Rucinski, Willson, Heil Named Players of the Week

General | 11/24/2025 2:00:00 PM

Ryan Rucinski, Jack Willson, and Caleb Heil have been named United States Hockey League (USHL) Players of the Week for games played on or between Monday, Nov. 17, and Sunday, Nov. 23. 

Ryan Rucinski, F, Youngstown Phantoms
NCAA Commitment: Ohio State University
NHL Rights: Buffalo Sabres
  • Led USHL skaters with seven points on four goals and three assists.
  • Played a role in each of Youngstown's goals in its 4-3 overtime win against Dubuque on Friday.
  • Extended his point streak to five points the following night with his second career USHL hat trick to mark his third multi-point outing in his last five games. The Phantoms won 5-3 to complete the road sweep.
  • Recorded seven shots and a +3 rating.
Jack Willson, D, Youngstown Phantoms
NCAA Commitment: University of Alaska Fairbanks
  • Led USHL defensemen in scoring with one goal and two assists on Friday
  • Recorded two assists before scoring the overtime winner for the Phantoms on Friday.
  • Stretched his point streak to six games with four goals and five assists during that span.
Caleb Heil, G, Madison Capitols
NCAA Commitment: University of North Dakota
NHL Rights: Tampa Bay Lightning
  • Won back-to-back starts against the NTDP U-17 team, turning aside 12 shots in Friday's 5-3 win and making 16 stops in his first shutout of the season.
  • Posted a 1.50 goals against average and a .903 save percentage.
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).