Fighting Saints Top Power Rankings

Ryan Sikes

General | 9/24/2025 12:11:33 PM

After every team opened its season with two games at the DICK'S Sporting Goods USHL Fall Classic, Ryan Sikes gives his power rankings around the league. 

  1. Dubuque Fighting Saints (2-0-0-0) Dubuque scored 15 goals in its two-game sweep at the Fall Classic, including a 10-goal performance in the opener. Melvin Ekman posted three goals and five points, earning USHL Forward of the Week honors. The Fighting Saints have only one game on the schedule this weekend, a road matchup against Madison on Friday.
  2. Fargo Force (2-0-0-0) It was an impressive start to the season for Fargo, which swept its first two games against the NTDP U18s and Madison. Goaltender Ajay White posted a 28-save shutout in the Force's overtime win to start the year, while forward Graham Jones had a three-point game the following night. The Force has this weekend off before its home opener against Sioux City next week.
  3. Youngstown Phantoms (2-0-0-0) Youngstown opened the season with wins against Tri-City and Cedar Rapids at the Fall Classic. Forward Cooper Simpson recorded a goal and three assists against his former team. Jack Hextall had a goal and an assist between the two games. Goaltender Tobias Trejbal recorded a 28-save shutout in his USHL debut.
  4. Chicago Steel (2-0-0-0) The Steel picked up a pair of wins against Sioux Falls and Omaha at the Fall Classic. Tender signing James Scantlebury notched his first career USHL goal in the opener, while Luke Goukler tallied a hat trick the following night. 
  5. Muskegon Lumberjacks (2-0-0-0) A nice start to the year for the defending Clark Cup champion. Playoff hero Jack Christ scored in the season opener, and Melvin Novotny had a two-goal performance the following night, including the game-winning goal in overtime. 
  6. USA Hockey NTDP (1-0-1-0) The NTDP U18s dropped their season opener in overtime against Fargo before picking up a win against Lincoln on Sunday. Forward Sammy Nelson recorded a three-point effort against the Stars and was one of seven different skaters who found the back of the net for Team USA.
  7. Des Moines Buccaneers (1-1-0-0) The Bucs dropped their season opener against Cedar Rapids before collecting a win against Tri-City the following night. Forward Ryan Seelinger had a two-goal outing against the Storm, while Blake Zielinski picked up the primary assist on both tallies. Goaltender Max Weilandt turned aside 24 of 25 in Saturday's win.
  8. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (1-0-0-1) The RoughRiders split their two-game series at the Fall Classic, picking up a win in the opener before dropping a shootout contest the following night. Forward David Bosco found the back of the net in both games, while forward Justin Graf tallied a three-assist night on Saturday. Head coach Mark Carlson could tie the record for all-time USHL regular-season wins on Saturday at home against Omaha.  
  9. Madison Capitols (1-1-0-0) The Caps split their two-game series to start the year, picking up a win against Lincoln in the opener before dropping a one-goal game against Fargo. Forward Max Rider picked up the game-winning goal against the Stars and had an assist the following night. Goaltender Cash Cruitt made 16 of 18 saves in the win.
  10. Omaha Lancers (1-1-0-0) Omaha fell in the season opener against Chicago before picking up a comeback win against Green Bay in the next game. Thaddeus McMahon, the No. 1 overall pick in the Phase I Draft, tallied his first career USHL goal, which proved to be the game-winner, against the Gamblers. 
  11. Sioux Falls Stampede (1-1-0-0) The Herd dropped their season opener against Chicago before collecting a shootout win against Green Bay. Forward J.J. Monteiro scored his first goal of the year against the Gamblers, while defenseman Matthew Grimes had a pair of assists in that game.
  12. Green Bay Gamblers (0-1-0-1) The Gamblers lost both games at the Fall Classic, including a shootout loss to Sioux Falls. Tender signing Oliver McKinney tallied his first career USHL goal in the opener. Meanwhile, Zach Wooten lit the lamp in both contests.
  13. Sioux City Musketeers (0-1-1-0) The Musketeers fell to Dubuque in the season opener before dropping an overtime contest the following night. Max Anderson scored his first career USHL goal, as did Matej Teply. ?
  14. Waterloo Black Hawks (0-1-0-1) Waterloo dropped both games to start the year, including a 12-round shootout in a Clark Cup Finals rematch. Drew Waterfield and Ty Mason each recorded a goal and an assist in the opener, while forward Viktor Eriksson tallied a two-goal effort in the Black Hawks' second game.
  15. Lincoln Stars (0-2-0-0) Lincoln lost both games at the Fall Classic. Nate Pederson scored his first career USHL goal in the Stars' second game, a tough matchup against the NTDP U18s.
  16. Tri-City Storm (0-2-0-0) Tri-City dropped both games to start the year. Tender signing Oliver Ozogany provided the lone goal for the Storm between the two contests.

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.