The North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) has announced that Danny Mitchell, a goaltender with the Esmark Stars U18 team, was selected as the Apex Learning Virtual School Peak Performer U18 Number One Star - Goaltender for the month of October.

Mitchell, 17, was literally perfect during the NAPHL's second league showcase of the season (Oct. 20-22) in Blaine, MN, and in the process moved his NAPHL season record to a perfect 4-0-0 mark for the Stars.

The native of Mars, PA, posted shutouts in both of his starts during the October event, including a 17-save shutout in a 5-0 win against Valley Forge and a 31-save 3-0 shutout against the Sioux Falls Power.

In four NAPHL appearances this season, Mitchell (6’2/165 lbs.) has allowed just five goals, recording a Goals Against Average (GAA) of 1.25 and a save percentage of .940 while picking up wins in all four games he has started in NAPHL league play.

Overall in 12 appearances, Mitchell has recorded a 9-2-1-0 record with two shutouts, a GAA of .192 and a save percentage of .919 helping lead the U18 Stars to a 15-7-1-1 record.

"Danny has been outstanding," said Esmark 18U head coach Dave Kosick. "I have been very impressed with his play and attention to detail." 

After each NAPHL league event, the league's central scouting staff selects top performers (three stars), for the 18U and 16U divisions, as well as the 15U division for events in which they participate, for offense, defense and goaltending.

The NAPHL's High Performance Division, in which Esmark participates, is comprised of four regular-season events leading up to its Championship Tournament, the Dixon Cup Playoffs. The third NAPHL event of the 2018-19 season will take place from Nov. 10-12, 2018, in Dallas, TX.

Now in its tenth season, the NAPHL is composed of Midget Major (18U) and Midget Minor (16U & 15U) teams from across North America that compete at the Tier I level.

The NAPHL provides an organized and competitive experience with an unrivaled scouting presence guaranteed to benefit all of the participating student-athletes and programs and has established itself as the premiere training ground for development and exposure.

Not only have players in the NAPHL gone on to play in the National Hockey League (NHL), they received recognition from NHL Central Scouting each year, dozens receive scholarships to NCAA Division I schools and hundreds more have been drafted and tendered by North American Hockey League (NAHL) and United States Hockey League (USHL) teams.

The NAPHL, which is sanctioned by USA Hockey, is designed to maximize the exposure of all the participants through the NAHL's high-profile recruiting events that attract hundreds of college, junior and professional scouts.

For more information on the NAPHL, visit www.naphl.com.