Men's Ice Hockey | 1/26/2026 8:27:53 AM

At the end of January, Ryan Sikes provides his latest United States Hockey League (USHL) power rankings.

1. Youngstown Phantoms (29-8-2-1) | Previous Rank: 1

Youngstown leads the Eastern Conference and sits atop the league, highlighted by an 8-1-1-0 (W-L-OTL-SOL) record over its last ten games. The Phantoms generate offense consistently, led by North Dakota commit Cooper Simpson, who has 23 goals and 53 points. In goal, UMass commit Tobias Trejbal has been steady, posting a 2.04 goals-against average, tied for the best mark among all USHL goaltenders.

2. Green Bay Gamblers (26-10-3-1) | Previous Rank: 2

Green Bay sits second in the East and has gone 6-3-1-0 in its last ten games. The Gamblers have shown balanced scoring, with Wisconsin commit and 2026 NHL Draft prospect Zach Wooten recording 22 goals and 37 points. Goaltender Leo Henriquez continues to be a strength, tied with Trejbal with a 2.04 goals-against average.

3. Dubuque Fighting Saints (25-12-2-0) | Previous Rank: 3

Dubuque holds third place in the East and has played well recently, going 7-3-0-0 in its last ten. The Fighting Saints are one of the league’s highest-scoring teams, driven by Arizona State commits Teddy Merrill and Michael Barron. Vojtech Hambalek has provided consistent goaltending, posting 18 wins and a 2.89 goals-against average.

4. Muskegon Lumberjacks (25-12-0-1) | Previous Rank: 4

Muskegon is fourth in the East and has played near .500 hockey over its last ten games, going 5-4-0-1 during that stretch. Dartmouth commit Drew Stewart leads the team in scoring with 18 goals and 33 points. Minnesota Duluth commit Carl Axelsson has been one of the best goaltenders, posting a 2.19 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage.

5. Sioux Falls Stampede (24-13-2-0) | Previous Rank: 5

Sioux Falls leads the Western Conference and has gone 6-3-1-0 in its last ten games. Merrimack commit Thomas Zocco and Vermont commit Logan Renkowski continue to drive the offense, each having at least 36 points this season. Linards Feldbergs has delivered consistent goaltending, recording 19 wins and a 2.62 goals-against average.

6. Fargo Force (21-13-3-1) | Previous Rank: 7

Fargo sits second in the West with a 5-3-2-0 record over its last ten games. Boston College commit Graham Jones recently extended his point streak to four games and is tied with Western Michigan commit Luke McNamara for the team lead with 31 points each. St. Thomas commit Ajay White has been strong in net, posting 16 wins and a 2.53 goals-against average, along with a pair of shutouts.

7. Madison Capitols (21-14-0-3) | Previous Rank: 9

Madison sits in fifth place in the East and has gone 7-2-0-1 in its last ten games. Tender and Harvard commit Michael Tang has emerged as a key offensive contributor, with eight goals and 19 points in 34 games this season. North Dakota commit and Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Caleb Heil owns a 2.33 goals-against average with two shutouts.

8. Sioux City Musketeers (21-17-2-1) | Previous Rank: 8

After a slow start, Sioux City is up to third place in the West and has gone 7-1-1-1 over its last ten games. The Musketeers are led by Union commit Luke Garry, who has 18 goals and 46 points this year. Jack Fichthorn has picked up 10 wins in net, along with an .890 save percentage.

9. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (19-12-2-4) | Previous Rank: 6

Down a few spots in these rankings, Cedar Rapids sits sixth in the East and has gone 3-4-1-2 over its last ten games. Scoring has come from multiple sources, with UMass commit Jason Musa and Harvard commit and top 2026 NHL Draft prospect Justin Graf among the team leaders. Boston College commit Ryan Cameron, who was selected for the Chipotle All-American Game, has been steady in net, posting a 2.95 goals-against average and 14 wins.

10. Tri-City Storm (18-17-3-2) | Previous Rank: 11

Tri-City is fifth in the West and has gone 7-2-0-1 in its last ten games. The Storm are led by North Dakota commit Carson Pilgrim, who has 12 goals and 27 points in 31 games this year. Colorado College commit and Detroit Red Wings prospect Michal Pradel has been one of the best goaltenders in the USHL this season, owning a 2.42 goals-against average.

11. Lincoln Stars (20-17-3-0) | Previous Rank: 10

Lincoln sits fourth in the West and has gone 4-4-2-0 in its last ten games. Boston College commit Alex Pelletier leads the league in both goals (33) and points (54), with Layne Loomer close behind him at 51 points. Meanwhile, Princeton commit William Prowse has been strong in net, posting 16 wins and a 2.42 goals-against average.

12. Chicago Steel (16-15-5-2) | Previous Rank: 12

Chicago remains seventh in the East and has posted a 4-3-2-1 record over its last ten games. The Steel are led by Providence commit Kolin Sisson, who has 14 goals and 33 points across 38 games. Meanwhile, Colgate commit Tobias Ohman has eight goals and 31 points.

13. Des Moines Buccaneers (13-17-3-4) | Previous Rank: 13

Des Moines sits sixth in the West and has gone 4-5-1-0 over its last ten games. Miami commit Ryan Seelinger has emerged as the Bucs’ leading point producer with 42 points, including 20 goals and 22 assists in 36 games. Recently acquired Alan Lendak has earned wins in two of his last three starts.

14. Waterloo Black Hawks (12-23-1-1) | Previous Rank: 14

Waterloo sits seventh in the Western Conference and has lost seven of its last ten games. Scoring has been limited, putting pressure on the defensive group. The Black Hawks are led by Western Michigan commit Ty Mason and Northern Michigan commit Salvatore Viviano, who each have 31 points this season.

15. USA Hockey NTDP (9-23-3-2) | Previous Rank: 16

The NTDP sits eighth in the Eastern Conference and has gone 3-6-0-1 in its last ten games. Boston University commit Carter Meyer has been red-hot lately, scoring six goals in his last five games. The Boston University commit has 11 goals and 22 points in 26 USHL games and recently earned a call-up to the U18 team.

16. Omaha Lancers (10-25-2-2) | Previous Rank: 15

Omaha remains eighth in the West and has gone 3-6-1-0 in its last ten games. Offensive production has been a season-long issue, with just 85 goals scored this year. New Hampshire commit Kole Hyles leads the team with 14 goals and 26 points in 37 games.

About the USHL

The United States Hockey League (USHL) and its 16 teams are committed to being the world's leading junior hockey league. This season, more than 50% of NCAA Division I men's hockey players and nearly 25% of NHL players have USHL experience. The USHL has developed more than 285 direct NHL Draft picks since 2020, and eight of the last 10 Hobey Baker Award winners, including Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel).

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 Auston Matthews (NTDP), Kyle Connor (Youngstown Phantoms), Jeremy Swayman (Sioux Falls Stampede), and Johnny Gaudreau (Dubuque Fighting Saints).