General | 11/19/2024 8:16:39 AM
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Tune into the U-Show each Tuesday at 5 p.m. CT/6 p.m. ET for a weekly recap, preview and insight into what’s happening around the USHL.
THE WEEK AHEAD
- Muskegon carries a seven-game winning streak into a two-game homestand vs. the Sioux Falls Stampede. The Lumberjacks haven’t lost since their season opener vs. Chicago on Oct. 25.
- After sweeping the USA Hockey NTDP, the Madison Capitols host the Sioux City Musketeers for a two-game set. Madison is 8-1-0-1 (Win-Loss-OTL-SOL) on home ice and Sioux City is winless in its last five games. The matchup will feature four of the top 10 scorers in the league: Ryker Lee (MAD), Giacomo Martino (SC), Landen Gunderson (SC) and Bobby Cowan (MAD).
- The best teams in the Western Conference matchup on Friday & Saturday in Waterloo. The Black Hawks and the Lincoln Stars have played only one other game this season, a 3-0 win for the Stars on Oct. 12 in Lincoln.
- The Youngstown Phantoms take a five-game winning streak more than 850 miles to Omaha, Nebraska where they’ll play the Lancers on Friday & Saturday at Liberty First Credit Union Arena. The Phantoms are 2-5-0-0 on the road this season, playing three of those games at Madison.
- The Dubuque Fighting Saints, Fargo Force, Madison Capitols, Sioux Falls Stampede and Youngstown Phantoms wore special jerseys for Military Appreciation Nights last week. Cedar Rapids will host Military Appreciation Night on Saturday, Nov. 23.
2025 NHL DRAFT WATCH
- Ryker Lee (MAD/Michigan State) leads the league and 2025 NHL Draft eligible skaters with 21 points on 10 goals and 11 assists. The NHL Central Scouting B-rated skater recorded a career-high, four-goal game last Friday, Nov. 15 vs. the NTDP, then scored a last-second, game-winner the following night to complete the series sweep for Madison.
- Ethan Wyttenbach (SF/Quinnipiac) ranks second among 2025 NHL Draft eligible skaters with 15 points (6-11-17), followed by Adam Benák (YNG) and Gavin Gavin Cornforth (DBQ/Boston College) and Ben Kevan (DM/Arizona State).
2026 NHL DRAFT WATCH
- Landon Nycz (WAT/Massachusetts) and Jack Hextall (YNG/Michigan State) are tied in points among 2026 NHL Draft eligible skaters with 12 each. Nycz has four goals and eight assists as a defenseman for the Black Hawks. Hextall has two goals and 10 assists as a forward for the Phantoms.
- Olivers Murnieks (SC) ranks third among 2026 NHL Draft eligible skaters 11 points (9-2-11).
- Torkel Jennersjö is tied for fourth in rookie scoring (6-4-10), ranking first in penalty minutes (46) and plus/minus (7).
NHL DRAFT PICK WATCH LIST
- Colorado Avalanche prospect Will Zellers (GB/North Dakota) leads NHL prospects in goals (9) and points (13).
- Vegas Golden Knights prospect Lucas Van Vliet (DBQ/Michigan State) and New York Islanders prospect Xavier Veilleux (MUS/Harvard) are tied for second in scoring among NHL prospects with 12 points each. Vliet is tied with Zellers and San Jose Sharks prospect David Klee (MUS/North Dakota) with goals scored (7). Veilleux leads the NHL draftees with 10 assists as a defenseman.
- Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Melvin Strahl (YNG/Michigan State) is 8-4-0-0 with a 2.31 GAA and .902 SV%, while New Jersey Devils prospect Mikhail Yegerov (OMA/Boston University) is 3-5-0-1 with a 2.82 GAA and .902 SV%.
WORLD JUNIOR A CHALLENGE
- The U.S. selected 22 players from the USHL to represent the Red, White & Blue at the 2024 World Junior A Challenge from Dec. 9-15 at Encana Arena in Camrose, Alberta.
- This year’s tournament will follow a four-team format. The U.S., Canada East, Canada West and Sweden will compete for seeding through three preliminary-round games. The semifinals will take place on Dec. 14 with the bronze and gold-medal games scheduled for Dec. 15.
- Four NHL prospects and four players from NHL Central Scouting’s preliminary players to watch list were selected to the roster. Caleb Heil (MAD/North Dakota) is the lone returner for the U.S.
- Head Coach Matt Smaby (WAT) will return behind the bench, joined by assistant coaches Andy Brandt (MAD), Tyler Haskins (Chicago Steel) and Brandon Wildung (SF). Support staff include Athletic Trainer Nick Hart (OMA), Strength and Conditioning Coach Spenser Popinga (WAT) and Equipment Manager Matty Oliver (FGO).
NHL PRELIMINARY PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST
- NHL Central Scouting published its preliminary players to watch list for the upcoming NHL Draft featuring 96 players with USHL ties. Of that group, 64 players are on active USHL rosters, 26 are on affiliate lists and six are former USHL players in the NCAA. The USHL averaged four players per team, more than any other junior league in North America.
- Not including the USA Hockey NTDP, the USHL had three B-rated skaters, which are projected to be taken between the 2nd and 3rd rounds: Ben Kevan (DM/Arizona State), Ryker Lee (MAD/Michigan State), Mason Moe (MAD/Minnesota), Jacob Rombach (LIN/Minnesota) and Adam Benák (YNG).
PLAYER STREAKS
- Luke Schelter (FGO) is on a six-game point streak (2-10-12). He has points in nine of 10 games this season.
- Colorado Avalanche prospect Will Zellers (COL/North Dakota) is on a seven-game point streak (5-4-9).
- Alan Lendak (FGO) has won his last six starts in net, posting a .939 SV%, 1.64 GAA and one shutout in that stretch.
TOP TEAMS
- Lincoln ranks 3rd in goals per game (3.83) and 2nd in goals against per game (2.56).Madison ranks 1st in goals for per game (4.29) and 3rd in goals against per game (2.59).
- Dubuque ranks 4th in goals for per game (3.67) and goals against per game (2.61).
- Top Power Plays: Green Bay Gamblers (34.8%), Lincoln Stars (33.9%), Sioux City Musketeers (25.0%).
- Top Penalty Kills: Lincoln Stars (86.2%), Muskegon Lumberjacks (85.2%) and Fargo Force (84.5%).
NHL PICKS
- There are 25 NHL picks on USHL rosters with 11 of 16 USHL teams claiming at least one selection.
- Six teams in the league have multiple NHL draft picks rostered, including the Dubuque Fighting Saints (5), Green Bay Gamblers (4) and Sioux Falls Stampede (4).
- 15 different NHL teams have a USHL pick in the league this season.
U17 WORLD CHALLENGE
- Adam Valentini (CHI/Michigan), Tynan Lawrence (MUS/Boston University) and Callum Croskery (CHI/Boston College) won gold with Canada White at the U17 World Challenge from Nov. 3-9 in Sarnia, Ontario.
- Valentini and Victor Plante (NTDP) led the tournament in scoring with nine points each. Valentini had four goals and five assists with a point in every game, including a goal and an assist in the gold-medal game.
- Canada White, Canada Red, Czechia, Finland, Sweden and the United States (NTDP) participated in the six-team tournament.
PATH TO PRO
- 195+ Alumni on 32 NHL Opening Night Rosters
- 910+ Alumni on NCAA 2024-25 DI Rosters
- With ten first-round selections and 49 total picks in the 2024 NHL Draft, the USHL has developed the most draft choices of any junior hockey league since 2012.
- The USHL has produced more selections than the OHL, WHL and QMJHL for eight straight years.
- The USHL’s ten first-round selections in 2024 tied a league record previously set in 2016. It marked the 16th consecutive year the USHL has had multiple first-round picks and extended the run to 20 years with at least one selection.
- Macklin Celebrini (CHI/San Jose – 2024) is one of four other first-overall picks with USHL lineage: Owen Power (CHI/Buffalo – 2021) Jack Hughes (NTDP/New Jersey – 2019), Auston Matthews (NTDP/Toronto Maple Leafs – 2016) and Rick DiPietro (NTDP/New York Islanders – 2000)
- Multiple players who played last season in the USHL signed NHL entry-level contracts including: Matvei Gridin (MUS/Calgary Flames), Ilya Protas (DM/Washington Capitals), Julian Lutz (GB/Utah Hockey Club) and Juraj Pekarcik (DUB/St. Louis Blues).
USHL IN THE NCAA
- More than 345 players on active USHL rosters are committed to play NCAA Division I college hockey, accounting for 82% of all players in the league.
- The conferences with the most committed players include:
- NCHC: 80+
- Big Ten: 80+
- Hockey East: 70+
- The teams with the most committed players include Michigan, Harvard and UMass
- Michigan: 16
- Miami: 16
- Michigan State: 14
- 270+ USHL alumni played in the NHL during the 2023-24 season and 12 USHL were named NCAA First-Team All-Americans.
- Macklin Celebrini (CHI/Boston University) won the Hobey Baker Award, Greg Brown (DUB/Boston College) won the Spencer Penrose Award as national coach of the year and Kyle McClellan (OMA/Wisconsin) won the Mike Richter Award as the NCAA Goalie of the Year.
- The USHL claims 8 of the last 10 Hobey Baker winners and has represented 88% of American Hockey Coaches Association (ACHA) First-Team All-Americans in the last five years.
ANNIVERSARY SEASONS
- 40th Anniversary Season: Madison Capitols*
- 30th Anniversary Season: Green Bay Gamblers
- 25th Anniversary Season: Chicago Steel, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, Tri-City Storm
- 15th Anniversary Season: Dubuque Fighting Saint
*Madison left the USHL in 1995 before rejoining in 2014.
CHL/USA PROSPECTS CHALLENGE
- The inaugural CHL/USA Prospects Challenge will take place Nov. 26-27 in London and Oshawa, Ontario. The two-game series will feature first-year draft-eligible players for the 2025 NHL Draft from the CHL (Ontario Hockey League, Western Hockey League, Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League) and USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program.
- The host of the CHL/USA Prospects Challenge will rotate between the CHL’s three league markets each year. This is the first of a three-year agreement between the CHL and USA Hockey.
For up-to-date stats and streaks, review the USHL Daily Report.
The USHL sends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Johnny & Matthew Gaudreau,Chad Demers and former owner of the Tri-City Storm, Kirk Brooks.
