The North American Prospect Hockey League’s postseason awards came out this week, and there was no shortage of Northstar Knights.
Four Knights made their respective age division’s All Star Team, including three from the 18U Dixon Cup Champion roster, and John Olver was named 18U Coach of the Year.
The three Knights named to the 18U All Star Team are forward Reese Laubach (San Jose, CA), defenseman Jacob Napier (Lancaster, NY), and goaltender Logan Verpoort (Franklin, TN). Laubach, a Minnesota State Mankato commit, registered 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in 13 regular season games, good for ninth overall and pacing the Knights in league play. He later posted a goal and seven assists for eight points in six Dixon Cup Playoff games. On the year, Laubach has 28 goals and 37 assists for 65 points in 45 games to lead the Knights.
Napier, committed to Western Michigan University, posted five goals and ten assists in 12 regular season games, good for seventh amongst league defenseman despite playing in half the games that many NAPHL players did. He later finished seventh overall in playoff scoring, and first overall in defensemen scoring, with five goals and four assists in six Dixon Cup Playoff games. Tendered with Aberdeen of the North American Hockey League, Napier has 50 points (21 goals, 29 assists) in 44 games, first amongst Knights defensemen and fourth in team scoring.
Verpoort had a sparkling season in net for the Knights, going 5-0 in regular season play with a .60 goals against average and a .970 save percentage. Facing 100 shots in the regular season, he let in only three goals and posted two shutouts. He went on to go 3-0 in the Dixon Cup Playoffs, with a .67 goals against and a .953 save percentage, giving up two goals in pool play before shutting out Esmark in the semifinals. On the year, Verpoort is 16-3 with three shutouts, a .915 save percentage and a 1.64 goals against average.
Coach Olver is in his third year coaching the Knights’ 18U Prep team, coaching the team to a NAPHL Prep Championship in the inaugural 2018-19 season, and a Dixon Runner-Up campaign in 2019-20. Under Olver this season, the Knights went 11-2 in the regular season for a first place finish, before a perfect 6-0 in the Dixon Cup Playoffs.
On the 16U side, forward Luke Schelter (Centennial, CO) was the lone 16U Knight to make the All Star Team. Signed with the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL for the 2021-22 season, Schelter had 14 points (ten goals, four assists) in 12 regular season games, good for third on the team. In six Dixon Cup Playoff teams, he paced the Knights with eight points (five goals, three assists), good for seventh overall in the league. He currently leads the Knights on the season with 25 goals and 23 assists for 48 points in 46 games.
Finally, the Knights shined in the classroom during the NAPHL season, with a multitude of Knights making the NAPHL Honor Roll. Players needed to achieve at least a 3.5 GPA to be eligible. The players who made the honor roll are:
16U: Brayden Berg, Garin Cernich, Nate Farrell, Bronson Hunt, Nathan Huntington, Adler Johnston, Brady Jones, CJ Kier, Beck Liden, Austin Moline, Briggs Orr, Josh Oswald, Kaleb Pitman, Luke Schelter
18: Clayton Brown, Maksim Bure, Christian, Carto, Ashton Christman, Dylan Cook, Cody Croal, Wes Griffin, Calvin Hanson, Hayden Helgeson, Kaden Hjelm, Reese Laubach, Jeremy McDonald, Anthony Menghini, Blaise Miller, Brian Morse, Nathan Mulder, Jacob Napier, Mitch Simmons, Logan Verpoort, Joe Westlund
Congrats to all the Knights on their accomplishments!