That's a total of 30 saves with no goals against, and he has stopped all 75 he's faced in the second month of 2026. For the season, Demers is 12-1-0-0 for the West Chester Wolves with a 1.51 GAA and a .930 save percentage. Demers joined the Wolves from the 2024-25 New Hampshire Jr. Avalanche 18U AAA team.
NA3HL
Anderson Cornwell '07 has enjoyed a strong first season in the NA3HL, joining the Carolina Rage this month and recently posting a 3-4-7 line for his games of Feb. 21-22. He now has 28 points in 22 games with Carolina. Cornwell also played in 11 USPHL Premier games with the Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings, and five games in the SIJHL with the Sioux Lookout this season. Prior to this season, he played for St. Joseph's Collegiate School in New York and Crystal Beach Academy in the North American Prep Hockey League.
Tomas Kobela '07 played in his first three games in the NA3HL, all with the Carolina Rage. Kobela had been playing for the Northeast Hockey Academy 18U AAA, but joined the Rage on Feb. 20 and scored eight points (3-5-8) in three games. Kobela previously played in 2024-25 in the EHL Premier with the Bridgewater Bandits.
Denis Portnoy '08 ranks No. 3 in points per game in the NA3HL, putting up a 2.81 average. This comes from 33 goals and 59 points in 21 games, including his second four-goal game on Feb. 20. Between Feb. 20 and 22, he posted seven goals and three assists for 10 points. Portnoy is on a five-game goal-scoring streak with 11 goals and he's added four assists for 15 points in five games. Earlier this season, Portnoy played in the OJHL with with the Markham Royals. He played his AAA career with the Reps Hockey Club in Mississauga, Ont.
Sam Moen '07 had one of his best performances of the season, his first in the NA3HL. He stopped 37 of 38 shots on Feb. 20 for his 11th victory of the season. Moen is new to junior hockey, after a strong career with Mounds View (Minn.) High School and the Minnesota Green Giants AAA program.
USPHL Elite
Liam Hilts '08 is a second-year USPHL veteran who certainly plays like someone who knows the league very well. Hilts currently has 20 points in 12 games with the Elite Potomac Patriots, scoring three goals and adding six assists in just three games. Hilts has eight points in 28 games with the Premier squad, as well. He likewise split the 2024-25 season between the Premier and Elite with both the Patriots and Decatur Blaze. He is on a four-game Elite point streak with 11 points in that stretch.
Also on a four-game scoring streak is Red Bank Generals forward Evan Wohlstetter '08. Since Feb. 16, he has posted eight points - all assists. Wohlstetter has scored a team-leading 50 points in 36 Elite games as a first-year junior player for Red Bank. This year, he has also played in games with the Sioux Falls Power AAA team.
In net, Nicholas Saldanha '08 had one of his best performances, stopping 33 of 34 shots for the Connecticut Jr. Rangers on Feb. 21. He also has a 21-save shutout to his name this year for his other victory among the five games he's played for CJR. This season, he has also played games for the 95 Giants AAA program in Massachusetts.
EHL Premier
All season long, Dominic Moushon '08 has been head and shoulders above the field, and so it's no surprise to see him with 77 points and 11 points ahead of the second player on the EHLP leaderboard. Playing for the New Jersey Bears, Moushon hit a 1-2-3 line in his only action of the past week, on Feb. 21. He is close to doubling the 40 points he scored in 2024-25. His 117 points are the second-most in the league going back to the start of last season.
On defense, the Atlantic City Seals' Paul Elco '08 registered a season-and career-best of two points (both assists) on Feb. 20. Elco has produced nine points in 27 games. Five of these points came from a five-game scoring streak between Nov. 30 and Dec. 20. Elco played last year for the Atlantic City Seals AA program, and he has additionally played the past two years with his hometown Egg Harbor Township (N.J.) High School.