APX News / JULY PLAYERs OF THE MONTH
Every month, APX hockey AND MAP SOUTH are proud to showcase a handful of athletes that have gone above and beyond in their hard work both on and off the ice.
Our coaching staff is proud to recognize the efforts of these athletes as July Players of the Month for their respective tiers.
APX Goaltending Tier: Kyler Helmberger
APX College Tier: Kam Kaiser
APX Selects Tier: Channing Goodwin
APX High School Girls Selects Tier: Brita Anderson
APX 18s Tier: Gavin Gust
MAP South High School Tier: Taylor Stanford
APX High School Girls Tier: Hadley Martinson
MAP South Skating & Skills Tier: Nebiyu Ketema
APX 16s Tier: Luke Crowley
APX 15s Tier: Tyeson Salscheider
APX 14s Tier: Connor Kemp
MAP South Bantam Tier: Charlie Rosen
MAP South U15 Girls: Macy Dodge
MAP South U12 Girls: Kinsley Eggleston
APX 13s Tier: Lucas Peine
APX 12s Tier: Connor Krueger
MAP South PeeWee Tier: James Bickel
MAP South Squirts Tier: Michael Richardson
AUGUST 5, 2026
Author SYDNEY WOLF
APX GOALTENDING TIER: KYLER HELMBERGER
Goaltender Kyler Helmberger just wrapped up a successful season with the Woodbury PeeWee A team, where the squad made a state tournament appearance in 2026, before joining APX for his first summer of offseason training with us. From Day 1, he was able to demonstrate his strong athletic ability and his desire to learn and improve in all of his sessions both on and off the ice.
“Kyler has shown tremendous growth in his first year in the program. He is a keen student of the position, and he is consistently asking quality questions to our staff to identify how he can keep improving his game,” said APX Director of Goaltending Drew Fielding. “On top of that, he is an outstanding athlete! Great work Kyler and let’s finish the training season strong!”
GOALTENDING TIER HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Niko Johnson (Eagan)
Ollie Oslund (Lakeville South)
Jack Frein (Bloomington Jefferson)
Leyton Rinehart (Woodbridge Wolfpack / Green Bay USHL)
APX COLLEGE TIER: KAM KAISER
Forward Kam Kaiser just finished up a very impressive season with El Paso of the NAHL and has recently signed to play in the USHL in 2026-27 with the Youngstown Phantoms. The Northfield native is a veteran of APX’s College Tier, and all of our staff love having Kam’s presence in the building. He is highly competitive and consistently earns the respect of his peers, making him a true leader on the ice and in the locker room. We can’t wait to see where his future in hockey will take him once he figures out where he wants to play college hockey.
“Kam has always made steady progress in his development over the years, but the growth that he’s made in the past year has been astounding. His aggressive tactics, situational awareness & overall duration shift-to-shift is really sharp right now,” said APX Director of Player Development Wes Jirovec. “Those are the kind of attributes that make the rest of our group better. He’s exciting to play with and very hard to play against.”
APX SELECTS TIER: CHANNING GOODWIN
Forward Channing Goodwin has been an APX athlete for quite some time now, but he has shown huge growth in his game over the past year or two. Goodwin made the jump up into varsity hockey as a sophomore at Rosemount but recently had an explosive junior season in 2025-26, posting 42 points in 31 games for a talented Irish roster. Because of his hard work both on and off the ice, our staff is expecting a huge senior season for the skater in 2026-27.
“We’ve had Goody in the program for a while now, and our staff is plenty used to consistent growth in his game, but it’s such an exciting phase in a player’s career when they begin solidifying their identity on the ice. We’re starting to really see what kind of player Goody will be in juniors, college & potentially beyond,” said Jirovec about the forward. “He’s always been an elite processor on offense, but now there’s a confidence in his hard skill and pace of play. As he’s gotten stronger on his skates, that’s resulted in more confidence as a forechecker and defender, too.”
APX HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SELECTS TIER: BRITA ANDERSON
Defender Brita Anderson is coming off of a strong junior season for the Eagan Wildcats and has shown an extreme willingness to learn and improve throughout this training season so far. The longtime APX athlete has also shown a great attitude and work ethic out on the ice that recently earned her the honor to wear an ‘A’ for her Eagan squad in 2026-27.
“Brita will be a senior this year for the Eagan Wildcats, and she continues to stand out as a strong example of what APX hockey is all about,” said APX Director of Girls Development Karyn Bye. “She brings a heavy shot to the ice, along with a steady dedication to the program that shows through her consistent attendance and commitment to improving. Brita is very coachable, always willing to listen, learn, and put in the work. She also loves being on the ice with many of her teammates from Eagan, bringing great energy and connection to every session.”
APX 18s TIER: GAVIN GUST
Hill-Murray defenseman Gavin Gust had a solid varsity debut in 2025-26 as a sophomore but the entire APX staff is confident that he’ll have a significantly bigger impact for the Pioneers as a junior this winter. Gust is in his second season within the APX program, and we can’t wait to see him take the ice in 2026-27 and to become a big part of a talented Hill-Murray defensive core.
“More than just within the last month, Gavin has been tremendous since the very start of the training season. He’s been remarkably motivated to boost his overall impact on the ice, and the improvements that we’ve seen since the end of the regular season are outstanding - especially in his skating strength and explosiveness, poise and playmaking with the puck, and assertive defensive instincts,” said APX Director of Player Development Wes Jirovec. “What’s fun about all these compliments is that Gavin has attacked them in any way that he can - in regular ice sessions, Game Day reps, and maintaining a presence in the weight room, too.”
MAP SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL TIER: TAYLOR STANFORD
Northfield forward Taylor Stanford is in his first season training with the MAP South program and has been a great athlete to have out on the ice and in the locker room. He consistently demonstrates high-quality character with his fun but focused attitude that will serve him well during his senior season for the Raiders this winter.
“Taylor shows up very consistently and is very attentive both on and off the ice. He is eager to learn and try new things, and he always seems to be putting in the extra effort to try to improve - while also having fun at the same time,” said MAP South Director of Hockey Development Kevin Schulze. “I hope to see him continue to progress as the high school season gets closer and closer.”
APX HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS TIER: HADLEY MARTINSON
This is Martinson’s first year of training at APX, and she has already shown a level of strength and competitiveness that has positively caught the eye of our coaching staff. The young forward played at the Bantam B2 level last season for Bloomington Jefferson, and the physical component that she brings to her game is top-notch.
“Hadley shows up ready to work and compete every day. Her compete level elevates others around her, and she is committed to improving, pushing herself, and taking her game to the next level,” said APX Director of Girls Development Karyn Bye. “Hadley has been a great teammate and a pleasure to work with this summer. Congratulations to Hadley, our July Player of the Month!”
MAP SOUTH SKATING & SKILLS TIER: NEBIYU KETEMA
Ketema is only in his first year of training within the MAP South program, but his character and desire to improve both on and off the ice have been second to none. The skater from Rochester has made big strides in his game so far this summer, and we can’t wait to see what he’ll be able to do on the ice this winter after all of the hard work that he has put in over the past few weeks.
“Nebiyu has incredible attendance and dedication, and he has shown up for every off-ice session and on-ice session,” said MAP South Director of Hockey Development Kevin Schulze. “He is always willing to work hard and try new things, and he has greatly improved throughout the training season. We predict that he will keep on getting better and that he has a bright future ahead if he keeps it up.”
APX 16s TIER: LUKE CROWLEY
Crowley is a longtime APX athlete who is in the midst of an impressive offseason of training. At the rate that his game has been growing this summer, he will definitely be ready to contribute to winning hockey at Hill-Murray in the future. Not only is he able to work hard and improve his game day in and day out, but he is also able to make a positive impression on his peers as well.
“It’s been so fun to be around Luke and the monster year that he’s been having,” said APX Director of Player Development Wes Jirovec. “We’ve seen a big jump in his confidence on the ice, his tactical aggressiveness in game reps and his overall presence in the building. It’s easy for the staff, and the other skaters, to see how much intention Luke has on the ice and in the weight room. He wants to make the most out of every day, and that eager energy is contagious.”
APX 15s TIER: TYESON SALSCHEIDER
Salscheider is a new addition within the APX program this summer but he has already earned the respect of our coaching staff and has shown great improvement in his game over the month of July. The forward from Woodbury is coming off of a Bantam AA season where he posted almost a point per game and he is set up to have an even bigger season in 2026-27.
“Tyeson has done exceptionally well with us at APX,” said APX Director of Player Development Kyle Osterberg. “He thinks the game very well, he competes, and he wants to win. He truly fits the mold of what an APX athlete is.”
APX 14s TIER: CONNOR KEMP
Kemp, from Edina, is in his first season of training at APX, but he has already shown our coaching staff how skilled a player he is. Kemp is coming off of a big season at the 2026 Bantam Elite League where he finished top-10 on the leaderboard for overall points scored, which is not an easy feat to accomplish, and he is set up to have a big winter in 2026-27.
“Connor is an extremely dynamic player,” said APX Director of Player Development Kyle Osterberg about the young forward. “Kemp is someone who can already play the right way for the length of an entire game, which is rare for someone of his age. When he’s given time and space, Connor can be a scoring threat at any point out on the ice.”
MAP SOUTH BANTAM TIER: CHARLIE ROSEN
Rosen is a longtime MAP South athlete who has consistently put in lots of hard work out on the ice. The forward from West St. Paul has a great attitude and will be a great asset to St. Thomas Academy in the future as he continues to get better and better each day.
“Charlie shows up often and always with a courteous and friendly smile on his face,” said MAP South Director of Hockey Development Kevin Schulze. “He has been in the program for a long time now and has always been a hard worker and wants to push himself to get better. Any player or coach would love to have him on their team and will be glad to see him every day at the rink.”
MAP SOUTH U15 GIRLS TIER: MACY DODGE
West St. Paul’s Macy Dodge has earned Player of the Month honors after consistently showing off her outstanding effort in practice, her competitive spirit, and her overall athleticism in our training program.
“Macy is an incredibly powerful skater with an efficient stride that makes her one of the fastest skaters in our MAP South programs,” said Sean Foley, the Director of MAP South. “Macy is always smiling and encouraging those around her, but the moment a drill begins, she becomes one of the most competitive players on the ice. She attacks every repetition with speed, focus, and determination. Her elite skating ability, competitive drive, and infectious energy make her a deserving choice for Player of the Month.”
MAP SOUTH U12 GIRLS TIER: KINSLEY EGGLESTON
Eggleston, who competes for Farmington, may be new to the MAP South program this offseason, but she has already become a favorite among our staff for her positive attitude, her contagious smile, and her overall commitment to improving her skills each and every day.
“Kinsley has been a great addition to our program this year and has made an immediate impression on us with her attitude and work ethic,” said the Director of MAP South, Sean Foley. “She is a mechanically sound skater who is always looking to be challenged, and she consistently brings her best effort to every session. Whether in the gym or on the ice, Kinsley works hard, stays focused, and is usually the first one ready for the next drill.”
APX 13s TIER: LUCAS PEINE
St. Paul’s Lucas Peine is in his first summer training at APX but has shown consistent development throughout the month of July and has been a fun skater to work with as he continues to improve and develop his already impressive skillset in every session.
“Lucas is a really exciting prospect to watch,” said APX Director of Player Development Kyle Osterberg. “He has a great attitude both on and off the ice. He has also already shown that he has an incredible set of skills and a high compete level, which makes us excited to see where his future in hockey will take him over the next few years.”
APX 12s TIER: CONNOR KRUEGER
Connor Krueger of Lakeville South has been selected as the Player of the Month for the 12s Tier after impressing our staff this summer and showing why he is one of our favorite defenseman to both watch and work with on and off the ice.
“‘Kruegs’ is an outstanding athlete who plays hard and battles every shift,” said APX Director of Player Development Kyle Osterberg. “He works hard to get better with every single rep, and he is a prime example of a player who wants to compete at the highest level of hockey that he possibly can.”
MAP SOUTH PEEWEE TIER: JAMES BICKEL
James Bickel of Lakeville South has been selected as the Player of the Month for the PeeWee Tier after demonstrating to our staff that he has a strong desire to continually refine his game and that he isn’t afraid of a challenge. He is a favorite among his coaches for his hard work and positive attitude.
“James has established himself as one of the hardest-working players in our PeeWee group,” said Sean Foley, the Director of MAP South. “He is a natural skater with a very high ceiling, and his skill level continues to improve because of the dedication that he brings to every session. James is never afraid to step outside his comfort zone, and he is always willing to try new techniques and challenges.”
MAP SOUTH SQUIRTS TIER: MICHAEL RICHARDSON
West St. Paul’s Michael Richardson has been selected as the MAP South Squirt Player of the Month as he has shown a strong work ethic out on the ice. His attention to detail has stood out to our coaches, and it has helped him to make steady progress in his game this summer so far.
“Michael has been a part of our program for the past couple of years, and it has been rewarding to watch his development as a player,” said Sean Foley about the young athlete. “He is a natural skater who makes the game look effortless, thanks to his smooth stride and strong skating mechanics. What stands out most is Michael's genuine desire to improve. He is always engaged, asks questions, and embraces coaching.”
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About APX Hockey
APX Hockey is a staple in the hockey community, offering high-caliber training programs for aspiring players. With a focus on player-centered development and cutting-edge performance training methods, APX Hockey is committed to helping athletes of all ages refine their skills, build resilience, and achieve excellence on-and-off the ice.
