USA Hockey announced Monday that Sean Farrell has been named the recipient of the 2021 Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year award as the most outstanding American-born player in junior hockey, and Jake Sibell has been named the 2021 Dave Peterson Goalie of the Year as the top American junior-aged goaltender.
Farrell led a potent offensive attack for the USHL’s Chicago Steel in 2020-21, with 101 points (29 goals, 72 assists) in 53 regular-season games. He also had 10 points, including two goals and eight assists, in eight playoff games.
Farrell intended to play for Harvard University in 2020-21, but returned to play for the Steel for a second season after the university canceled its hockey season. His talents helped Chicago win its second straight Anderson Cup as the league’s top regular-season team and also the Clark Cup championship as the USHL playoff champion.
Set to head to Harvard in 2021-22. Farrell was named the 2020-21 USHL Player of the Year and also earned All-USHL First Team honors. He became just the 23rd player to score 100 points or more in the USHL since 1979 when the league first formed, and is the first player to do so since Kevin Roy accomplished the feat during the 2011-12 season.
The Montreal Canadiens selected Farrell in the fourth round (124th overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft.
The Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year Award is presented annually to the most outstanding American-born player in junior hockey. The honor is named after Dave Tyler, who served on the USA Hockey Board of Directors for 32 years and played an instrumental role in the development and growth of junior hockey in the United States.
Sibell had a season for the NAHL record books in 2020-21. The Niagara commit played in his second season with the Aberdeen Wings, and helped the team capture the NAHL regular-season championship.
Named NAHL Most Valuable Player and also to the All-NAHL First Team, Sibell recorded multiple single-season records this year. He appeared in 47 games during the 2020-21 campaign and set an NAHL single-season record with 43 wins, posting a 43-2-1 record. He also set NAHL single-season records for goals-against average (1.19) and save percentage (.952), while his 11 shutouts tied the NAHL single-season record.
The Dave Peterson Goalie of the Year Award is selected from a pool of goaltenders who play at the junior level each year. The award is named in honor of the late Dave Peterson, a passionate leader of goaltender development, who twice coached the U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team.
