USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks

Eight Players from Last Season to Return to Lumberjacks for 2013-14 Season

June 20, 2013 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release


MUSKEGON, Michigan - The Muskegon Lumberjacks are excited to announce that eight players from the 2012-13 season will be returning to the team for the upcoming 2013-14 season. Out of the players returning for next season, six are forwards along with one defenseman and a goaltender.

Cameron Darcy highlights the class as the leading returning scorer from last season as he put up 31 points (12 goals and 19 assists) in 45 regular season games to go along with one goal scored in three playoff games. The South Boston, Massachusetts native will be entering his fourth USHL season in which he spent the first two seasons with the U.S. National Developmental Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan from 2010-2012.

In his USHL career, Darcy has amassed 50 points (25 goals and 25 assists) in 106 regular season games played and has participated in five career playoff games. Darcy also participated in last year's USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Muskegon.

Another future NHL prospect in Frederik Tiffels returns to the Lumberjacks for his second USHL season after totaling 25 points (3 goals and 22 assists) to go along with a plus-13 rating in 50 regular season games played last season. The Cologne, Germany native also has one career playoff goal in three games played.

Tiffels also spent some time last season representing his native Germany in the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship that was held from December 26th, 2012 to January 5th, 2013 in Ufa, Russia. Along with Darcy, Tiffels got a chance to participate in the 2013 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Muskegon and is committed to play his college hockey for the Western Michigan Broncos out of the newly-formed National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) following his junior career.

Connor Hurley will also be returning to Muskegon for his first full USHL season after spending parts of last season with the Lumberjacks in which he tallied eight points (one goal and seven assists) in ten regular season games played. Connor also had an assist in three playoff games played last season.

The Eagan, Minnesota native made his USHL debut last season on October 19th, 2012 at home against the Chicago Steel and is committed to play his college hockey for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish out of the Hockey East Association following his junior career. Connor is also the youngest player to be draft-eligible for the upcoming 2013 NHL Entry Draft on June 30th and is projected to be a second round pick.

Connor's older brother, Cullen, will be appearing in his second full USHL season as a member of the Lumberjacks after playing in all but one game last season with Muskegon. Cullen registered 24 points (11 goals and 13 assists) to go along with a plus-six rating in 63 regular season games played and also tallied a goal in three playoff games played.

Cullen comes into the 2013-14 season as one of two returners who tallied double digit goals (11) from the previous year during the regular season (Cameron Darcy - 12).

Front liner and veteran Mason Jobst will be entering his third season with the Lumberjacks and will have spent parts of four total seasons in the USHL after beginning his career playing two games for the U.S. National Developmental Program during the 2010-11 season.

The Speedway, Indiana native has played in 98 career regular season games in the USHL in which he has totaled 36 points (9 goals and 27 assists) to go along with a plus-two rating and played in all 64 regular season games last year for the Lumberjacks.

Rounding out the forwards from the returners is Matt Mendelson who will be entering his first full and second USHL season with the Lumberjacks. The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native played in 17 games last season with Muskegon registering three points (two goals and one assist) to go along with a plus-three rating.

Mendelson made his USHL debut last season on November 2nd, 2012 at home against the Dubuque Fighting Saints.

The lone defenseman returning to the 2013-14 team from last season is Mike Preston who will be entering his second season as a member of the Lumberjacks. Last season, the Carmel, Indiana native played in 47 regular season games tallying four points (one goal and three assists) to go along with a plus-two rating.

Preston also played in Muskegon's three playoff games last year and scored his first USHL and lone goal of the season at home against the Chicago Steel on March 22nd, 2013.

Goaltender Jordan Uhelski will be returning between the pipes for his second season with the Lumberjacks after playing in 18 games last season and compiling a record of 7-5-4 with a 2.66 goals-average and .909 save percentage along with two shutouts. The Flint, Michigan native also appeared one period of action during the 2013 USHL Playoffs stopping all seven shots he faced.

Uhelski made his USHL debut back on October 12th, 2012 in Cedar Rapids against the RoughRiders and came away with a 3-2 overtime victory while recording his two shutouts at home on December 8th (against Cedar Rapids) and February 9th (against the Indiana Ice).

The Lumberjacks' entire 30-man roster and 18-man affiliate list will be released at a later date with the final roster having to be submitted to the league offices by Tuesday, July 9th

Check out the Muskegon Lumberjacks Statistics



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