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USHL All-Rookie Teams Announced

06/03/2022, 11:45am CDT
By USHL

12 Players from Nine Clubs Make Up Rosters

The United States Hockey League (USHL) and its Member Clubs announced Friday the First and  Second USHL All-Rookie Teams for the 2021-22 season. 

League awards are voted on by each Member Club’s General Manager after each Club nominates their players and front office personnel for awards. 

Individual player write-ups provided by each Member Club. 

USHL All-Rookie First Team

Goaltender: Paxton Geisel (Dubuque Fighting Saints) 

Geisel, 18, was not only a standout among rookies, but also a standout among his veteran peers. His 25 wins finished third-most in the league, and his .897 save percentage ranked seventh-best in the league. His two shutouts ranked third-most in the league. To top it off, he finished with the most shootout wins in the league (three). Geisel finished the year with a 25-9-3/3.13/.897 split in his opening season as a Dubuque Fighting Saint. 

The University of Denver commit finished the season among the top North American goaltending prospects. His stock rose from 29th at the midterm to 19th among North American goalies according to the NHL Central Scouting Final rankings. Geisel took to the net in the 2022 BioSteel All-American Game, where he made 17 saves on 18 shots in Team Blue’s overtime victory, including several spectacular saves in the extra session.

The Saskatchewanian earned his first USHL win in his first USHL start on September 24 against the Omaha Lancers. His first shutout came against the rival Waterloo Black Hawks on December 29.

Defenseman: Andrew Strathmann (Tri-City Storm) 

Strathmann earned a spot as one of the best rookie defensemen in the league after registering 23 points (5-18-23) in 61 games with the Storm this season. The University of North Dakota commit was a Tender selection of Tri-City ahead of the season and represented the tournament-winning Team USA roster at the Under-17 Four Nations Tournament this season. 

Defenseman: Antonio Fernandez (Lincoln Stars) 

Fernandez, 18, led all rookie defensemen in scoring with 14 goals and 32 points. After appearing in 18 games in the North American Hockey League in 2020-21, Fernandez stepped into a significant role with the Stars and flourished.

Fernandez scored four powerplay goals in his rookie campaign and was recognized as the USHL Defenseman of the Week in Week 22 of the regular season. The San Jose, Calif. native secured a commitment to the College of the Holy Cross in early December of 2021.

Forward: Dylan James (Sioux City Musketeers) 

The reigning USHL Rookie of the Year and University of North Dakota commit finished the 2021-22 regular season with a USHL-leading 61 points (28-33-61) to lead all rookies in 62 games played. James paced all rookies in all three main scoring categories with 61 points, 33 assists and 28 goals. Among all skaters, the Calgary, Alberta native finished tied for 12th in goals and tied for 17th in points. Historically, James’ 28 goals and 61 points are tied for 12th and 13th, respectively, in USHL Tier I seasons among rookie skaters.

James was named USHL Forward of the Week twice this season, including during the Clark Cup Final as he finished the Playoffs with eight points (5-3-8) in 10 games, helping lead the Musketeers to the Clark Cup Championship. He is just the fourth USHL Rookie of the Year to be a part of the Clark Cup winning team in the same season, joining current NHL forwards Kieffer Bellows (Sioux Falls Stampede, 2014-15), Johnny Gaudreau (Dubuque Fighting Saints, 2010-11), Anders Lee (Green Bay Gamblers, 2009-10) and Kyle Okposo (Des Moines Buccaneers, 2005-06). 

James is NHL Draft eligible this summer and was ranked 37th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting on the service’s Final Rankings. The forward was previously 67th on the Midseason Rankings and a C-rated skater on the Preliminary List.  

Forward: Adam Ingram (Youngstown Phantoms) 

Ingram provided a strong infusion of offense in his 2021-2022 campaign with the Youngstown Phantoms. Ingram posted 55 points in his 54 games played with the Phantoms, including 26 goals and 29 assists. The Manitoba native also had eight power play goals and two game-winning goals this season. 

Forward: Cole Knuble (Fargo Force) 

In his rookie season, Knuble had a huge year with the Force, tallying 20 goals and 29 assists for 49 points in 62 games, ranking fourth in scoring amongst rookies in the USHL and 2nd in scoring for the Force. Knuble also represented Fargo at the 2022 BioSteel All-American Game, adding a goal for Team Blue in their 4-3 comeback win. 

His hockey IQ, work ethic, and skill with the puck earned him the 2022 Fargo Force Rookie of the Year Award. Knuble is ranked 84th amongst North American Skaters on NHL Central Scouting’s Final rankings ahead of the 2022 NHL Draft. Following his Junior Hockey career Knuble is committed to playing Division I college hockey at University of Notre Dame.

USHL All-Rookie Second Team

Goaltender: Jacob Fowler (Youngstown Phantoms) 

Fowler was named to the USHL All-Rookie Second Team this season following a strong year in net for the Phantoms. Fowler, a late addition to the team, played 18 games this season for the Phantoms and posted an 11-4-0-1 record. He finished the regular season with a 0.927 save percentage and a pair of shutouts. 

Defenseman: Kent Anderson (Green Bay Gamblers) 

Anderson played in 61 games this past season for the Gamblers, tallying 28 points (2 goals, 26 assists). Anderson was a key asset on the powerplay this past season, accounting for 12 assists, which ranks second among league rookies. His 26 season assists were also second-best on the Gamblers roster.

Defenseman: Nathan McBrayer (Muskegon Lumberjacks) 

McBrayer, the 5-foot-11, 179-pound rookie defenseman played in 61 games with the Lumberjacks this season, totaling two goals and 20 assists for 22 points. The Columbus, Ohio native picked up his first career USHL goal on December 11, 2021 against the Chicago Steel and later lit the lamp two times during the 2022 Clark Cup Playoffs. Committed to Ohio State University, McBrayer ranked fifth in points by a rookie defenseman in the USHL this season, first in team points by a rookie defenseman, and second in team points by a rookie behind Jake Richard. 

McBrayer was tabbed as USHL Defenseman of the Week after his multi-point effort in Week 19 of the 2021-22 USHL regular season. 

Forward: Cameron Lund (Green Bay Gamblers) 

Lund played in 62 games for the Gamblers during the 2021-22 season, amassing 50 points (25 goals, 25 assists). His 50 points ranked third overall among league rookies and second overall on the Gamblers roster. Lund was a key offensive component for the Gamblers, leading the team in goals and ranking fourth on the team with assists.

Forward: Jayden Perron (Chicago Steel) 

Perron, signed to a tender agreement by Chicago prior to the 2021-2022 regular season, completed his 16-year-old season as the sixth-highest scoring rookie in the USHL with 45 points (17G, 28A) through 60 games played. Originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Perron’s season included a four-point game with a goal and three helpers in an 8-4 victory over the Youngstown Phantoms on November 26, 2021, as well as nine additional multi-point games.

Forward: Nick Moldenhauer (Chicago Steel) 

Despite playing only 41 games during the 2021-2022 season due to an early-season injury, Moldenhauer notched 43 points (18G, 25A), finishing as one of only two USHL rookies to average over a point-per-game with at least 10 games played. The Mississauga, Ontario, native finished the regular season on a streak of five consecutive multi-point performances with points in 11 of his last 14 outings. A 5-foot-11, 175-pound forward, Moldenhauer charted four multi-goal efforts in his rookie season for Chicago.

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