General | 6/28/2025 11:22:38 AM

The United States Hockey League (USHL) had 53 total selections in the 2025 NHL Draft at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, Calif. 

After having eight picks in Friday's first round, the league had 45 picks in Rounds 2-7 on Saturday. The NHL credited the USHL with 40 direct selections in the draft. The league also played a role in the development of five players who played in other leagues and eight alumni who were selected following their freshman season of NCAA Division I hockey. The number of selections and number of direct selections surpass last year's totals, further demonstrating the league's success in developing players for the next level.

The USHL averaged 3.3 players selected per team, more than any other development league in the world. The league's list below includes current and former players with at least 10 games experience in the USHL. Counting players with one game of USHL experience, a total of 56 selections were made.

• The NTDP paced the USHL with 14 direct picks, followed by the Muskegon Lumberjacks, Fargo Force, Madison Capitols, Lincoln Stars, Tri-City Storm, and Chicago Steel with three each. Fifteen of the 16 USHL teams had at least one selection.
• Twenty-six NHL teams selected a player with USHL ties. The Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks each selected four players.
• The USHL had more draft picks per team than any other development league in North America (3.3).
• Bruno Idzan became the first Croatian selected in the NHL Draft when the Ottawa Senators selected him in the sixth round.
• The Philadelphia Flyers made three consecutive picks from the USHL in the second round, picking Carter Amico at 38th overall, Jack Murtagh at 40th overall, and Shane Vansaghi at 48th overall.

About the USHL

The United States Hockey League (USHL) and its 16 member clubs are committed to being the world's leading 16–20-year-old junior hockey league. During the 2024-25 season, USHL alumni held over 50% of NCAA Division I roster spots, and over 25% of NHL players had USHL experience. With 10 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.

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 Kyle Connor (Youngstown Phantoms), Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel), Matthew Knies (Tri-City Storm), Adam Fantilli (Chicago Steel) and Jeremy Swayman (Sioux Falls Stampede). More.