NAHL Announces Bauer Hockey Stars of the Week

The North American Hockey League (NAHL) announced today the Bauer Hockey Divisional Stars of the Week for the week ending February 23, 2025. Only players that are nominated by their respective teams are considered for the Divisional Player of the Week awards.

Central Division Star of the Week: Travis Lefere, Forward, Watertown Shamrocks

The 6’0 righty from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Travis Lefere, notched his first five-point weekend and first hat trick of the season. Lefere played a vital role for the Shamrocks this weekend against the red-hot Minot Minotauros. Starting Friday night, the ‘07 skater produced two assists, marking the first time since September Lefere had a two-assist game. Watertown dealt Minot’s first loss since January 3 with a 5-2 victory. This win for the Shamrocks marked the end of the Minotauros’ 13-game win streak. 

Heading into Saturday night, the contest featured a battle between the squads in South Dakota. Minot got the scoring started but Watertown was quickly behind them finding the back of the net. Lefere’s scoring did not start until the second period where he scored his first and second goal of the night within four minutes of each other. He helped to tie the game 3-3 as the squads moved to the third period. Minot took the lead in the third with less than eight minutes on the clock with the help of Dane Ramirez’s goal. However, the Shamrocks were not going to give up that easily. With 10 seconds on the clock, Travis Lefere completed his hat tricks and helped the Shamrocks take the matchup into overtime. The game eventually went into a shootout where the Shamrocks fell to the Minotauros, 5-4. 

For the weekend, the Miami commit scored three goals, made two assists, and featured a plus-four rating.

Head coach of the Shamrocks, Casey Kirley, shares his excitement for Lefere being named the Central Star of the Week.

“It is great to see the effort and work that Travis has put in all season long be rewarded this weekend. His work ethic is second to none and he has been an awesome person to work with throughout the season. We look forward to continuing to watch him grow as a player as he prepares for his college career at Miami.”

2nd Star: Alex Laurenza, F, Austin Bruins

3rd Star: Evan Hunter, F, Bismarck Bobcats

 

East Division Star of the Week: Dexter Kichline, Defenseman, Rochester Jr. Americans

The second-year blueliner for the Jr. Americans, Dexter Kichline, had a season-high performance over the weekend against the New Hampshire Mountain Kings. On Friday night, the 6’0 lefty made a season-high three points. Kichline scored a late third-period goal for Rochester while tallying two assists in this 6-2 victory. Moving into Saturday night’s thriller, the Jr. Americans featured a battle from behind with a win against the Mountain Kings. New Hampshire first found their groove in the last ten minutes of the first period and scored five goals. However, Kichline turned the tide and started the scoring for the Jr. Americans in the last 15 seconds of the first period with a goal. Following that spark by Kichline, the Jr. Americans battled from behind and slowly cut the deficit where they eventually took the victory in overtime. Rochester survived an early five-goal scare with the help of Kichline’s goal and assist during this 6-5 overtime win.

On the weekend, the Henderson, Nevada native tallied two goals, made three assists, and produced a plus-four rating.

Head coach of the Jr. Americans, Francois Methot, shares how vital Kichline has been for the squad.

“Since our team's formation last season, Dexter has played a pivotal role in shaping the culture we aimed for, both on and off the ice. His team-first mentality is contagious and remains constant every single day. One of Dexter's key strengths as a player is his reliability; we know exactly what to expect from him each night. Over the past year and a half, his growth as a player has been remarkable. This past weekend, he made significant contributions to securing the crucial four points against a formidable New Hampshire team, showcasing his strong defensive skills but also adding impactful offensive play in both games. We are very excited to see what the future holds for him.”

2nd Star: Ryan Friedman, F, New Jersey Titans

3rd Star: Calle Karlsson, F, Rochester Jr. Americans

 

Midwest Division Star of the Week: Wyatt Carlson, Forward, Fairbanks Ice Dogs

The 5’8 lefty who is coming off of the 2025 Top Prospects Tournament, Wyatt Carlson, notched his first two-goal game this season against the Janesville Jets. On Friday night, the Hermantown, Minnesota native played a major offensive role for the Ice Dogs. He found the back of the net in the second period, helping to extend Fairbanks’ lead to 2-0. As the matchup moved into the third and final frame, Carlson tallied another goal and made an assist. The ‘04 skater recorded his second three-point game of the season with his work on the ice on Friday night. 

Heading into Saturday night’s contest, Fairbanks starts the scoring in the second period with the help of Carlson on the assist. Following that point on the board for the Ice Dogs, the Jets started scoring and building a lead. After being down 3-1, Carlson finds the back of the net to cut the deficit to 3-2 with less than 12 minutes remaining in the third period. The Ice Dogs would eventually fall to the Jets, however, both points scored in this matchup would come with the help of Carlson.

For the weekend, the second-year Ice Dog featured three goals and two assists during this road trip to Janesville. 

Head coach of the Ice Dogs, Ryan Theros, explains what Carlson brings to the ice every day.

“What Wyatt brings to a team is what every coaching staff, teammate, and team wants and needs in a player. His effort and the relentless compete he brings to the rink every single day is a key piece to our team success, as well as his individual success he is having. He has a team-first attitude and plays in every aspect and situation of the game from start to finish. This is well deserved for Wyatt and looking forward to his success going forward.”

2nd Star: Hunter Hayes, F, Wisconsin Windigio

3rd Star: Ryder McIntosh, F, Chippewa Steel

 

South Division Star of the Week: Chris Graves, Forward, Odessa Jackalopes

The 5’10 lefty from Clearwater, Florida, Chris Graves, has made a splash since joining the Jackalopes eight games ago. With the help of Graves, Odessa was able to record their first win against New Mexico since October 18. Starting on Friday night, the Jackalopes got the scoring started with the help of Marcus Fechko in the first period. New Mexico did take the lead in the second period with two goals scored by Laaksonen and Waugh, however, it was short-lived. Graves finds the back of the net and scores the game-tying goal with less than three minutes on the clock in the second period. Moving into the third period, Graves continues his offensive prowess and scores the game-winning goal and then makes an assist on Marcus Fechko’s second goal of the game. Thanks to his performance on the ice, he had his first three-point game of the season as well as his first two-goal game.

Moving into Saturday night, the Jackalopes battled from behind during the whole matchup. Every time the Ice Wolves scored, the Jackalopes were quickly responding. Graves was able to produce an assist during this contest through Jack L’Esperance’s goal in the second period. The Jackalopes would eventually fall 3-2 to the Ice Wolves. 

For the weekend, Graves scored two goals while making two assists for Odessa. Head coach of the Jackalopes, Scott Deur, shares more about Graves’ performance.

“Chris had a great weekend. He has been consistent in his play with us since his trade. He competes and helps give us a chance to win every night. We are happy that Chris is finally getting recognized for his play.”

2nd Star: Nicolas Rempel, G, Lone Star Brahmas

3rd Star: Alexander German, D, Colorado Grit