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 Forwards
RELATED: Meet the ALL-USA Preseason Goaltenders
MORE: 2014-15 ALL-USA Boys Hockey Team
Kenny Johnson (Photo: Shattuck-St. Mary’s)
Kenny Johnson
School: Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Faribault, Minn.)
Year: Senior
Height: 6-3
Noteworthy: The younger brother of NHL player and U.S. Olympian Jack Johnson, Kenny will follow his brother’s footsteps and play collegiately at Michigan. The Ann Arbor native notched three goals and 20 assists as a junior last year and was rated a B prospect by NHL Central Scouting this fall.
Scott Perunovich (Photo: Nick Wosika, Minnesota Hockey Hub)
Scott Perunovich
School: Hibbing (Minn.)
Year: Junior
Height: 5-10
Noteworthy: A supremely gifted offensive talent, Perunovich piled up 11 goals and 45 assists in 27 games as a sophomore. The Minnesota-Duluth commit was a member of the U.S. U-18 National Team that traveled to the Czech Republic to play in the Ivan Hlinka Tournament over the summer.
Tyler Jette (No. 18). (Photo: Chris Juhn, Minnesota Hockey Hub)
Tyler Jette
School: Farmington (Minn.)
Year: Senior
Height: 6-3
Noteworthy: Jette made a name for himself at this summer’s USA Hockey Select 17 camp in Williamsville, N.Y., registering five points in five games to earn a spot in the All-Star game. A rock solid defenseman with a burgeoning offensive game, Jette posted 10 goals and 22 assists last winter.
Proctor defenseman Reilly Walsh. (Photo: Becky Walsh)
Reilly Walsh
School: Proctor (Andover, N.H.)
Year: Junior
Height: 5-11
Noteworthy: Walsh led all New England Prep defensemen in scoring last season as a sophomore with 13 goals and 32 assists. The Harvard commit was a key member of the U.S. U-17 National Team that won the Five Nations Tournament over the summer in Switzerland.
Matt Anderson (Photo: Nick Wosika, Minnesota Hockey Hub)
Matt Anderson
School: Holy Family (Victoria, Minn.)
Year: Junior
Height: 6-0
Noteworthy: Anderson has no shortage of options for his hockey future. The do-it-all defensemen was the No. 2 pick in the USHL Phase 1 Draft in May by Green Bay, but he could also choose to follow through on his commitment to play at Minnesota-Duluth. Right now his focus is on his junior season at Holy Family after a 7-goal, 27-assist campaign as a sophomore.
Ben Finkelstein (Photo: Kimball-Union)
Ben Finkelstein
School: Kimball Union (Meriden, N.H.)
Year: Senior
Height: 5-9
Noteworthy: Finkelstein, a St. Lawrence recruit, is a dynamic offensive player who has topped 25 points in each of the past two seasons. A native of Burlington, Vt., Finkelstein will be a key player on a team looking to improve on last year’s semifinal appearance in the New England Prep open division tournament.