Fabrizio, Brandt, Gasparini Named GM of the Year Finalists
April 27, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL) News Release
Nick Fabrizio (Lincoln Stars), Andy Brandt (Madison Capitols) and Tony Gasparini (Sioux Falls Stampede) have been named finalists for United States Hockey League (USHL) GM of the Year, the league announced Sunday.
The award winner will be announced with the Coach of the Year on Thursday, May 1.
Nick Fabrizio, Lincoln Stars
Fabrizio oversaw a 32-point turnaround from the previous season with the Stars posting a 44-15-3-0 (W-L-OTL-SOL) record vs. a 27-30-3-2 mark in 2023-24. The Chicago, Ill. native assembled the highest scoring offense in the USHL, averaging 4.39 goals per game, and the best defense in the league, limiting opponents to 2.68 goals-against per game. Backed by second-year starting goalie Yan Shostak, Fabrizio helped build one of the top offensive teams in the league with Jack Pechar, Daniel Shlaine, Dashel Oliver and Gio Digulian notching more than 50 points for the first time in their USHL careers. In addition, Fabrizio acquired Bruno Idzan from KHL Sisak in the AlpsHL, who had 1.22 points per since Dec. 12, and Hunter Anderson from the Sioux Falls Stampede, who had eight points in 15 games for the Herd before finishing the season with 26 points in 30 games for the Stars.
Andy Brandt, Madison Capitols
As head coach and general manager, Brandt led the Capitols to a 39-17-5-1 record, marking a six-win and 12-point improvement from the previous season to secure home-ice advantage for the first round of the Clark Cup Playoffs. The Wausau, Wisconsin native helped assemble the fifth-highest scoring offense in the USHL with offseason acquisitions of Bobby Cowan and Caleb Heil and midseason acquisitions of Egor Barabonov and Jackson Nevers. He was also named a finalist for USHL Coach of the Year, playing a key role in the development of Madison's top returners such as Ryker Lee and Mason Moe.
Tony Gasparini, Sioux Falls Stampede
After hiring Coach of the Year finalist Ryan Cruthers to lead efforts behind the bench, Gasparini assembled a highly competitive team that went 40-17-3-2 record and tied for the third-most points in the league (85). It marked a 12-win and 23-point improvement for the Stampede, which earned them a first-round bye in the Clark Cup Playoffs after finishing fifth in the conference last season. With three NHL draft picks in Austin Baker, Javon Moore and Flip Nordberg, the North Dakota native acquired 2025 NHL Draft prospects Ritter Coombs, Ethan Wyttenbach and Brent Solomon midway through the season and benefited from offseason additions of Reid Varkonkyi, Noah Urness, Gennadi Chaly and Aidan Wright among others.
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