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 October 5, 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: Carter Sproule, Forward, Watertown Shamrocks

Leading the team on the scoresheet and in the locker room, Carter Sproule featured a standout performance over the weekend against the Minot Minotauros. Sproule is the Captain of the Shamrocks and is a third-year veteran of the NAHL. On Friday night, the 6’3 skater notched two goals and an assist against the North Dakota team. He found the back of the net within the first minute of the contest for the Shamrocks and then produced an assist 10 minutes later on Junior Podein’s goal. Moving into the second period, Sproule recorded his first power-play goal of the season and helped to even up the contest 3-3 against the Tauros. The Shamrocks would eventually fall 5-3 to Minot, but the North Dakota native’s offensive prowess was shown off during the matchup.

Moving into Saturday night, the ‘05 forward played a vital role on the scoresheet again. He first notched a goal for the Shamrocks with less than 30 seconds on the clock in the first period. Sproule went on to register his second power play goal of the season in the third frame to tie up the contest 2-2. The matchup eventually moved into a shootout, and Sproule was the hero again and scored a goal in the shootout.

His offensive dominance was evident in Prairie Lakes Ice Arena, and he played a role in every goal scored by the Shamrocks. His five-point weekend featured a total of four goals in two games. Sproule extends his point streak to six-straight games, and he now leads his roster with five goals, seven assists, and 12 total points. His weekend performance spotlights a +4 rating on the weekend.

Head Coach of the Shamrocks, Casey Kirley, explains what he has seen from Sproule.

“Carter has been both a great player and leader for us since he arrived in Watertown last season. He impacts the game in many ways, including his physicality, playmaking, and goal-scoring abilities. He is also a natural leader, whom others look up to and try to emulate. We are grateful to see Carter be rewarded for his efforts this past week and look forward to his continued success throughout the season.”

2nd Star: Eddie Revenig, D, Bismarck Bobcats

3rd Star: Nathan Williams, D, Austin Bruins

 

East Division Star of the Week: Harrison Smith, Forward, Maryland Black Bears

The second-year veteran, Harrison Smith, played a crucial role in the Black Bears' success against the Maine Nordiques. The Sacred Heart commit notched his first career hat trick on Friday night. Smith got the scoring started quickly in the first period, notching his first goal within the first two minutes of play. He then found the back of the net again in the first frame with a goal in the final three minutes of the period. The 19-year-old sealed his hat trick with a goal in the second frame. His offensive prowess helped Maryland secure a 6-1 win against Maine.

Heading into Saturday night, the 5’9 forward from Florida kept the scoring going. He first finds the back of the net, scoring his first power play goal of the season in the first period. Smith goes on to notch two primary assists during the contest, allowing the Black Bears to secure a 3-2 overtime win.

Smith currently rides a six-game point streak and is one of the top skaters in the league. The veteran is currently tied for first in the league with 15 total points and spotlights 2.14 points per game. The Florida native sports a four-goal and two-assist performance from the weekend.

Head Coach of the Black Bears, Clint Mylymok, explains more about Smith’s hot start this season.

“Smitty has had a great start and is extremely motivated to be a dominant player this year. His leadership and competitive drive set him apart from a lot of players. He consistently wants to be a difference maker for us. We are lucky to have Harrison and look forward to seeing what he has in store for us, each and every day he puts on the Black Bears jersey!”

2nd Star: Will Mizenko, G, Northeast Generals

3rd Star: Johnny Conlin, F, Philadelphia Rebels

 

Midwest Division Star of the Week: Oliver Barna, Forward, Fairbanks Ice Dogs

The 5’11 lefty from Hungary, Oliver Barna, sports a stellar weekend for the Ice Dogs. Starting on Friday night, the second-year veteran spotlighted a career-high two-goal performance against the Windigo. Barna notched both goals within five minutes of each other in the first frame. The ‘06 forward then went on to produce an assist on the final goal of the Ice Dogs’ 5-2 victory.

Heading into Saturday night, Barna produced his first power play goal of the season with six seconds left on the clock in the middle frame. His work on the ice helped the Ice Dogs secure a 3-0 shutout win against the Windigo. The skater ended his weekend with three goals and an assist.

Head Coach of the Ice Dogs, Dakota Bell, dives into detail on the impact of Barna this weekend.

“Oliver is fully deserving of this recognition as he had an outstanding week. For us, everything starts with getting better in practice, and Oliver put in the work this past week to set himself up for a good weekend. This allowed him to reap the rewards as he collected three goals and an assist. He was a difference maker in each game against a strong Windigo team as he contributed on power play, penalty kill, and even strength.”

Bell explains more about the work ethic he has seen from the 5’11 forward.

“Oliver is someone who shows up to work every day with a purpose to get better and does so with a great attitude. As a second-year Ice Dog, Oliver knows what it takes to get the job done in our league, and we look forward to his further contributions towards our team's success.”

2nd Star: Rylan Bydal, F, Anchorage Wolverines

3rd Star: Mason McElroy, G, Fairbanks Ice Dogs

 

South Division Star of the Week: Jack L’Esperance, Defenseman, Odessa Jackalopes

The 20-year-old from Howell, Michigan, Jack L’Esperance, moved to the blue line and is showing up big on the scoresheet. The 5’11 righty on Friday night notched an assist for the Jackalopes on the first goal of the contest. Odessa would eventually fall 5-4 in overtime to the IceRays. Moving into Saturday night at the American Bank Center, the third-year NAHL veteran played a vital role in the Jackalopes' success on the ice. The ‘05 skater first produced a power play assist on Caden Ghiossi’s goal in the second frame. L’Esperance then found the back of the net with 48 seconds left in the second period and sealed the eventual decider for the Jackalopes. His scoring did not finish in the middle frame. The Michigan native went on to score the final goal of the contest while notching his first power play goal of the season in the third period.

The ‘05 blueliner featured a four-point weekend with a two-goal and two-assist performance.

Head Coach of the Jackalopes, Scott Deur, shares more on the development of L’Esperance.

“Jack has really improved weekend to weekend since we moved him back to defense. His offensive ability has always been there and helped us this weekend, but his improvement in the defensive zone and learning when to jump into plays has been really special to watch. He had timely plays and timely goals, which helped us get three out of four points this weekend. He’s only getting better day by day.”

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

3rd Star: Trenton Peterson, G, Amarillo Wranglers