Junior Hockey’s Rising Stars - Nov 3rd-Nov 9th, 2025
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).
Nov. 3-9, 2025
USHL
In three games between Nov. 7-9, Muskegon's Melvin Novotny '07 kept what is now a four-game goal-scoring streak, and he also added three assists for six points over three games. A 2025 Buffalo Sabres NHL Draft pick and University of Massachusetts recruit, Novotny rose to a tie for third in USHL scoring with 21 points in 16 games, and his 1.31 points per game are also ranked third. Novotny was picked up by Muskegon from Leksands IF J20 in his native Sweden.
After scoring just two points in his first 10 games, Novotny's Lumberjacks teammate Anthony Thomas-Maroon '08 is on a six-game point streak, over which he's produced eight points. Between Nov. 7-9, he registered a 1-4-5 line in three games. He was selected by the Green Bay Gamblers originally in the 2024 USHL Futures Draft, and is also an OHL London Knights draft pick. An uncommitted player, Thomas-Maroon joined Muskegon from the Long Island Gulls AAA program, joining them at the USA Hockey 16U Nationals last spring.
Dubuque's Masun Fleece '07 has been here before and he keeps getting the job done, scoring four goals over three games. Fleece is actually now tied with Novotny for third in USHL scoring with 21 points in 16 games. With 13 goals, he is second in the USHL goal-scoring race. The Penn State recruit is in his third USHL season, and helped the Fargo Force win the Clark Cup in 2024.
The Lincoln Stars' Charles Menard '07 earned his first USHL shutout with 25 saves on 25 shots on Nov. 7. A former NAHL Fairbanks Ice Dogs standout who is committed to Augustana University, Menard is currently 2-0 with a 1.50 GAA and .942.
NAHL
First-year New Mexico Ice Wolves forward Brock Fairbanks '07 is the team's leading scorer with 20 points in 17 games, following a run of 2-3-5 on Nov. 7 and 8. A former Gentry Academy player in Minnesota, Fairbanks enjoyed a 1-3-4 line on Nov. 7.
For the Rochester Jr. Americans, Colin Dustin '07 scored a goal for a third straight game on Nov. 7, and he added three assists over the Nov. 7-8 games. The 1-3-4 line in two games pushed Dustin to 12 points in 19 games this season, and he also saw a career-and season-best +3 in each of the two games. Dustin was with the Ohio Blue Jackets 18U AAA team last year, playing five games at the 2025 USA Hockey 18U Nationals.
Rylan Bydal '07, who has been in this column before, enjoyed a 1-3-4 run between Nov. 7-9 for the Anchorage Wolverines. He jumped above the point-per-game pace with 20 points in 19 games. Bydal joined the Wolverines from Team North Dakota and Grand Forks (N.D.) Red River High School. In 2022-23, he represented Team North Dakota at the USA Hockey 15U Nationals.
In net, Andrew McLouth '08 had his best game in his early junior career for the Kenai River Brown Bears on Nov. 7. He stopped 41 of 42 shots to jump back above .500 for the third time this year at 3-2-0-0. McLouth made his junior debut last year with the U. S. National Team Development Program's U17 National Team, while mostly playing for Victory Honda AAA 18U team. In 2024, McLouth played at the USA Hockey 15U Nationals with Little Caesars.
NCDC
It only took a two-game audition at the USPHL Premier level with the undefeated Vernal Oilers to convince the NCDC's Grand Junction River Hawks that Gabriel Iervella '08 was worth adding to their roster. The former Calgary IHA U18 Prep player got his junior debut in 2024-25 with the AJHL's Calgary Canucks, and has since put together a run of two goals and three assists in five games. This includes his best single game performance yet, when he rang up a 1-2-3 line on Nov. 8.
Universel Quebec's Gabriel Boivin '08 continues to be among the league's scoring leaders, recently posting three points in two games to move to a line of 11-14-25 in 19 games. Boivin advanced to the NCDC's Universel team after playing with their USPHL Premier Universel Sherbrooke team in 2024-25, posting 64 points in 50 combined regular season and playoff games. He is currently on a six-game scoring streak with eight points in that stretch.
On defense, the Mercer Chiefs' Douglas Jorgenson '07 scored the first two goals of his junior career, scoring in back-to-back games Nov. 5 and 7. Overall, this season, he has six points in 14 games. A former Chiefs AAA player, he made his NCDC debut in 2024-25 with a two-game call-up.
The Springfield Pics' Antoine Lachance '07 stopped 43 of 44 shots in 65 minutes against the New England Division-leading Islanders Hockey Club, and won in the shootout for his second victory this season. A former New Hampshire Mountain Kings AAA player, he earned a single-game call-up with the Mountain Kings' NAHL team last year to make his junior debut.
EHL
Maybe he got lots of Halloween candy for a sugar rush, but something has definitely gotten into HC Rhode Island's Ernests Muska '07 since the turn of the month. For November, thus far, he has a line of 3-10-13 in four games, including 3-8-11 between Nov. 5 and 9. Muska, who joined from Latvia's HS Falcons, is now fourth in league scoring with 23 points through 15 games.
HC Rhode Island teammate Aiden Forcier '07 sent home seven goals (and two assists) over his last three games. Forcier's 13 goals rank second and his 24 points are good for third in the EHL. The former Prout School standout is on an eight-game, 16-point scoring streak.
On defense for HC Rhode Island, Jack Fraser '07 set up four goals in three games, giving him 11 assists on the year and 13 total points through 12 games. Fraser is a product of the Norwich Hockey Club AAA team.
In net for the Philadelphia Little Flyers, Lewis Brocklehurst '07 scored his second shutout of the season by stopping all 24 shots he faced on Nov. 6. He improved to 2-1-0-0 on the season, since joining the team from Bridgton Academy.
NA3HL
Junior veteran Ilya Baldin '08 was especially generous with assists, passing out seven in games of Nov. 4-5 for the Binghamton Buzz. With 17 points in 14 games, he is tied for the team lead and holds the team lead in assists with 10. In 2024-25, Baldin played for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights in the USPHL Elite, the USPHL Premier and the NCDC, one of very few to have played in all three leagues in the same season.
His Buzz teammate Magnus Deamond '07 broke out in a big way, scoring five goals in two games Nov. 4-5, including his first junior hat trick on Nov. 5. With eight goals, Deamond has the most in any season of his junior career, which includes two years with the GMHL's Northumberland Stars. Overall, Deamond has 11 points in 14 games.
Owen Rattray '07 just joined the NA3HL's Austin Ice Bats ahead of his first game on Nov. 1, coming from the NCDC's Woodstock Slammers. In five games, Rattray already has eight points, including six assists in three games Nov. 7-9. Rattray joined from the VIJHL's Lake Cowichan Kraken.
His Ice Bats teammate Michael Lane '08 bounced back from his only loss this season by stopping 58 of 60 shots on Nov. 7, helping him to a 4-1-0-0 season so far. Lane joined from the Texas Jr. Stars 16U program.
USPHL Premier
Marek Trefil '07 is averaging better than a goal per game, racking up 13 through 11. Along with seven assists, he now has 20 points to rank in a tie for first in team scoring for the Iron County Yeti. On Nov. 4, Trefil had his best game yet, scoring four goals and adding one assist. Enjoying success in his first North American season, Trefil joined from Czechia's IHC Kralove Piesec.
Up in Calgary, the Bandits' Gavin McKay '07 has piled up the points since joining in late October. He has a line of 4-5-9 in four games, including a 2-4-6 line on Nov. 7. He joined from the SIJHL's Kam River Fighting Walleye in October.
A second-year defenseman with the Fresh Coast Freeze, Austin Helder '07 has picked up four goals and two assists - including a hat trick on Nov. 8 - in the last week. In his last six games of a point streak, he has scored 10 points to give himself 11 on the year, close to the 18 points in 39 games he posted as a junior rookie last year out of West Ottawa (Mich.) High School.
Logan Gibbs '07 came away with the OT loss, but was extremely strong in stopping 56 of 58 shots against an always tough Ontario Jr. Reign team. The Long Beach Bombers goalie Gibbs had earned his first win in his previous appearance against another always powerful Pacific Division team in the Lake Tahoe Lakers. Between the two games, he stopped 96 of 100 shots. Gibbs joined the Bombers from the Arizona Bobcats 18U team.
USPHL Elite
On Nov. 9, Michael Veneziano '08 registered his first junior hat trick for the Connecticut Jr. Rangers on Nov. 9. For the two-game weekend, he posted a 4-1-5 line, and he now has 13 points in 17 games, ranking third on the Jr. Rangers in scoring. Veneziano joined from CDA Hockey Academy's 17U team in the CSSHL.
After previously scoring one goal in September, the Coral Springs Jr. Cats defenseman Nicholas Sciortino '08 had a huge breakout game with a 3-1-4 line on Nov. 9, giving him five points in 16 games. Sciortino is a local product, having joined the first-year Cats from the Florida Jr. Panthers Midget program.
In net, Ryan Lagos '08 evened out his record at 2-2-0-0 for the Jr. Cats by making 25 saves on 26 shots in their Nov. 9 win. Lagos joined from the prestigious Florida Alliance program.
EHL Premier
Domino Costa '08 had a fantastic two-game run Nov. 4 and 6, putting home two goals and adding four assists for six points, nearly third of his 19 points this season. The second-year Providence Capitals forward Costa pushed his way into the top 10 of EHLP scoring, as he now has 19 points in 15 games. He's also seen three games up with the EHL's Providence squad.
For the Pennsylvania Huntsmen, veteran defenseman Dylan Mostoller '08 scored a 1-3-4 line to stand at a 1.00 point per game average through nine games with nine points. He has played in 76 EHLP games and has registered 39 points in that time.
After three starts, Noah Poisson '08 remains undefeated in regulation. He earned his first junior victory and shutout on Nov. 9 for the New England Wolves. He is now 1-0-1-1 with a .955 save percentage and 1.41 GAA. He played last year in Quebec's Midget league with La Sarre Conquerants.