The United States Hockey League announced its All-USHL teams, USHL All-Rookie teams, and several other major awards on Tuesday. Several New Englanders were honored by the top college-bound junior circuit in the world.
Ben Finkelstein (South Burlington, Vt.) was named to the All-USHL First Team after joining the Waterloo Black Hawks in January. The Florida Panthers prospect and former Kimball Union Academy star played a season and a half with St. Lawrence before deciding to head back to junior. The explosive two-way defenseman will enroll at Boston College in the fall and be eligible to compete at the end of the first semester. Previously named the USHL Defenseman of the Year, Finkelstein had eight goals and 26 assists in 23 games for P.K. O'Handley's club.
Former Brunswick School star Strauss Mann (Greenwich, Conn.) was named to the All-USHL Third Team. A Michigan commit, he had a 1.86 goals against average and .932 save percentage for the Fargo Force during the regular season. He's continued to pace the way for Cary Eades' team during the post-season.
Defenseman Michael Callahan (Franklin, Mass.) was named to the USHL All-Rookie First Team. A former standout at Roxbury Latin, the Providence recruit is projected to be selected somewhere in the middle rounds of this summer's NHL Draft.
Marc McLaughlin (North Billerica, Mass.) won the Curt Hammer Award, given to a USHL player who distinguishes himself on and off the ice. The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders captain will be playing college hockey at Boston College.
Dubuque Fighting Saints forwardMarc McLaughlin (Bedford, N.H.) was named the USHL Scholar Athlete of the Year. The Notre Dame recruit had a breakout season and established himself as more than just a bottom six forward while maintaining a terrific academic profile. He also projects to be taken in the 2018 NHL Draft.
While not from the region, several players committed to area schools were honored as well. UMass commit Anthony Del Gaizo, a high-flying forward with the Muskegon Lumberjacks, was named the USHL Player of the Year and placed on the All-USHL First Team. His brother and fellow Minutemen commit Marc Del Gaizo, a defenseman for the Lumberjacks, was named to the All-USHL Second Team.
Yale commit Graham Lillibridge of the the Chicago Steel was named a defenseman on the All-USHL First Team as was Providence commit Jack Dugan, a forward with the Chicago Steel. Harvard recruit Jack Drury of the Waterloo Black Hawks and Maine recruit Jacob Schmidt-Svejstrup of the Fargo Force also placed among forwards on the All-USHL Second Team.
Youngstown Phantoms forward Matthew Barry, a Holy Cross commit, and Sioux Falls Stampede defenseman Jack St. Ivany, a Yale recruit, were named to the All-USHL Third Team.
Boston University commit Robert Mastrosimone, a forward with the Chicago Steel, and Northeastern commit Tyler Madden, a forward with the Tri-City Storm, made the USHL All-Rookie First Team and USHL All-Rookie Second Team, respectively.
