Forwards
Justin Thibault, Mercer Chiefs
The youngest selection to the NCDC All-Stars Event, and the only ‘08 to be selected, Thibault had a fantastic overall January. He led his division with a 1.43 points per game average by posting four goals and adding six assists for 10 points in seven regular season games. He scored points in every January game, peaking with a 1-2-3 performance on Jan. 26, just prior to driving north to Massachusetts for the All-Star games. He went on to add an assist in each of the two Prospects games. He currently stands with 31 points in 28 games for his rookie junior season.
Breyden Zupsansky, Jersey Hitmen
Zupsansky (‘04/Cleveland, Ohio) was a goal-per-game performer for the Hitmen during the month of January. He sent home seven goals – including four against the rival Rockets Hockey Club on Jan. 10. He also had two assists for nine points in seven games. He went on to score a goal in the NCDC Atlantic All-Stars’ game against the Mountain All-Stars.
Ryan McKenna, P.A.L. Jr. Islanders
McKenna (‘04/Garden City, N.Y.) certainly earned his elevation to the NCDC All-Star Event, as he put up seven goals and six assists for 13 points in 11 January games. A third-year NCDC veteran and alum of the Tier 1 Hockey Federation, enjoyed a seven-game point streak that saw him produce 10 points. For the season, he has a career-best 29 points in 36 games and he has 55 points for his career.
Forward Honorable Mention: Ty Oller, Jersey Hitmen
Defensemen
Dylan Margel, Rockets Hockey Club
The second-year NCDC veteran Margel (‘05/Potomac, Md.) clicked along at better than point-per-game pace for the month of January. Along with two goals, he racked up eight assists for 10 points in eight contests last month. He had a pair of two-point games to end the month, which sandwiched a 1-1-2 line over his two performances in the NCDC All-Star Event. He has 31 points in 37 games this year, more than seven times better than his 2023-24 points output.
Kai Mencel, Seacoast Spartans/West Chester Wolves
Mencel (‘06/San Diego, Calif.) put up a 3-5-8 line in eight games during the month of January, as the first-year Wolves have continued to put up a good fight to hold onto a playoff-worthy position. He joined the Wolves in mid-January after starting the season with the Seacoast Spartans. He registered four points in his first three Wolves games.
Honorable Mention: Jake Stevens, Mercer Chiefs
Goaltender
Lukas Vejmelka, P.A.L. Junior Islanders
Vejmelka (‘04/Trebic, Czechia) was a busy man in net for P.A.L. last month, putting up a 5-1-0-0 record and stopping 185 of 197 shots. Vejmelka came out of January with a 2.01 GAA and a .939 save percentage. Overall, he has has racked up a 17-3-2-0 record with a .940 save percentage and 2.04 GAA mark in this, his first North American season.
Honorable Mention: Emmanuel Pepin, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights
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 coaches with the finalists, who are able to vote on further changes if desired.
Summaries by Joshua Boyd
