5 things learned from 2025 All-American Game

PLYMOUTH, Mich. -- Ryker Lee scored at 15:06 of the third period to give Team Blue a 3-2 win against Team White at the 2025 Chipotle All-American Game at USA Hockey Arena on Thursday.

The game featured the top players eligible for the upcoming NHL Draft from the United States Hockey League and USA Hockey's National Team Development Program Under-18 team.

Lee (5-foot-11, 181 pounds), a right wing with Madison of the USHL, was named the game's Most Valuable Player. Committed to Michigan State University in 2025-26, Lee is No. 40 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters and a projected second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

"It was kind of late in the shift and we came down the ice and their defense kind of backed up so I decided to take a step to the middle, opened up the defense a little bit, shot it through and it went in so it was good," Lee said.

Lee revealed postgame that some of his coaches call him 'The Wizard'.

"The boys don't really call me that," he said. "But when I was 14, (Michigan State coach) Adam Nightingale was watching me and I was doing a bunch of stickhandling moves, so he just came up with the nickname."

Forwards Kade Stengrim (Youngstown, USHL) and Will Moore (NTDP) each scored for Blue. Forward Teddy Murtryn (Chicago, USHL) and defenseman Edison Engle (Dubuque, USHL) each scored for Team White.

Here are five things learned from the game:

Capitol gains

Lee and Mason Moe, who serve as linemates with the Madison Capitols, were teammates in the All-American Game.

Lee leads the Capitols in assists (19), points (31) and power-play points (13) in 26 games this season.

"I'm at my best when I'm getting into the zone, competing, making plays and shooting the puck," Lee said. "[Moe] uses his body really well protecting the puck. He's got a great shot, too, so it's fun to be out there with him."

Moe (6-1, 186), a left-shot center who is No. 54 on Central Scouting's midterm rankings, is eighth on the team with 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 19 games.

"I'm always looking to make plays, trying to score, setting some up, but the biggest thing is just competing, having a motor and being hard to play against," Moe said. "[Lee] and I have been playing together since the start of the season. He just makes plays, is super skilled and fun to play with."

California dreaming

Ben Kevan (6-0, 182), a right wing with Des Moines (USHL), was one of two players in the game who call California home. The other is forward Jake Stuart of the NTDP.

Kevan, committed to Arizona State University in 2025-26, told NHL.com that development in The Golden State was crucial in getting to where he is today -- No. 44 on Central Scouting's midterm ranking and potential second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. He had an assist for Blue.

"I went to a rink 20 minutes away from my house, Vacaville Ice Sports, so it wasn't too hard," he said. "I played there until I was 14 and then I moved to Los Angeles, billeted there and played for two more years. The families around me made it easy, as did my parents and coaches. But we all know everyone has a different path."

Kevan admitted the Palisades fire in California didn't affect any of his family members. Still, the catastrophic events there this past week have been on his mind.

"A lot of my billets live down south and they're about 30-to-40 minutes out, so none of them have gotten affected by it," he said. "But, what a horrible tragedy. I mean, it's hard to see all those families that have lost homes and how many people had to evacuate. You just got to pray for all the people that are out there and just hope for the best."

Looking for 'Moore'

Moore (6-2, 175) remembers the feeling as a 9-year-old, sitting in the stands with mom and dad, and watching Jack Hughes light up the scoreboard with the Toronto Marlboros Under-16 Team.

"I used to watch him play with the Marlies back when I was really tiny," said Moore, a center with the NTDP. "Now, to possibly being able to follow the same path he did is really special. Knowing where he was to his success now is pretty incredible."

Moore, like the current New Jersey Devils All-Star forward, played for the Marlboros and is now starring at the NTDP. He's No. 32 on Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters, the second-highest rating after NTDP teammate Jack Murtagh (No. 25). Moore scored on a shot from the top of the left circle to give Blue a 2-0 lead at 17:20 of the first.

"If I were to compare my game to one player in the NHL today, I'd probably say Matt Boldy of the Minnesota Wild just because we're similar in style and build, but for entertainment and nostalgia purposes, I'd probably say Jack Hughes," Moore said.

The 17-year-old will play at Boston College next season.

Turning the page

Bjorn Bronas, Central Scouting’s top-rated goalie in the game, has a unique way of moving on after allowing a goal.

"I did go to a sports psychologist here in Michigan, and one of the things we worked on after giving up a goal was skating into the corner to flush it out with my water bottle," he said. "I'll spray water into the corner ... kind of flushing my emotions away. After that, it's a reset and I forget about it until after the game."

Bronas (6-1, 188), No. 15 on Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American goalies, is 5-4-5 with a 2.90 goals-against average and .890 save percentage in 16 games with Sioux City (USHL). Born in St. Cloud, Minnesota, he's committed to attend Minnesota State University in 2026-27. His father, Ulf, was born in Sweden and played goalie in Eliteserien.

He allowed no goals on nine shots for Blue on Thursday.

"Puck-handling is huge and I've been working on it a lot," Bronas said. "I also think you can always be faster on your skates. Whenever I watch interviews with players after their first NHL game, they always talk about how much faster the game is and how you have to see a lot more through traffic."

All in the family

Four players in the All-American Game have a family member who played in the NHL.

Nicholas Sykora (5-11, 173) is the son of former forward Petr Sykora, who won the Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils in 2000 and the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009. Nicholas, a left wing traded to Sioux City by Omaha (USHL) on Nov. 20, 2024, has 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 18 games since the trade. Committed to Quinnipiac University in 2025-26, Sykora is No. 77 on Central Scouting's midterm list.

Stuart (5-9, 161), who will play at the University of Denver in 2025-26, is the son of former defenseman Brad Stuart. The father played 16 years in the NHL with the San Jose Sharks, Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche, winning the Stanley Cup with the Red Wings in 2008. Jake has 11 points (seven goals, four assists) in 25 games with the NTDP U-18 team.

NTDP forward L.J. Mooney, committed to the University of Minnesota next season and No. 208 in Central Scouting's midterm rankings, is the cousin of center Logan Cooley of the Utah Hockey Club. Mooney has 14 points (one goal, 13 assists) in 21 games.

Forward Brendan McMorrow, No. 127 on Central Scouting's midterm rankings of North American skaters, is the cousin of former forward Dominic Toninato, who played eight NHL seasons with the Avalanche, Florida Panthers and Winnipeg Jets. McMorrow has 20 points (11 goals, nine assists) and six power-play goals in 29 games with Waterloo (USHL). He's committed to Denver in 2025-26.