USA TODAY High School Sports is unveiling the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Preseason Boys Ice Hockey Team for 2015-16. Players were selected based on performance, level of competition and strength of schedule.
The team has nine forwards, six defensemen and three goalies. Nine players were selected from schools in Minnesota, four in Connecticut and three in New Hampshire.
RELATED: Meet the ALL-USA Preseason Defensemen
RELATED: Meet the ALL-USA Preseason Goaltenders
MORE: 2014-15 ALL-USA Boys Hockey Team
LEFT WING
Jamie Armstrong
School: Avon Old Farms (Avon, Conn.)
Position: Left wing
Year: Senior
Height: 6-0
Noteworthy: Armstrong, a Northeastern recruit, notched 11 goals and 29 assists last season for the Winged Beavers. The Warwick, R.I., native is a true power forward who plays on the left wing.
Trenton Bliss (Photo: Dan Powers, Gannett Wisconsin)
Trenton Bliss
School: Appleton United (Appleton, Wis.)
Position: Left wing
Year: Senior
Height: 6-0
Noteworthy: Bliss was one of three underclassmen to earn first-team All-State honors in Wisconsin last year, posting 27 goals and 28 assists in 23 games. A left wing who has pledged his services to Wisconsin, Bliss is a true two-way player with a nifty set of hands.
Riley Tufte (Photo: Nick Wosika, Minnesota Hockey Hub)
Riley Tufte
School: Blaine (Minn.)
Position: Left wing
Year: Senior
Height: 6-5
Noteworthy: Projected as a mid-round selection in the 2016 NHL Draft by the NHL Central Scouting, Tufte has perhaps the most upside of anyone on the ALL-USA preseason team because of his intriguing combo of size, speed and skill. The Minnesota-Duluth pledge played on the U.S. U-18 National Team at this summer’s Ivan Hlinka Tournament in the Czech Republic and was invited to the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game in Buffalo in September. The left wing registered 29 goals and 34 assists last winter.
CENTER
Patrick Harper
School: Avon Old Farms (Avon, Conn.)
Position: Center
Year: Junior
Height: 5-8
Noteworthy: Harper, a left-shot center, lit it up at USA Hockey’s Select 17 camp this summer in Williamsville, N.Y., with six goals and four assists in six games. The performance earned him a spot on the U.S. U-18 National Team that participated in August’s Ivan Hlinka Tournament in the Czech Republic. The Boston University commit posted 20 goals and 27 assists in 22 games last winter to finish fourth in the New England Prep league with 2.14 points per game.
Mitch Mattson (Photo: Rick Orndorf, Minnesota Hockey Hub)
Mitch Mattson
School: Grand Rapids (Minn.)
Position: Center
Year: Senior
Height: 6-4
Noteworthy: A left-shot center, Mattson led Grand Rapids in scoring last season with 23 goals and 28 assists. He played in the prestigious CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game in Buffalo in September. A North Dakota recruit, Mattson is also a 2016 NHL Draft prospect after being rated a B prospect by NHL Central Scouting this fall.
Casey Mittelstadt (Photo: Eden Prairie Hockey)
Casey Mittelstadt
School: Eden Prairie (Minn.)
Position: Center
Year: Junior
Height: 5-11
Noteworthy: Mittelstadt is a lethal scorer who led the U.S. U-18 National Team in scoring at this summer’s Ivan Hlinka Tournament in the Czech Republic with three goals and four assists in four games. The left-shot center posted a 26-goal, 26-assist campaign as a sophomore and then led the Upper Midwest Elite League in scoring this fall with 15 goals and 32 assists in 32 games. He is committed to Minnesota.
Michael Graham (Photo: Brian Nelson, Minnesota Hockey Hub)
Michael Graham
School: Eden Prairie (Minn.)
Position: Center
Year: Senior
Height: 6-4
Noteworthy: Graham, a Notre Dame recruit, earned a B rating from NHL Central Scouting this fall. The right-shot center played 12 games with the USHL’s Fargo Force this fall but will return to Eden Prairie for his senior season to build on his career totals of 53 goals and 56 assists.
RIGHT WING
Proctor RW Jake Pappalardo (Right). (Photo: Becky Walsh)
Jake Pappalardo
School: Proctor (Andover, N.H.)
Position: Right wing
Year: Senior
Height: 5-11
Noteworthy: A speedy right wing with a wicked shot, Pappalardo has led Proctor in scoring the past two seasons and is the top returning scorer in the New England Prep ranks after notching 29 goals and 33 assists a year ago. He will play his college hockey at Maine.
Taggert Corriveau (Photo: Eliteprospects.com)
Taggart Corriveau
School: Westminster (Simsbury, Conn.)
Position: Right wing
Year: Senior
Height: 6-2
Noteworthy: Corriveau helped the Marlets to the New England Prep small school title game last season, posting 24 goals and 17 assists in 28 games. The explosive right wing will play his college hockey at St. Lawrence (N.Y.).