General | 11/26/2025 10:00:00 AM

Anyone perusing the top point producers in the USHL doesn’t have to look too far down the list to find Masun Fleece’s name. 

The Dubuque Fighting Saints’ right wing has become one of the league’s top scorers and is drawing attention as a re-entry candidate for the 2026 NHL Draft.

Added, Fleece’s blistering start to the season has earned him a spot on Team USA’s roster for the World Junior A Challenge (WJAC) in Quebec next month. 

Through the first 20 games of the season, Fleece has scored 15 goals, ranking second in the USHL, to go along with 24 points, which are tied for sixth overall. He also enjoyed a nine-game point streak in October, establishing himself as the engine of Dubuque’s offense. 

But it is not just his scoring that stands out. Fleece plays in all situations, including the penalty kill, and his defensive commitment is evident.

"I think we are defense first really and then we build it up from there," Fleece said of his line with Teddy Merrill and Cooper Conway. 

"We get on the forecheck pretty hard, and I think we probably average the most hits on the team too. We kind of do everything that contributes, and if you play the right way, good things happen to you."

The Rolling Hills, California, native describes himself as a 200-foot goal scorer who does not shy away from physical play. If anything, he seeks it out as a way to get himself instantly engaged in the play.

"I try to start my shifts off with a hit. Coming from that, it goes from there," he said. 

His aggressiveness, combined with his scoring ability, helped earn him the WJAC nod. The selection is a reward for his performance and an opportunity to showcase his talents on the international stage.

"It was pretty emotional for me," Fleece recalled of learning the news. "I was thinking about [the impending WJAC roster selections], but I did not want to get too ahead of myself.”

As for what he hopes to accomplish at the WJAC? 

“Get the gold medal obviously, but I hope to show what my game is and what I have shown here at Dubuque."

The early-season reward was a direct result of Fleece’s start, but his journey to this point has been anything but linear.

He broke into the USHL as a high-profile tender signing with the Fargo Force. In his first season, he recorded seven goals and 10 points in 49 games, though he performed well in the playoffs, scoring two goals and four points in Fargo’s route to a Clark Cup title.

The following year, Fleece had four goals and nine points through 24 games. Seeking a change, he left the USHL for the Sherwood Park Crusaders of the BCHL where he recorded 14 goals and 28 points in 28 games.

After his rights were traded to Dubuque, Fleece returned to the USHL as a stronger, more confident player both physically and mentally. 

During Dubuque’s Development Camp over the summer, he quickly became a regular standout. Recognizing that his high-energy, aggressive style required a more robust frame, he spent the offseason building his upper body.

"I am hitting guys almost every shift, so I thought I would just get my upper body kind of jacked and swole a little bit," he laughed.

From a tender signing in Fargo to a reset in the BCHL and now a star in Dubuque, Fleece has demonstrated an ability to learn from challenges and emerge stronger. 

His early-season performance suggests there is more to come both in the USHL, on the international stage, and, perhaps, in the 2026 NHL Draft.

About the USHL

The United States Hockey League (USHL) and its 16 teams are committed to being the world's leading junior hockey league. This season, more than 50% of NCAA Division I men's hockey players and nearly 25% of NHL players have USHL experience. The USHL has developed more than 285 direct NHL Draft picks since 2020, and eight of the last 10 Hobey Baker Award winners, including Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel).

Elevated through the recently announced Declaration of Excellence with the NHL and USA Hockey, the league's player-first approach, including a 2:1 practice-to-game ratio and a schedule with 92% of games played on weekends, provides its players with the optimal environment for athletic and personal growth, creating pathways for the next generation of stars like Auston Matthews (NTDP), Kyle Connor (Youngstown Phantoms), Jeremy Swayman (Sioux Falls Stampede), and Johnny Gaudreau (Dubuque Fighting Saints).