General | 8/26/2025 6:00:19 PM
The 2025-26 USHL season begins Wednesday, Sept. 17, at the DICK’s Sporting Goods USHL Fall Classic near Pittsburgh, Pa.
All 16 teams will play their first two regular-season games at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in front of hundreds of NHL scouts, general managers, and executives in preparation for the 2026 NHL Draft.
To help get you ready for the Fall Classic and the season ahead, here is an outlook and a few players to watch for the teams that play in the USHL’s Western Conference, with teams listed in alphabetical order.
Des Moines Buccaneers
2024-25 Record: 25-32-5-0, Missed Playoffs
Players To Watch: Blake Zielinski, Ryland Rooney, Theo Kiss
2025-26 Outlook: Des Moines missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year, leading to a coaching change. Former Iowa Heartlanders (ECHL) head coach Derek Damon takes over and will look to get the Bucs back on track in his first season. Blake Zielinski returns as a key player after recording 32 points in 41 games last year, while tender signing Ryland Rooney will break into the league. Des Moines opens the year against Cedar Rapids and Tri-City at the USHL Fall Classic.
Fargo Force
2024-25 Record: 29-27-4-2, Lost in First Round of Clark Cup Playoffs
Players To Watch: Brooks Cullen, Mason West, Garrett Lindberg
2025-26 Outlook: Fargo could not replicate another historic postseason run, falling in the first round of the Clark Cup Playoffs. Brett Skinner’s squad will look to bounce back with the addition of former NTDP defenseman Garrett Lindberg, who joins the Force via a summer trade before heading to North Dakota. Fargo is also expected to get a mid-season boost with the arrival of Chicago Blackhawks draft pick Mason West. The Force will open their season at the NTDP U18s and Madison Capitols at the USHL Fall Classic.
Lincoln Stars
2024-25 Record: 44-15-3-0, Lost in Western Conference Finals of Clark Cup Playoffs
Players To Watch: Layne Loomer, Aiden Janz, Lefty Markonidis
2025-26 Outlook: Lincoln enters the season as the reigning Anderson Cup Trophy winners, with key returners Layne Loomer and Lefty Markonidis expected to step into prominent roles after each posted 30-plus point campaigns last year, while William Prowse will look to take over goaltending duties for Yan Shostak, who has moved on to St. Cloud State. The Stars open their season against Madison and the NTDP U18s at the USHL Fall Classic.
Omaha Lancers
2024-25 Record: 7-48-6-1, Missed Playoffs
Players To Watch: Thaddeus McMahon, Caden Lee, Cameron Caron
2025-26 Outlook: Omaha missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season and will look to get back on track under new bench boss Ron Fogarty. Caden Lee headlines this roster as a key returner after tallying 19 points in 59 games last year. Omaha will also break in defenseman Thaddeus McMahon, who was taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the USHL Phase I Draft. The Lancers open their season against Green Bay and Chicago at the USHL Fall Classic.
Sioux City Musketeers
2024-25 Record: 31-23-3-5, Lost in Western Conference Semifinals of Clark Cup Playoffs
Players To Watch: Trey Jefferis, William Tomko, Dallas Vieau
2025-26 Outlook: Sioux City secured the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference standings but saw their season end in the second round of the playoffs. Trey Jefferis returns to the Musketeers this season after recording 33 points in 47 games last year. William Tomko, who had 10 goals and 23 points a season ago, joins Sioux City via a summer trade. The Muskies open their 2025-26 season against a pair of Eastern Conference foes in Dubuque and Muskegon at the USHL Fall Classic.
Sioux Falls Stampede
2024-25 Record: 40-17-3-2, Lost in Western Conference Semifinals of Clark Cup Playoffs
Players To Watch: J.J. Monteiro, Erik Kald, Cooper Soller
2025-26 Outlook: The Herd claimed the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference but saw their season end in the second round of the playoffs. J.J. Monterio returns to Sioux Falls, where he had seven goals and 20 points in 30 games last year. Shattuck St. Mary’s standout Cooper Soller will also break into the USHL. The Stampede will open their season against Chicago and Green Bay at the USHL Fall Classic.
Tri-City Storm
2024-25 Record: 29-29-3-1, Lost in First Round of Clark Cup Playoffs
Players To Watch: Oliver Ozogany, Brecken Smith, Evan Wanner
2025-26 Outlook: The Storm grabbed the sixth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference but lost in the first round of the playoffs. Oliver Ozogany joins Tri-City as a highly-regarded tender signing after a 144-point season with the Cleveland Barons 15U team last year. Brecken Smith joins the Storm via a trade and will look to play an important role this season. Under new head coach John Torchetti, Tri-City will open their season against Youngstown and Des Moines at the USHL Fall Classic.
Waterloo Black Hawks
2024-25 Record: 34-18-6-4, Lost in Clark Cup Final
Players To Watch: Chase Jette, Morgan Brady, Brock Schultz
2025-26 Outlook: Despite being the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference Finals, Waterloo made an incredible run to the Clark Cup Final. Former NHL head coach Scott Gordon takes over as bench boss following Matt Smaby’s departure to North Dakota. Chase Jette returns to Waterloo tallying 24 points in 59 regular-season games and adding 13 more in the playoffs. The Black Hawks open their 2025-26 slate against Muskegon and Dubuque at the USHL Fall Classic.
About the USHL
The United States Hockey League 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.