General | 7/22/2025 10:00:00 AM

The United States Hockey League (USHL) has hired a nutritionist to provide nutrition services across the league beginning in the 2025–26 season. Jenna Stranzl, RD, LDN, will make contributions to directly assist teams and further enhance the player experience, as outlined in the Declaration of Excellence.  

Stranzl is a registered dietitian who has served as the team nutritionist for the NHL's New York Islanders and the AHL's Bridgeport Islanders since 2014. She holds a bachelor's degree in Nutrition Science from Penn State University (University Park, PA), where she continued her education with a master's degree while also completing her dietetic internship at The College of Saint Elizabeth (Morristown, NJ).

The Lehigh Valley native has worked as a registered dietitian (RD) for 17 years, specifically in sports performance nutrition. She held previous capacities in the field, serving as a Sports Dietitian at The University of Pennsylvania, The PGA Tour, IMG Academy, and in Professional Development with the Philadelphia Eagles. Other work has included Drexel University in connection with the School District of Philadelphia Nutrition Programming, St. Joseph's University, Dietary Supplement formulation for Pfizer Nutrition and Pediatric Division, and additional work with elite, high-school, and college athletes in growth and development. Outside of her work in sports nutrition, Jenna also practices at a large university hospital in Pennsylvania, focusing on weight management.

The USHL will engage Stranzl to develop nutrition guidebooks for players, billet families, staff, coaches, and officials. She will provide ongoing support throughout the season for players and coaches, as well as answer nutrition-based questions for billet families around the league.

"We are incredibly fortunate to add Jenna to our team. Her expertise will be critical in ensuring we optimize every stage of our development model through practice, competition, rest, and recovery," said USHL President & Commissioner Glenn Hefferan. "Engaging NHL-backed nutrition expertise is fundamental to putting our players in a position to succeed.”

"From my experience in hockey, seeing the connection to fueling their bodies better and seeing that translate on the ice is awesome," said Stranzl. "I could say that I find that so rewarding, but honestly, I am all for them feeling the rewards. That is the thing about performance nutrition – this piece is untapped potential. If I told a player that he is leaving untapped potential on the table due to skipping pre-practice fueling or breakfast, how does that make him better? I am providing that potential on the table for him to grab – take it or leave it. I am not a betting woman, but I know it will make him a better and more confident player.”

Stranzl's credentials include:

• Registered Dietitian
• Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist (LDN)
• Member of the Collegiate & Professional Sports Dietetic Association (CPSDA)
• BOD POD Certified
• HACCP/ServSafe Food Safety Certified

About the USHL

The United States Hockey League 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.