Fargo, Green Bay Rise in Power Rankings

Ryan Sikes

General | 2/24/2026 12:49:41 PM

At the end of February, Ryan Sikes provides his latest United States Hockey League (USHL) power rankings.
  1. Youngstown Phantoms (34-11-3-1) | Previous Rank: 1
Youngstown remains atop the Eastern Conference and is 6-3-1-0 in its last ten games. With 27 goals and 63 points, North Dakota commit Cooper Simpson is the offensive catalyst and one of the league’s top scorers. In net, UMass commit Tobias Trejbal has posted a 2.16 GAA, .917 SV%, and three shutouts in 33 games.
  1. Sioux Falls Stampede (32-15-2-0) | Previous Rank: 2
Sioux Falls leads the Western Conference, is 8-2-0-0 in its last ten games, and recently clinched a playoff spot. Merrimack commit Thomas Zocco (16-39-55) drives an offense that converts at 24.9% on the power play. Linards Feldbergs has been among the league’s best goaltenders, with a 2.65 GAA, .907 SV%, and one shutout in 37 games.
  1. Green Bay Gamblers (31-13-3-1) | Previous Rank: 4
Green Bay sits second in the East with a 6-4-0-0 record in its last ten games. Wisconsin commit Zach Wooten leads all Gamblers skaters in both goals (26) and points (47). Meanwhile, New Hampshire commit Leo Henriquez has been elite with a 2.04 GAA, .926 SV%, and two shutouts between the pipes.
  1. Fargo Force (29-14-3-2) | Previous Rank: 6
Fargo is second in the West and 8-1-0-1 in its last ten games. This past weekend, the Force clinched a playoff spot. St. Thomas commit Ajay White anchors the crease with a 2.32 GAA, .913 SV%, and two shutouts in 34 games. Newcomer and Providence commit Kolin Sisson has proven to be a big-time trade pickup, recording 10 points in his first eight games with the Force. 
  1. Dubuque Fighting Saints (30-15-3-0) | Previous Rank: 3
Dubuque sits third in the East and is 5-4-1-0 in its last ten games. Arizona State commit Michael Barron (14-36-50) leads a top power play that converts at 28.8%, paired with a penalty kill operating at 80.0%. Vojtech Hambalek has a 2.92 GAA, .894 SV%, and two shutouts in net.
  1. Muskegon Lumberjacks (30-17-0-1) | Previous Rank: 5
Muskegon sits fourth in the East and is 5-5-0-0 in its last ten games. Buffalo Sabres prospect and UMass commit Mevlin Novotny leads the ‘Jacks offensively and rides a 10-game point streak with four goals and 10 assists in the stretch. Dartmouth commit Drew Stewart has been red-hot lately, posting five goals and nine points in his last five games. Minnesota Duluth commit Carl Axelsson has posted a 2.28 GAA, .924 SV%, and one shutout in 33 games.
  1. Madison Capitols (26-19-0-3) | Previous Rank: 7
Madison holds fifth place and is 5-5-0-0 in its last ten games. Minnesota State commit Sam Kappell has eclipsed the 20-goal mark and now has 33 points on the season. North Dakota commit and Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Caleb Heil has been outstanding in net with a 2.28 GAA, .903 SV%, and three shutouts.
  1. Sioux City Musketeers (25-18-3-2) | Previous Rank: 8
Sioux City is fourth in the West and 6-1-1-2 in its last ten games. Union commit Luke Garry (19-33-52) and Ohio State commit William Tomko (19-31-50) lead the offense, which converts at a 25.4% clip on the power play. 
  1. Tri-City Storm (25-19-3-2) | Previous Rank: 10
Tri-City sits third in the West and is 8-2-0-0 in its last ten games. The Storm have the league’s best penalty kill at 86.3%, aided by goaltender Michal Pradel, a Colorado College commit and Detroit Red Wings prospect, who owns a 2.44 GAA, .919 SV%, and four shutouts.
  1. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (23-16-3-5) | Previous Rank: 9
Cedar Rapids is sixth in the East and 4-4-1-1 over its last ten games. Harvard commit Justin Graf leads the offense with 44 points (19-25-44). Goaltender and Boston College commit Ryan Cameron has been a workhorse in net, making 31 appearances to go along with a 3.07 GAA.
  1. Chicago Steel (21-19-6-2) | Previous Rank: 11
Chicago is seventh in the East, four points out of a playoff spot, with a 5-4-1-0 record in its last ten games. Ohio State commit and Washington Capitals prospect Jackson Crowder has been on a tear this month, with points in all but two games. 
  1. Lincoln Stars (22-22-4-1) | Previous Rank: 12
Lincoln sits fifth in the West and is 2-5-2-1 in its last ten games despite elite scoring. Boston College commit Alex Pelletier leads the league in both goals (39) and points (66), while Miami commit Layne Loomer is not far behind with 59 points. Will Prowse has been a standout in goal, with a 2.63 GAA, .911 SV%, and three shutouts.
  1. Des Moines Buccaneers (20-20-3-4) | Previous Rank: 13
Des Moines occupies the sixth and final playoff spot in the West and has gone 7-3-0-0 in its last ten games. Miami commit Ryan Seelinger has erupted offensively this year, accumulating 27 goals and 55 points. Alan Lendak continues to impress between the pipes, racking up seven straight wins in nine of his 12 appearances since coming over in a trade from Fargo.
  1. Waterloo Black Hawks (12-30-2-2) | Previous Rank: 14
Waterloo is seventh in the West and 0-8-1-1 over its last ten games. Western Michigan commit Ty Mason leads the team in both goals (21) and points (37).
  1. Omaha Lancers (11-32-2-2) | Previous Rank: 16
Omaha is eighth in the West and 1-9-0-0 in its last ten games. Nils Roberts Maurins owns a 3.59 GAA, .888 SV%, and three shutouts in 23 games. Offensively, New Hampshire commit Kole Hyles leads the team in both goals (16) and points (29).
  1. USA Hockey NTDP (10-28-3-2) | Previous Rank: 15
NTDP sits eighth in the East and is 3-7-0-0 in its last ten games. Carter Meyer has points in seven of his last ten games and 25 points in 30 USHL games while earning a well-deserved call-up to the U18 team.

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).