2024 NHL Draft: Eiserman, Hutson among top standouts from All-American Game

Steven Ellis
Steven Ellis
2024 USA Hockey All-American Prospect Game (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)
Credit: 2024 USA Hockey All-American Prospect Game (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)

PLYMOUTH, Mich. – Happy belated Martin Luther King Jr. Day, America. Hopefully you’re avoiding those nasty winter storms.

On Monday night, the All-American Game in Plymouth went on without a hitch, showcasing the best talent across the USA Hockey National Team Development Program and the USHL. Team White won 5-4 in overtime, marking one of the most competitive games in the event’s history. That’s all you can ask for with scouts in attendance.

Many didn’t attend the game, with flights being canceled nationwide. But there was still significant representation from every NHL team, getting a good look at some quality 2024 NHL Draft talent. A few 2025 prospects also shone, which you like to see at a high-level showcase event like this.

It was my first time seeing many of the players in person, while it was another chance to reaffirm – or even change – my belief about some of the nation’s top prospects. Here’s a look at the top performers on both teams from Monday:

Team White

#6 EJ Emery, D: It’s hard to miss Emery out there. At 6-foot-3, he’s got excellent size and poise, and he knows when to push the envelope and when to keep things simple. He potted the 2-2 goal after a good drive to the net, scoring from a difficult corner. It was his first goal of the season, it came in what was already looking like a good well-rounded effort for him. He’s got the offensive instincts, but the production will come with time.

#23 John Mustard, RW: The NHL Central Scouting ranked Mustard as a “W” rated prospect on its initial watch list, indicating a projected 6th-7th rounder. No way that happens, especially with scouts telling me they’d take him in the second round without a doubt. Mustard was everywhere Monday, using his speed to create chances – often from his own zone. I’d argue he was the most noticeable player all game long, generating his own chances before eventually winning the game in overtime on the breakaway. Providence College has a good one here.

#8 Teddy Stiga, LW: While all eyes were on James Hagens, I was drawn more to Stiga’s play on the third line. He was just everywhere. Stiga’s patience to wait for Hagens to catch up for the first White goal paid off, and then he nearly scored on the next shift. He was eventually rewarded with the 3-2 goal, making an ice read to notice that Caleb Heil had left his five-hole open before sliding it home. I’ve seen Stiga in person three times now, and he’s often been one of the guys I’ve zeroed in on because he’s always buzzing and looking to generate something.

#10 James Hagens, C (2025 NHL Draft): You just expect big things, right? Hagens made a good defensive play before going the other way and making it 1-1, and he just seemed to never slow down all game long. Hagens has the ability to take over shifts – not in a flashy way, but with how he chases guys down, battles hard and takes space away. He’s as good of a two-way forward as they come at this age, drawing comparisons to a former USNTDP star in Jack Hughes.

#12 Brodie Ziemer, RW: I’m a big Ziemer fan. He has a nonstop motor, sparking life into most of his shifts as he tends to do at the USNTDP level. Guys like Ziemer, who just work their rear-end off all game long, get noticed, and the scouts in front of me seemed to smile often when he was on the ice. Ziemer is someone you can plop on any line to spice things up and get results.

#4 Will Felicio, D: This was my first time catching Celicio in person and I liked what I saw. He can skate and produce from the point, but I felt like he was defensively responsible with good passes all game long. Felicio can be flashy at points, but I prefer when he keeps things simple more often than not. Monday was an excellent showing.

#16 Logan Hensler, D (2025 NHL Draft): Hensler can move. The University of Wisconsin commit brings a good mix of mobility and smart puck skills while not sacrificing defensive-zone coverage. The projected first-round pick in 2025 is such a dynamic, modern-day defenseman who can contribute at both ends of the ice, and I’ve enjoyed my two viewings of him this season.

#20 Kaden Shahan, RW: There wasn’t anything that specifically stood out about Shahan’s game, but I noticed him just about every time he hit the ice. The energy was there, and he had three really good steals in the defensive zone. He’s an overage prospect so expectations are higher, but he’s got the makings of a late-blooming defensive forward with the ability to make some solid passing plays.

Team Blue

#24 Cole Eiserman, RW: Originally listed as the third-line left winger, Eiserman was moved to the right side and thrived alongside Trevor Connelly. He skated as well as I’ve seen, was engaged defensively and played a more rounded game than what he often shows against USHL competition this year. His 4-4 goal might not win any style points, but he found a defender falling down in front and used that to bank his shot in to make it a tie game. Just compared to watching him against the University of Michigan last week, Eiserman looked like he had something to prove – perhaps among the sea of detractors focusing on how much he focuses on his shot and not his two-way game.

#16 Trevor Connelly, LW: Connelly’s wheels were evident all game long. He flew all over the ice and nearly connected with Eiserman on a few occasions early on. He didn’t score, as we’ve become accustomed to seeing in showcase events this year such as the recent World Junior A Challenge, but he set up the 4-4 goal on a great heads-up play to find Eiserman. For what it’s worth, I haven’t had a bad viewing of him this season.

#23 Cole Hutson, D: Hutson didn’t generate anything on the scoresheet, but he was damn close. I thought he used his skating to his advantage, often using his quick footwork to evade attackers at the blueline before rushing towards the net. That was especially evident late in the second when he made a nice spin move to beat a winger before falling down. He quickly got back up, rushed in close and fired a shot on net for his best chance of the game. You see so much of the same creativity his brother has on a consistent basis, and it’s fun to watch.

#26 Max Plante, RW: Plante is a gifted playmaker who can play with just about anyone. The University of Minnesota-Duluth commit compensated for his lack of high-end speed by sneaking around and forcing mistakes, especially in the defensive zone. He nearly had a goal midway through the first in an effort one scout texted me was “as hard as I’ve seen him work this year.”

#9 Sacha Boisvert, C: Boisvert’s game isn’t flashy. He’s not going to pull off lacrosse goals or razzle dazzle with some highlight-reel moves. But he makes smart plays after smart plays, and he’s got enough speed to start rushes from his own zone. Boisvert knows when it’s best to just hold on to the puck and do things himself, but he did as good of a job as anyone to find open lanes.

#10 Philippe Blais-Savoie, D: Another overage defender, I can’t say I knew much about Blais-Savoie before today. He’s not high on the draft radar, but I thought he played a strong shutdown game while showing great play-reads. It was PBS’ shot that resulted in James Reeder’s goal, which originally started with a good play read at the other end.

#18 Shane Vansaghi, RW (2025 NHL Draft): Man, he ground it out like his life depended on it. Considered a top-10 prospect for 2025, Vansaghi has great size at 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds and he used it to win puck battles and push guys around. He didn’t generate much around the net, but as a 13th forward, I thought he was one of Blue’s hardest-working players out there.

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