Crowder, Laylin, Heil Named Players of the Week

General | 2/2/2026 2:00:00 PM

Jackson Crowder, Bode Laylin, and Caleb Heil have been named United States Hockey League (USHL) Players of the Week for games played on or between Monday, Jan. 26, and Sunday, Feb. 1.

Jackson Crowder, F, Chicago Steel
NCAA Commitment: Ohio State University
NHL Rights: Washington Capitals
  • Tied Laylin for the lead in USHL scoring with six points on four goals and two assists in three games for the Steel.
  • Scored and fired six shots in a 4-3 loss to Youngstown on Friday.
  • Tallied an assist in the Steel’s 4-3 win against Muskegon on Saturday, then notched his first USHL hat trick and four-point game in Chicago’s 6-3 win against the Lumberjacks on Sunday.
  • Fired 11 shots and had a +5 rating during a span of three games in three days.
Bode Laylin, D, Tri-City Storm
NCAA Commitment: University of St. Thomas
  • Registered six points in three games, tying Crowder for the scoring lead among USHL skaters.
  • Helped Tri-City rally from one-goal and two-goal deficits with three assists and the eventual game-winning goal only 46 seconds into a 6-5 overtime win against Sioux City on Friday.
  • Scored and had a +3 rating for the Storm in a 3-1 win against Des Moines on Saturday.
  • Assisted on Tri-City’s lone goal in a 3-1 loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday.
  • Finished with two shots and a +4 rating.
Caleb Heil, G, Madison Capitols
NCAA Commitment: University of North Dakota
NHL Rights: Tampa Bay Lightning
  • Stopped 35 of 37 shots on Friday, backstopping Madison to a 5-2 win against Omaha.
  • Turned aside 27 of 29 shots to complete the Capitols’ sweep of the Lancers with a 6-2 win on Saturday.
  • Finished the week 2-0-0-0 (W-L-OTL-SOL) with a 2.00 goals against average and .939 save percentage, the highest mark for any goalie with more than 65 minutes played over the week.
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).