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 November 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: Matthew Martin, Forward, Aberdeen Wings

Earning his hat trick of Central Division Star of the Week awards, Matthew Martin spotlighted another dominant weekend on the ice and on the scoresheet. The 6-foot-6 skater featured a five-point weekend for the Wings on their road trip to Bismarck. On Friday night, the Montreal, Quebec native tallied two primary assists on Easton Edwards’ goals. With his help on the ice, he kept Aberdeen tight in the contest with the Bismarck Bobcats. Moving into Saturday night, the second-year veteran recorded his third two-goal performance of his season. His offensive prowess was featured in the last 10 minutes of the second period. He first tallied the eventual game-winner at the 9:19 minute mark. Martin would go on to produce an assist on Finn Safir’s first goal of the year six minutes later, before scoring the final goal of the matchup with a power-play tally with less than two minutes on the clock.

The 20-year-old notched two goals while producing three assists against the Bismarck Bobcats. He is the only player in the league to have been named a Star of the Week award three times. The 6-foot-6 lefty has shown up on the scoresheet in 18 out of 21 contests this season. Martin leads his roster with 36 total points on the year, scoring a team-leading 14 goals and 22 assists.

“Matthew continues to lead by example; he does not seem to take a weekend off,” said head coach of the Wings, Scott Langer. “He is a big contributor to our team’s success.”

2nd Star: EJ Paddington, F, Austin Bruins

3rd Star: Easton Edwards, F, Aberdeen Wings

 

East Division Star of the Week: Adam Gionta, Forward, Rochester Jr. Americans

The Niagara University commit, Adam Gionta, was crucial in the Jr. Americans’ scoring over the weekend. The third-year veteran featured a five-point weekend against the Maine Nordiques. On Friday night, the 5-foot-8 forward tallied a goal and an assist on Keanan Dewberry’s power-play goal. The Jr. Americans would fall 4-3 to the Nordiques; however, Gionta’s offensive prowess helped to keep the contest tight. Moving into Saturday night, Rochester was looking for revenge from Friday night’s loss, and the 20-year-old would feature his third three-point performance of the season. Gionta would first tally a goal midway through the second frame. He would then go on to provide a power-play assist on Konner Powell’s goal four minutes later. Heading into the final frame, the Nordiques had a third-period push, tying the game 3-3. With less than 10 minutes left in regulation, Gionta would go on to score the game-winning goal, his second of the season.

The New York native scored three goals and made two assists against Maine. The third-year veteran played a role in every goal except one in each game against the Nordiques, and he featured a +4 rating from the two games. He currently ranks second overall on his roster with 1.15 points per game this season. Gionta has also played a total of 146 games in the NAHL over three seasons. 

Head coach of the Jr. Americans, Francois Methot, explains what it means to see Gionta return to the lineup.

“After being out of the lineup for a few weeks, Adam returned energized and delivered a strong weekend, helping us earn a split in a very intense two-game series against Maine. His offensive contributions—including the game-winning goal in the second game—combined with his commitment to playing a complete, two-way game made a significant impact.”

2nd Star: Andrei Nikolaev, G, New Jersey Titans

3rd Star: Harrison Smith, F, Maryland Black Bears

 

Midwest Division Star of the Week: Sam Evert, Forward, Anchorage Wolverines

After being hyped up by his linemate and last week’s Midwest Division Star of the Week on Today in the NA, Sam Evert featured a season-high performance over the weekend with the Wolverines. The 6-foot lefty first showcased a two-point game on Friday night. The 20-year-old notched an assist on Luc Bydal’s goal in the opening frame. Evert would go on to tally his second power-play goal of the season six minutes into the second period. Anchorage would eventually fall to the Fairbanks Ice Dogs; however, the Wisconsin native played a critical role in keeping the contest tight for the Wolverines. Heading into Saturday night, the second-year veteran sported a season-high four-point performance. Evert scored his first goal of the night midway through the opening frame. As the game moved into the second period, the 6-foot skater was a crucial part in the offensive spark and response that the Wolverines needed to win the game. Heading into the second frame, Fairbanks featured a 4-2 lead. The Wolverines raged and lit the lamp four times. Evert first produced a power-play assist on Bowen Burke’s goal at the eight-minute mark. Less than two minutes later, the alternate captain provided an assist on Luc Bydal’s goal to give the Wolverines the lead. With 2:38 on the clock in the second, Evert went on to score his second goal of the night. Anchorage would win the game 7-6 in overtime, and Evert was a big part of their success.

For the weekend, the alternate captain scored three goals while making three assists. His offensive production had been huge in November, with him showing up on the scoresheet in seven out of eight games played in November. 

Head coach of the Wolverines, Mike Aikens, explains his team’s excitement for Evert. 

“Our whole team was hopeful Sam would be named player of the week. He’s a great leader, one of our hardest workers, and he’s been our best two-way forward all season. He’s been a huge part of our team’s growth and success.”

2nd Star: Massimiliano Monson, F, Kenai River Brown Bears

3rd Star: Amir Valiullin, G, Springfield Jr. Blues

South Division Star of the Week: Troy Hunka, Forward, El Paso Rhinos

Leading his team in almost every offensive category, Troy Hunka secures his second South Division Star of the Week honors with his weekend performance. Starting on Friday night, the first-year skater spotlighted a three-point performance for the Rhinos. The 5-foot-11 righty first secured a goal midway through the second frame to give El Paso the lead. The Ohio native would then provide a primary assist on Ian Kastamo’s goal seven minutes later. The 19-year-old secured his second assist of the night on Kastamo’s goal again, this time in the final minutes of the game. Hunka helped El Paso to a 6-3 victory over Shreveport. Moving into Saturday night, the ‘06 forward strikes first with a power-play goal at the 17-minute mark in the first period. Hunka would later on in the matchup secure an assist in the third frame on Ethan Woolcott’s tally in the final minutes of the game. The Rhinos would eventually fall 4-3 in shootout fashion, but Hunka’s offensive ability has been crucial in El Paso’s success.

For the weekend, the 19-year-old featured a five-point weekend with two goals and three assists. For November so far, Hunka has featured five multiple-point contests and has shown up on the scoresheet in every game for the month.

Head coach of the El Paso Rhinos, Mike Rivera, explains more about Hunka’s contribution to the team.

“It’s great to see Troy earn this honor for the second time this season. His offensive production has been crucial to our team’s success. This five-point weekend in Shreveport continued his 12-game point streak, which is tough to do in this league, especially in the South Division. We hope he continues to produce at this rate. Also, his 200-foot game is always an impact on our lineup.”

2nd Star: Vladislav Bryzgalov, G, Corpus Christi IceRays

3rd Star: Sean Smith, D, New Mexico Ice Wolves