Kieffer Bellows Named USHL Rookie of the Year; USHL All-Rookie Teams Announced

Published on May 22, 2015 under United States Hockey League (USHL) News Release

Chicago, IL - The United States Hockey League today announced that Sioux Falls Stampede forward Kieffer Bellows has been named the 2014-15 USHL Rookie of the Year as determined by a vote of League coaches and general managers.

Bellows appeared in all but two of the 60 regular season games for the Stampede, producing 52 points (33g, 19a) to finish second on the team in scoring and 19th overall in the USHL. His 33 goals ranked fifth in the League and are the most by a 16-year-old in the USHL Tier 1 era (2002-present), surpassing the previous record by 2013-14 USHL Rookie of the Year Robby Jackson who netted 28 with the Chicago Steel.

The 33 goals by Bellows are also the most by a Stampede player since Matthew Ford netted 37 during the 2003-04 season. Bellows scored a goal in his USHL debut, a 5-3 victory against the Tri-City Storm on October 3rd. After scoring just four goals over his first 19 games in the League, he caught fire and went on to net 29 goals over the next 39 games. He recorded six multi-goal games, including three hat tricks. Two of those three-goal games came in a span of seven days - January 31st vs. Tri-City and February 7th vs. the Fargo Force.

Bellows helped the Stampede capture the Clark Cup, scoring 11 points (9g, 2a) over 12 games and posting a plus-nine rating. Four of his goals were game-winners which tied the USHL Tier 1 era record for most game-winners in a single playoff year.

The native of Edina, Minnesota was selected by the Stampede in the first round (13th overall) of Phase One in the 2014 USHL Draft. He is a product of Edina High School and helped them capture a Minnesota state championship in 2014. Bellows is already considered a top prospect for the 2016 NHL Draft and is committed to play college hockey at Boston University following his USHL career.

It is the third time that a member of the Sioux Falls Stampede has been named USHL Rookie of the Year. Jack Connolly earned the award following the 2007-08 season while Matthew Ford was named the League's top rookie following the 2003-04 season.

USHL NAMES 2014-15 ALL-ROOKIE TEAMS

Young stars honored for their performances in first full USHL seasons

Chicago, IL - The United States Hockey League today announced the players named to the 2014-15 USHL All-Rookie Teams as determined by a vote of League coaches and general managers.

The USHL All-Rookie Teams recognize the top players who were 18 or younger during the season, playing their first full year in the USHL, and/or playing their first season of junior hockey.

Those selected to the USHL All-Rookie First Team include forwards Kieffer Bellows (Sioux Falls Stampede), Brock Boeser (Waterloo Black Hawks), Erik Foley (Cedar Rapids RoughRiders); defensemen Dennis Gilbert (Chicago Steel), Ryan Zuhlsdorf (Sioux City Musketeers); goaltender Alec Dillon (Tri-City Storm).

USHL All-Rookie Second Team honorees are forwards Robert Carpenter (Sioux City Musketeers), Tanner Laczynski (Chicago Steel), Tom Novak (Waterloo Black Hawks); defensemen Chad Krys (Team USA), Mitch Reinke (Cedar Rapids RoughRiders), Vili Saarijarvi (Green Bay Gamblers); goaltender Ben Blacker (Cedar Rapids RoughRiders).

USHL All-Rookie First Team

Kieffer Bellows (F), Sioux Falls Stampede

The 2014-15 USHL Rookie of the Year netted 33 goals over 58 games, setting a USHL Tier 1 era (2002-present) record for goals by a 16-year-old. He was 19th overall in the League in scoring with 52 points (33g, 19a). He went on to score nine goals in the playoffs, including four game-winners, to help the Stampede capture the Clark Cup. The product of Edina High School in Minnesota is committed to play college hockey at Boston University.

Brock Boeser (F), Waterloo Black Hawks

He tied for the USHL lead with 35 goals and finished third overall in League scoring with 68 points (35g, 33a) over 57 games. Fifteen of his goals came on the power play, second-most in the USHL, and he tied for first in the League with 32 power play points (15g, 17a). The 18-year-old recorded 10 multi-goal games, including three hat tricks. The product of Burnsville High School (Minnesota) is a top prospect for the upcoming 2015 NHL Draft and is committed to the University of North Dakota.

Erik Foley (F), Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

The 17-year-old led his team in scoring and finished 15th overall in the USHL with 54 points (27g, 27a) in 55 games. He had six multi-goal performances during the season and also netted five game-winning goals. Foley scored seven goals over the last 10 games of the season to help the RoughRiders secure a playoff spot. The native of Mansfield, Massachusetts is a product of Tabor Academy and is a top prospect for the 2015 NHL Draft. He is committed to Providence College.

Dennis Gilbert (D), Chicago Steel

The 18-year-old appeared in all but one of the 60 regular season games for the Steel and recorded 27 points (4g, 23a) to rank 14th among USHL blueliners. He dished out a season high three assists on November 1st vs. Des Moines and closed out the season with seven points (1g, 6a) over the last six games. The Williamsville, New York native played youth hockey for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres and is committed to the University of Notre Dame. He is a prospect for the 2015 NHL Draft.

Ryan Zuhlsdorf (D), Sioux City Musketeers

The 17-year-old put up 22 points (3g, 19a) over 56 games for the Musketeers. His first USHL goal was the game-winner in the 2-1 overtime victory against Waterloo on October 18th. He also posted a plus-25 rating to lead all USHL defensemen and tie for third overall among all players. Zuhlsdorf is a product of Edina High School (Minnesota) and is a prospect for the upcoming 2015 NHL Draft. He is committed to play college hockey at the University of Minnesota.

Alec Dillon (G), Tri-City Storm

Playing the season as an 18-year-old, he posted a 23-11-4 record for the Storm and tied for sixth among USHL goaltenders in victories. He led all netminders with a 2.27 goals-against-average and tied for fourth with a .914 save percentage. Dillon also posted three shutouts and tied for second in the USHL with four shootout wins. The native of Victoria, British Columbia was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2014 NHL Draft and is college committed to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

USHL All-Rookie Second Team

Robert Carpenter (F), Sioux City Musketeers

He appeared in all 60 regular season games and tied for first in the USHL with 35 goals, the most by a Musketeers player in the Tier 1 era (2002-present). The 18-year-old finished seventh in League scoring with 63 points (35g, 28a). He produced 27 points (13g, 14a) on the power play and had six game-winning goals. The native of North Reading, Massachusetts is a product of Austin Prep School and is committed to play college hockey at Boston University.

Tanner Laczynski (F), Chicago Steel

The 17-year-old finished third on his team in scoring with 46 points (18g, 28a) over 57 regular season games. After being held without a goal in the first nine games of the season, he scored four goals over the next six games. He closed out the season with goals in each of the last four games. The native of Shorewood, Illinois played youth hockey for the Chicago Mission program. He is a prospect for the 2015 NHL Draft and is committed to play college hockey at Ohio State University.

Tom Novak (F), Waterloo Black Hawks

The recently turned 18-year-old recorded 48 points (14g, 34a) in 46 games to finish second in scoring for Waterloo. He dished out 17 assists on the power play to rank tied for fourth in the USHL. Novak also finished second on the Black Hawks with a plus-14 rating. The native of River Falls, Wisconsin is a product of St. Thomas Academy (Minnesota) and is committed to play college hockey at the University of Minnesota. He is a top prospect for the upcoming 2015 NHL Draft.

Chad Krys (D), Team USA

Despite playing just 35 games in the USHL this season, he tied for 15th among all League defensemen in scoring with 26 points (4g, 22a). He also posted a plus-17 rating in USHL action which included tying a League season high with a plus-six in a victory against Lincoln on March 20th. Krys previously played in the New Jersey Rockets and Connecticut Oilers programs. The Ridgefield, Connecticut native celebrated his 17th birthday last month and is currently uncommitted to a college.

Mitch Reinke (D), Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

The defenseman recorded 21 points (2g, 19a) over 55 games for the RoughRiders this season. He netted his first USHL goal on October 18th which was part of a season high three-point night (1g, 2a). Reinke also posted a plus-19 rating which tied for 17th overall in the USHL. Originally selected by the RoughRiders in Phase One of the 2012 USHL Draft, the defenseman is a product of Stillwater High School (Minnesota). He is committed to play college hockey at Michigan Tech University.

Vili Saarijarvi (D), Green Bay Gamblers

The native of Rovaniemi, Finland put up 23 points (6g, 17a) in 57 games for the Gamblers, finishing tied for 20th in scoring among all USHL defensemen. In just his second USHL game, he scored the game-winning goal in the 4-3 overtime victory vs. Chicago on October 4th. Saarijarvi, who celebrated his 18th birthday last week, came to the USHL after playing for the Karpat organization in his native Finland. He is a prospect for the upcoming 2015 NHL Draft.

Ben Blacker (G), Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

He posted a 24-11-0 record for the RoughRiders this season and finished fifth among USHL goaltenders in victories. His .913 save percentage ranked tied for eighth while his 2.73 goals-against-average ranked 11th in the League. He won seven of his first eight starts in the USHL and posted two shutouts this season. The Oakville, Ontario native celebrated his 18th birthday last month and is committed to play college hockey at Western Michigan University.

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, the USHL celebrated its 13th season as the nation's only Tier I junior hockey league in 2014-15. A record 35 players were chosen in the 2014 NHL Draft and more than 350 players on team rosters this past season are committed to NCAA Division I schools, further establishing the USHL as the world's foremost producer of junior hockey talent.

United States Hockey League Stories from May 22, 2015

• Eric Schierhorn Claims USA Hockey's Goaltender of the Year Honors - Muskegon Lumberjacks
• Boeser, Novak Highlight USHL Rookie Crop - Waterloo Black Hawks
• Dillon Named to USHL's All-Rookie Team - Tri-City Storm
• Stampede's Bellows Named USHL Rookie of the Year - Sioux Falls Stampede
• Kieffer Bellows Named USHL Rookie of the Year; USHL All-Rookie Teams Announced - USHL

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