Men's Ice Hockey | 4/13/2026 2:00:00 PM
James Scantlebury (Chicago Steel), Cooper Soller (Sioux Falls Stampede), and Tobias Trejbal (Youngstown Phantoms) have been named finalists for United States Hockey League (USHL) Rookie of the Year, the league announced Monday.
Rookies in the USHL are first-year NHL Draft eligible players (born after September 15, 2007) or younger, or any player who hasn’t yet become NHL Draft eligible. Rookies must not have played more than 10 USHL games in any previous season. The Rookie of the Year will be announced with the USHL All-Rookie Team on Monday, April 20. The finalists were nominated and voted upon by team general managers.
James Scantlebury, F, Chicago Steel
Chicago’s tender made an immediate splash with 16 goals and 23 assists to rank fourth in rookie scoring. Scantlebury’s four game-winning goals tied for third-most among USHL rookies and he was among a group of only three first-year players to appear in all 62 regular-season games. The Boston University commit and Chateauguay, Quebec native had eight power play points, a shorthanded goal, and only eight penalty minutes.
Cooper Soller, F, Sioux Falls Stampede
Playing all 62 games in his first full USHL season, Soller was a key piece of the Stampede’s offense. With 26 goals and 23 assists, the forward from Los Angeles, Calif. led all rookies in scoring and points-per-game in addition to pacing his team in game-winning goals with seven. The Western Michigan commit tied for the fifth-most shots in the league.
Tobias Trejbal, G, Youngstown Phantoms
In his first season in North America, the goaltender from Czechia rapidly became a top goalie in the league. With a 30-9-3-0 record (W-L-OTL-SOL), the University of Massachusetts commit played a key role in Youngstown’s Anderson Cup-winning season. Trejbal’s 2.12 goals-against average was the lowest among any goalie in the league, while his .916 save percentage was the second highest.
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 nine 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 90% 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).