Men's Ice Hockey | 6/4/2026 10:00:00 AM

In continuance of the National Hockey League (NHL) and USA Hockey’s expanded collaboration supporting advancement of the Tier I junior hockey development pathway in the United States, the United States Hockey League (USHL) and a group of stakeholders have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish member clubs in Arizona, California, and Nevada.

"This expansion is about more than adding teams. It is about expanding opportunity," said USHL President and Commissioner, Glenn Hefferan. "Together with the NHL and USA Hockey, we have committed ourselves to creating the world's premier environment for player development. Bringing the USHL to the western United States allows more players and families to access that experience while further strengthening a pathway that prepares young athletes for success in hockey, in the classroom, and in life.”

The USHL’s western expansion will continue to provide exposure and access to its development path. Twenty-one players on the 2026 U.S. Olympic men’s hockey gold-medal-winning team played in the USHL, including California native Auston Matthews (NTDP/Toronto Maple Leafs), Jake Guentzel (Sioux City Musketeers/Omaha/Tampa Bay Lightning), and Jaccob Slavin (Chicago Steel/Colorado College/Carolina Hurricanes). Other notable USHL alumni in the NHL include Arizona natives Matthew Knies (Tri-City Storm/Minnesota/Toronto Maple Leafs) and Josh Doan (Chicago Steel/Arizona State/Buffalo Sabres), as well as California native Devin Cooley (Muskegon Lumberjacks/Denver/Calgary Flames).

“We couldn’t be more excited about the expansion into the West of the USHL. This has been a group effort by multiple parties all with the shared goal of combining our influence to ultimately grow the game of hockey,” said Los Angeles Kings President, Luc Robitaille. “I want to commend Tom Garrity and Ben Robert for their vision and perseverance as well as thank our NHL team partners in Anaheim and San Jose. Similar to the success we saw with American Hockey League (AHL) expansion almost a decade ago, this will create a whole new competitive layer to the western region that will allow junior level players to develop and compete closer to home.”

Comprised of sixteen member clubs across Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, the USHL is the only Tier-I junior hockey league in the United States. The Madison Capitols were the last expansion team, joining the League in 2014.

“The continued growth and evolution of the USHL is exciting for the future of our game,” said Pat Kelleher, Executive Director of USA Hockey. “Working collaboratively with our many stakeholders, we believe creating additional opportunities for young players to develop and compete through an expanded footprint will benefit athletes, communities, and the sport as a whole.”

An announcement about member club principals, markets, and timelines will be made on Wednesday, June 24.

“We are grateful for the leadership and support of Los Angeles Kings President Luc Robitaille, whose vision and commitment to growing the game helped make this opportunity possible,” said Hefferan. “We also want to recognize Tom Garrity and Ben Robert for their persistence, dedication, and belief in what this expansion can mean for young players and the future of hockey in the West. We are thrilled to welcome new communities into the USHL family and excited about what this means for the future of our sport."

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).