General | 9/16/2025 10:15:03 AM

The tenth annual DICK’S Sporting Goods USHL Fall Classic is right around the corner, scheduled for September 17-22 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania.
 
Widely regarded as one of the top scouting events in North America, the Fall Classic is expected to draw more than 400 scouts from the NHL, NCAA, and junior leagues.

Over the course of six days, all 16 USHL teams will compete in two regular-season games each. Here is a look at the top five must-watch matchups from this year’s Fall Classic. All USHL games will be broadcast on FloHockey with a pair airing free on FloHockey's social media channels.
 
Muskegon Lumberjacks at Waterloo Black Hawks
Wednesday, September 17, 7 p.m. ET / Live to Social (Free)
 
A rematch of last year’s Clark Cup Final, this matchup features two teams with rosters that underwent some changes during the offseason. Muskegon enters the season led by one of the top prospects for the 2026 NHL Draft, forward Tynan Lawrence. The 17-year-old impressed during the regular season with 25 goals and 54 points in 56 games, then added 18 points in 14 playoff appearances. Rudolfs Berzkalns also looked like a real scoring threat during the preseason.
 
On the other side, Waterloo brings a younger roster into the Fall Classic, highlighted by returning forward Chase Jette, who had a breakout performance in the Clark Cup Playoffs with 13 points in 15 games. Kade Meyer is another key player to watch after he recorded 13 goals and 44 points with the Little Caesars 16U team last season. The 16-year-old also appeared in seven games for the NTDP U17s late in the year.
 
Sioux Falls Stampede at Green Bay Gamblers
Friday, Sept. 19, 2:30 p.m. ET
 
Sioux Falls and Green Bay both bring plenty of offensive firepower to the table. The Stampede return forward JJ Monteiro, who split time between Sioux Falls and Waterloo last season and finished with 12 goals and 25 points. Monteiro looked sharp in the preseason, recording four points in his lone appearance, and will step into a major role in Sioux Falls' offensive attack this year. Also returning is Brent Solomon, fresh off a standout season at Champlin Park High School where he scored 38 goals. Solomon added four goals in eight games with the Herd to close out last season and was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the fourth round of the 2025 NHL Draft.
 
Meanwhile, Green Bay’s roster features a mix of experience and young talent. The team is led by former NTDP skaters Landon Hafele and Mace’o Phillips, who both opted for a third year of development. Hafele had a strong preseason, notching four points in four games, while Phillips returns to the blue line after contributing two goals and six points last season. The Gamblers also have high-scoring forward Oliver McKinney, who joined the team as one of two tender signings. McKinney dominated at the 15U level with the Chicago Mission, racking up 30 goals and 90 points last year.

Tri-City Storm at Youngstown Phantoms
Friday, Sept. 19, 5 p.m. ET
 
If you like the color purple, this matchup is for you. Carson Pilgrim returns as a key forward for Tri-City after putting up seven goals and 25 points in 55 games last year. The Storm will also break in tender signing Oliver Ozagany, who scored 59 goals for the Cleveland Barons 15U team last season. The 16-year-old had an impressive showing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, recording four goals for Team Slovakia, including a hat trick against Team USA.
 
The Phantoms will look to return to the Clark Cup Final for the second time in three years. Evan Jardine steps into a top-six forward role after putting up 20 goals and 44 points with Youngstown last season. The Phantoms also feature 2026 NHL Draft prospect Jack Hextall, who had 34 points as a 16-year-old. The Michigan State commit had a terrific performance for Team USA at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, posting seven points in five games en route to a gold medal.
 
Madison Capitols at Lincoln Stars
Saturday, Sept. 20, 12:30 p.m. ET
 
A Clark Cup Final preview? Madison returns a strong core, headlined by Sam Kappell, who notched 32 points last year. The Caps are also welcoming an infusion of young talent, including high-profile tender signings Michael Tang and Stephen Cover, both of whom will look to make an immediate impact as the team builds on last season’s run to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
 
Lincoln enters the season after a historic campaign that saw them capture the Anderson Cup Trophy. The Stars return a loaded group that includes Layne Loomer, Alex Pelletier, Lefty Markonidis, and Kade Kohanski, all of whom recorded at least 30 points last year. In net, William Prowse takes over the starting job after making 25 appearances in a backup role last season.
 
NTDP vs Fargo Force
Saturday, Sept. 20, 12:30 p.m. / Live to Social (Free)
 
The NTDP U18s enter the season with plenty of star power. Leading the way are two potential first-round picks in the 2026 NHL Draft, Mikey Berchild and Casey Mutryn. Berchild split time between the U17 and U18 squads last year, tallying 55 combined points and standing out at the U18 Men's World Championship. Mutryn followed a similar path, recording 19 goals and 37 points across both teams. On defense, the U18s add Nick Bogas, who joins the Program from the Waterloo Black Hawks.
 
Fargo counters with a dynamic group of forwards and a strong blue line. Eero Butella returns after a breakout season in which he tallied 31 points in 50 games. Fargo native Zac Zimmerman joins the Force full-time after scoring 32 goals with Moorhead High School. Adding even more intrigue, former NTDP defenseman Garrett Lindberg will go up against his old teammates after recording 13 points with the U18s last year.
 
About the USHL
 
The United States Hockey League (USHL) and its 16 teams are committed to being the world's leading 16–to 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.