Pilgrim, Orrey, Axelsson Named Players of the Week

General | 10/27/2025 2:00:00 PM

Carson Pilgrim, Keaton Orrey, and Carl Axelsson have been named United States Hockey League (USHL) Players of the Week for games played on or between Monday, Oct. 20 - Sunday, Oct. 26. 

Forward of the Week
Carson Pilgrim, Tri-City Storm
NCAA Commitment: University of North Dakota

  • Extended his point streak to five games by notching a goal and an assist in each of Tri-City's games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
  • Helped the Storm defeat the Stars 4-3 on Saturday with a shorthanded, game-winning goal.
  • Finished the weekend with nine shots and a +4 rating. Pilgrim's six points were the most among all skaters.

Defenseman of the Week
Keaton Orrey, Des Moines Buccaneers
NCAA Commitment: Miami University

  • Helped the Buccaneers sweep the USNTDP U17 team with game-winning goals in Des Moines' 4-3 win on Friday and 2-1 overtime win on Saturday.
  • Finished the weekend with five shots and a +2 rating.
  • Scored with 2:43 left in regulation on Friday and 1:26 into overtime on Saturday.

Goalie of the Week
Carl Axelsson, Muskegon Lumberjacks
NCAA Commitment: University of Minnesota Duluth

  • Helped the Lumberjacks to a weekend sweep in Waterloo with a 2.00 goals against average and a .932 save percentage.
  • Led Muskegon to back-to-back 5-2 wins against the Black Hawks in a rematch of the 2025 Clark Cup Final.  

About the USHL

The United States Hockey League (USHL) and its 16 teams are committed to being the world's leading 16–to 20-year-old junior hockey league. During the 2024-25 season, USHL alumni held over 50% of NCAA Division I roster spots, and over 25% of NHL players had USHL experience. With 10 first-round selections and 49 total picks in the 2024 NHL Draft, the USHL has developed the most draft choices of any junior hockey league since 2012.

Elevated through the recently announced Declaration of Excellence with the NHL and USA Hockey, the league's player-first approach, including a 2:1 practice-to-game ratio and a schedule with 92% of games played on weekends, provides its players with the optimal environment for athletic and personal growth, creating pathways for the next generation of stars like Kyle Connor (Youngstown Phantoms), Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel), Matthew Knies (Tri-City Storm), Adam Fantilli (Chicago Steel) and Jeremy Swayman (Sioux Falls Stampede).