2008-Born Standouts Participate in USA Hockey Boys National 17 Festival

Players vie for chance to represent U.S. at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup

USA Hockey

Men's Ice Hockey | 7/16/2025 2:15:44 PM

2008-born United States Hockey League (USHL) standouts participated in the USA Hockey Boys National 17 Festival from July 7 to 13 in Amherst, N.Y. Players from the festival will be chosen to attend the Hlinka Gretzky Cup camp. Those chosen from the camp will represent the U.S. Under-18 Select Team in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup from August 11-16 in Brno, Czechia, and Trencín, Slovakia.

?Below is a list of those players at the festival who played more than 10 games in the USHL during the 2024-25 season.

  • Blake Zielinski, F, Des Moines Buccaneers (Atlantic District)
  • Jack Hextall, F, Youngstown Phantoms (Central District)
  • Cole Bumgarner, F, Fargo Force (Northern Plains District)
  • Dakotah Bailey, F, Omaha Lancers (Rocky Mountain District)

Multiple incoming USHL prospects and draft picks, including the festival's leading scorer, Nick Desiderio (Dubuque Fighting Saints), were invited to the camp. Desiderio had 13 points on five goals and eight assists in six games, leading the Atlantic District to a victory. He played nine games for the Fighting Saints last season.

Scott Gomez (Chicago Steel) was the head coach of the Pacific District team.

About the USHL

The United States Hockey League (USHL) and its 16 teams 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.