Men's Ice Hockey | 4/20/2026 2:00:00 PM

Forward Cooper Soller of the Sioux Falls Stampede has been named United States Hockey League (USHL) Rookie of the Year, the league announced Monday.

Playing all 62 games in his first full USHL season, Soller was a key piece of the Stampede’s offense. With 26 goals, 23 assists, and a +18 rating, the Western Michigan University commit from Los Angeles led all rookies in points (49), goals, and shots (199). He averaged .79 points-per-game and led his team and all rookies with seven game-winning goals.

He participated in the 2026 Chipotle All-American Game and is ranked 140th among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings for the 2026 NHL Draft.

All end-of-season league award winners were nominated and voted upon by team general managers. Recent winners of the USHL Rookie of the Year award include Ryker Lee (Madison Capitols), John Mustard (Waterloo Black Hawks), and Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel).

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).