Junior Hockey’s Rising Stars - Oct 27th-Nov 2nd 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).
Oct. 27-Nov. 2, 2025
USHL
Returning Madison Capitols forward Tyden Bergeson '07 put together three goals and added one assist for four points in games over Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, putting him at the top of the Capitols scoring leaderboard with an 8-4-12 line in 13 games. He is currently tied for seventh in USHL goal-scoring. After the Capitols drafted him in the fourth round (54th overall) of the 2024 USHL Draft, Bergeson joined the Capitols following his Moorhead (Minn.) High School season. In 2024, he also committed to Augustana University.
Salvatore Viviano '07 scored his first junior goal - the game-winner - on Halloween, in a game where he also had an assist. This was one one night before his second two-assist game of the year for a 1-3-4 line. Viviano now has seven points in 11 games on the season. He played mostly for Biggby Coffee AAA last year, and previously helped Compuware to appearances at the 2023 15U Nationals and the 2024 16U Nationals. He also put up three points in three NAHL games last season with Shreveport.
Lincoln Stars defenseman Griffin Brown '07 had his best single-game performance of a now three-year USHL career. The son of NHL alum Curtis Brown (1994-2008) registered a 1-2-3 line on Oct. 30, and his +4 for the night equaled a career best. The Miami University recruit currently has a 1-3-4 line in 15 games, and 15 points in 93 combined regular season and playoff games. The former San Jose Jr. Sharks standout was selected in the 2023 USHL Draft by Lincoln with their fourth round selection (56th overall), and he played most of the 2023-24 season with the Lincoln Stars AAA program.
We've previously mentioned Tri-City Storm goaltender Michal Pradel '07, a 2025 NHL Draft pick by the Detroit Red Wings. A 2024-25 USHL All-Rookie Second Team Selection, he put up 57 saves on 60 shots in two starts on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, including a performance of 35 saves on 37 shots in 65 minutes of a shootout loss. Pradel is fifth in save percentage in the USHL with a .915 mark.
NAHL
Forward Jack McKenna '07 registered his first points as a junior with the Anchorage Wolverines, with all six points - all assists - coming in a pair of three-assist performances Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. McKenna is no stranger to offense, after posting 214 points in 71 games as a high school player with Arrowhead High School in his native Wisconsin.
Also generous was the Springfield Jr. Blues' Brady Turner '07, who rang up five assists in two games, including four on Nov. 1. With a 6-9-15 line in 14 games, the junior rookie Turner is leading the Blues in scoring. Turner signed with Springfield from the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes, with whom he played at the 2025 USA Hockey 18U Nationals.
Maryland Black Bears defenseman Anthony Pellitteri '07 enjoyed a four-point weekend (1-3-4), the best points performance for a 2007 or younger blueliner in the NAHL last week. Pellitteri joined the Black Bears in October from the USHL, and currently has five points in six NAHL games. He was at the USA Hockey Nationals the past three seasons - 2023 with the 15U Neponset Valley River Rats, and 2024 (16U) and 2025 (18U) with the Bishop Kearney Selects.
Mason Gudridge '07 had a strong 1-1 performance over the weekend for the Watertown Shamrocks, stopping 66 of 71 shots, including 41 of 42 in an OT win on Halloween. Gudridge is in his second year with the Shamrocks, splitting last year between Watertown and the Little Caesars 18U AAA team. He helped Victory Honda's 16U team win the T1EHL title in 2024 and played with that team in the 2024 USA Hockey 16U Nationals.
NCDC
We've mentioned these names before, but the Thunder Hockey Club's Owen Khuong '07 and Jonathan Lee '08 keep giving us reasons to highlight them. Khuong rose to a tie for fourth in NCDC scoring with 22 points now through 16 games. He set up five goals with assists over Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Khuong is a newcomer to the NCDC from the Philadelphia Little Flyers AAA program.
Lee scored his first junior hat trick on Nov. 1, with Khuong setting up all three. With 18 points in 16 games, Lee is the second highest scorer among '08's in the NCDC, behind Universel Quebec's Gabriel Boivin (20 points).
Jake Lauterstein '08 enjoyed his best weekend and best single game performance with the Mercer Chiefs. The 2025 NCDC Draft selection (fourth round, 65th overall) posted a 2-1-3 line on Halloween and another goal on Nov. 1, giving him an overall 4-1-5 line in 10 games. He previously played with the Ashburn XTreme and represented them at the 14U and 15U Nationals the past two seasons.
Michael Marandola '07 put together his best performance in the NCDC so far this year for the new Grand Junction River Hawks with 44 saves on 46 shots in a win - his second straight - on Nov. 2. Marandola was last seen as a member of last year's USPHL Premier National Champion Vernal Oilers, who put together an unprecedented 44-0 regular season in 2024-25. Marandola was 8-0 between the regular season and playoffs. Marandola has a .923 save percentage through five games.
EHL
Roberts Stamurs '07 finished a heck of an October, contributing 12 points over nine games during the 10th month of 2025. The only 2007 or younger player in the Top 10 of EHL scoring has 17 points in 13 games to tie for fifth overall. Recently, he scored goals on Oct. 29 and Halloween, and then started November hot as well, with a 2-1-3 line on Nov. 1. The Latvian, who was with Prima Riga before this year, is currently on a seven-game point streak.
Fellow HC Rhode Island player Aiden Forcier '07 enjoyed a 2-2-4 performance in three games between Oct. 29 and Nov. 1. The former Prout School offensive star has put together a strong first junior season so far, with 15 points in 13 games.
On defense for HC Rhode Island, Jack Fraser '07 enjoyed a 1-3-4 line over his last three games to pull up to a point per game pace, with nine points in nine games. Fraser joined HC Rhode Island from the Norwich Hockey Club AAA team.
Donovan Burke '07 keeps getting mentions because he just doesn't stop achieving. He also had a 1-3-4 line in HC Rhode Island's three games last week and he is at 10 points in five games overall. He joined his new team this year along with Fraser from the Norwich Hockey Club.
NA3HL
We certainly can't get enough of Brayden Pelcl '07, and we hope the NAHL or other higher-level leagues are taking notice, as well. He just put together his best three-game stretch so far with a line of 4-11-15 between Oct. 31-Nov. 2. The former Prior Lake (Minn.) star has had four games of five points or better. With 55 points in 16 games, it's clear that he's ready to be tested at the next level.
Louisiana Drillers teammates Emerson Laroche '07 and Brayden Pelcl didn't play each other in high school, but their teams did, as Laroche joined from Minnetonka, which defeated a Pelcl-less Prior Lake last Dec. 12. Laroche is fifth in scoring at 50 points, just behind Pelcl's 55. Laroche had a 6-5-11 line and he's reached four points or better seven times for the 16-0 Drillers. He's also registered points in each of his 16 games.
With a 1-7-8 line, Drillers defenseman Braden Bates '07 had the best line of any 2007 or younger defenseman in the league last week. With 21 points in 15 games, he is fourth in NA3HL defenseman scoring, and he's on a seven-game point streak. He joined from Grand Rapids (Mich.) Central High School and also played briefly in the USPHL with the Fresh Coast Freeze last year.
Mason Kelm '07 registered his first junior shutout, stopping all 20 shots for the Texas Jr. Brahmas on Nov. 1, and he has stopped 39 of 40 in his last two games. Kelm, a former Aquinas/Holmen high school player in Wisconsin, is currently 3-0 for the 13-0 Brahmas.
USPHL Premier
Veteran Henderson Force forward Reese Hicks '07 is on a four-game goal streak that sees him leading his team in goals with 12, following a 6-3-9 weekend between Oct. 31-Nov. 2. He scored his second career hat trick exactly one year after his first, which came on Nov. 2, 2024. He currently has 12 goals and 20 points in 12 games, on pace to beat his 51 points in 45 games last season with Henderson.
The P.A.L. Jr. Islanders picked up a fantastic newcomer to their team by adding Phoenix Jr. Coyotes forward Artur Ovsepian '08 in late October. He completed a three-game run between Oct. 30 and Nov. 2 with a 4-5-9 line. Ovsepian is new to P.A.L., but played with both the USPHL Premier and Elite teams of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights last year, scoring over 20 points at both levels.
Roman Adomitis '07 has had a great start to his time with the Long Beach Bombers, since joining in October from the NCDC's Woodstock Slammers. Between Oct. 31-Nov. 2, he scored a 2-7-9 line to almost immediately place fourth in team scoring. Adomitis is back home in California, having previously played for the Rose City Pats 18U AAA team.
In goal, Alexis Dumont '07 enjoyed a huge first victory with 44 saves on 45 shots to help his Long Beach Bombers defeat the Lake Tahoe Lakers on Nov. 1. Dumont joined the Bombers from his native Quebec, playing last year in the Quebec Midget AAA league with College St-Bernard, joining Long Beach this year along with two St-Bernard teammates.
USPHL Elite
Logan Crowder '08 is a career Hampton Roads Whaler, and the product of the Whalers' home base in Chesapeake, Va., is certainly a leader for the Whalers' Elite team as a second-year veteran. Recently, Crowder moved into the top 10 of Elite scoring by posting a 4-3-7 line in three games at the Fort Wayne Showcase. He is now at 20 points in 15 games, already bypassing the 16 points he scored in 44 games as a junior rookie in 2024-25.
Whalers newcomer defenseman Brandon Tough '09 enjoyed a 2-4-6 line in four games in Fort Wayne, improving to 14 points in 16 games. Tough joined the Whalers out of CBHA Hawks Midget team in his native Alberta.
Donovin Perhach '08 still leads the Elite with 28 points in 14 games, including four assists in an OT win on Nov. 1. He played his first USPHL Premier game on Oct. 27, registering an assist for the Elmira Impact's top squad. In 14 games, he's already equaled his first year production of 28 points in 22 games.
On Nov. 1, Brody Patton '08 earned his first junior shutout by making 28 saves on 28 shots. Playing for the Florida Jr. Blades, Patton has evened his record to 3-3-0-0 with two straight wins, with 64 saves on 66 shots in that stretch. Patton joined the Jr. Blades from the St. Louis Sting Midget team and Edwardsville (Ill.) High School.
EHL Premier
Coming off his first Eastern Hockey League game on Oct. 29, second-year Connecticut Nor'Easter Colin Daigler '08 celebrated by posting a 3-1-4 line on Oct. 30. Daigler has produced 12 points in 12 games this year, already more than his 10 points in 30 games as a junior rookie last year. We likely haven't seen the last of him in the EHL.
Returning New Jersey Bears forward Troy Gorski '08 scored his first hat trick on Nov. 2, and added an assist on Nov. 1 for a four-point weekend. With 10 goals, he is now fourth in EHLP goal-scoring, and his 14 points in 14 games have left his three points in 14 games in 2024-25 in the dust. He split last year between the Bears and the Woodbridge Wolfpack AAA team in the THF.
One other forward born in 2008 or after had a four-point weekend, and that was EHLP leading scorer Dominic Moushon '08. He set a high bar for himself last year by scoring 40 points in 39 games, but he's getting close with his 30 points in 14 games after a 1-3-4 performance on Nov. 1-2. Hopefully, EHL teams will come calling soon for his services.