Men's Ice Hockey | 7/6/2026 10:21:56 AM

USA Hockey announced that 14 players with United States Hockey League (USHL) ties have been selected for the U.S. Under-17 Select Team, which will compete in the 2026 Under-17 Four Nations Tournament in Chomutov, Czechia, from Aug. 15-19.

The team is comprised of 12 forwards, six defensemen, and two goalies, who recently participated in the USA Hockey Boys National 16 Development Camp. The U.S. will face host Czechia, Slovakia and Switzerland in this year’s tournament.

Below is a list of six players who have signed tender agreements or Standard Player Development Agreements and are set to participate in the tournament:

Rylan Aufderheide, D, Chicago Steel
Dylan Delgado, F, Sioux Falls Stampede*
Austin Hall, F, Youngstown Phantoms*
Chris Pinko, F, Des Moines Buccaneers*
Ben Slavick, F, Green Bay Gamblers*
Nikolai Zhukov, D, Dubuque Fighting Saints
*Tendered

Below is a list of eight prospects also named to the roster.

Eli Bimmerle, F, Des Moines Buccaneers
Connor Dwyer, G, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
Gavin Godbout, D, Tri-City Storm
Avery Hanowski, F, Omaha Lancers
Max Lappan, D, Madison Capitols
Chase Pastor, G, Chicago Steel
Jack Riehl, F, Waterloo Black Hawks
Soren Saumweber, F, Des Moines Buccaneers

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 315 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).