General | 4/29/2025 2:00:00 PM

Luke Osburn of the Youngstown Phantoms is the USHL Defenseman of the Year for the 2024-25 season, marking the first time in team history a player from the Phantoms has won the award.

All end-of-season league awards were nominated and voted upon by team general managers.

The 6'1 ", 182-pound Plymouth, Mich. native was a steady force for the Phantoms on the blue line, finishing fourth among USHL defensemen in scoring with 41 points in 55 games and finishing third on the team in assists with 31. Osburn had 19 power-play assists and 20 power-play points, tied for third among league blueliners. The Buffalo Sabres' fourth-round pick and Wisconsin commit finished the regular season with a +10 rating, helping the Phantoms to the second-lowest goals-against average in the league at 2.69. Osburn was named to the All-USHL First Team on Monday.

About the USHL

The United States Hockey League and its 16 member clubs are committed to being the leading 16–20-year-old junior hockey league in the world. More than half of Division I men’s hockey roster spots are held by USHL alumni and more than 195 alumni were listed on NHL rosters at the start of the 2024-25 season.

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 Kyle Connor (Youngstown Phantoms), Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel), Cole Caufield (NTDP), Adam Fantilli (Chicago Steel) and Jeremy Swayman (Sioux Falls Stampede). More.