Men's Ice Hockey | 9/2/2026 10:24:04 AM

The 2026-27 USHL season begins the week of Sept. 16-20 at the 2026 USHL Fall Classic, held at the Blackhawks Ice Center, presented by Fifth Third Bank in Chicago.

All 16 teams will play their first two regular-season games in front of hundreds of NHL and NCAA scouts, general managers, and executives in preparation for the 2027 NHL Draft. The event enters its 11th year and marks the first Fall Classic at Blackhawks Ice Center. The facility includes USG Arena, home of the Chicago Steel, where the majority of USHL games will be played.

To help get you ready for the Fall Classic and the season ahead, here is an outlook and a few players to watch for the teams that play in the USHL's Eastern Conference, with teams listed in alphabetical order.

Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
2025-26 Record: 36-17-3-6, Lost in First Round of Clark Cup Playoffs

Players To Watch: Braiden Scuderi, David Bosco, Blake Wilichoski, Karson Young, Joseph Skidmore

2026-27 Outlook: The first round was the ceiling for Cedar Rapids last year, but the pieces are in place for a deeper postseason run. Braiden Scuderi (Notre Dame) returns off a 35-point rookie season, while David Bosco (Harvard) brings a scorer's touch, having led all qualified USHL rookies with a 22.4% shooting clip en route to 34 points. Goaltender Joseph Skidmore is back to anchor the crease after splitting time as a first-year netminder, and Blake Wilichoski arrives as a highly-touted tender out of Milton Academy, where he racked up 18 points in just 24 games. Cedar Rapids opens the year against Fargo and Sioux City at the USHL Fall Classic.

Chicago Steel
2025-26 Record: 27-27-6-2, Missed Playoffs

Players To Watch: MJ Campbell, Jayden Kurtz, Nolan Shorter, Joe Erickson, Trevor Shorter

2026-27 Outlook: A second straight near-miss on the playoffs leaves Chicago with a young, motivated roster heading into the fall. Phase I first-round pick MJ Campbell headlines the incoming class off a monster 101-point season at Mount St. Charles Academy 15U, while 2026 NHL Draft pick Jayden Kurtz, a 6-foot-3 defenseman selected 45th overall by Anaheim, returns after a late-season audition with the team. Notre Dame commits and twin brothers Nolan and Trevor Shorter are back after each seeing action in a part-time role, and Joe Erickson joins after a blistering 64-point season at Blake School. Chicago opens the 2026-27 season in its new rink, USG Arena, against Lincoln and Omaha at the Fall Classic.

Dubuque Fighting Saints
2025-26 Record: 40-18-4-0, Lost in Eastern Conference Semifinals of Clark Cup Playoffs

Players To Watch: Gavin Lock, Nathan Kydd, Melvin Ekman, Luke Brierley, Luke Carrithers

2026-27 Outlook: Five games was as far as Dubuque could push eventual conference champion Muskegon before its season ended in the semifinals. Newly named captain Melvin Ekman leads the way back after a 48-point campaign, flanked by blueliner Luke Brierley and 20-goal scorer Gavin Lock. The Saints' newcomer class is headlined by Nathan Kydd, a first-round Phase II pick out of Nova Scotia who put up 42 points in just 29 games, and goaltender Luke Carrithers, who arrives after two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program. Dubuque opens its season against Lincoln and Tri-City at the USHL Fall Classic.

Green Bay Gamblers
2025-26 Record: 38-18-4-2, Lost in First Round of Clark Cup Playoffs

Players To Watch: Gunnar Conboy, Oliver McKinney, Andrew O'Sullivan, Luke Pietila, Ben Slavick

2026-27 Outlook: An 82-point regular season and the No. 3 seed weren't enough to survive a first-round sweep at the hands of Madison. Andrew O'Sullivan leads the returning core after finishing third among all USHL defensemen with 46 points, joined by Gunnar Conboy off a 21-point rookie year and Oliver McKinney, who brings dynamic playmaking despite a season limited to 37 games. Green Bay adds real firepower in tender signings Ben Slavick, who put up 71 points in 51 games, and Luke Pietila, who scored 31 goals for a 98-point season for the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies 16U team. Green Bay opens the season against Sioux City and Fargo at the USHL Fall Classic.

Madison Capitols
2025-26 Record: 32-27-0-3, Lost in Eastern Conference Final of Clark Cup Playoffs

Players To Watch: Max Rider, Eero Butella, Caleb Pittsley, Nolen Geerdes, Logan Lutner

2026-27 Outlook: A No. 6 seed with nothing to lose, Madison rode hot goaltending and clutch scoring all the way to the Eastern Conference Final before Muskegon ended the run in five games. Defenseman Nolen Geerdes was the engine throughout, adding four goals and 10 points in the playoffs on top of a 29-point regular season, while Caleb Pittsley chipped in three more goals once the postseason began after a 27-point year. Minnesota Duluth commit Logan Lutner joins the blue line fresh off two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program. Madison opens its season against Sioux Falls and Omaha at the USHL Fall Classic.

Muskegon Lumberjacks
2025-26 Record: 36-24-1-1, Lost in Clark Cup Final

Players To Watch: Rudolfs Berzkalns, Nicholas Kosiba, Zaac Charbonneau, Teddy Lechner, AJ Valenti

2026-27 Outlook: Back-to-back trips to the Clark Cup Final for Muskegon ended in a loss to Sioux Falls. Forward Rudolfs Berzkalns returns as a fresh 2026 NHL Draft pick, taken No. 58 overall by Edmonton after a 25-point regular season and 10 more in the playoffs. Nick Kosiba arrives via trade from Fargo, and Zaac Charbonneau comes highly regarded as a top 2028 NHL Draft prospect after a monster 102-point season with Mount St. Charles Academy's 15U squad. Muskegon opens its season against Des Moines and Waterloo at the USHL Fall Classic.

USA Hockey NTDP
2025-26 Record: 17-40-3-2, Missed Playoffs

Players To Watch: Freddie Schneider, Rocco Pelosi, Nolan Fitzhenry, Diego Gutierrez, Jake Prunty

2026-27 Outlook: Last year's U17 group levels up, and it's loaded. North Dakota commit Nolan Fitzhenry leads the way as a projected first-round pick in 2027 after topping the U17 team with 21 goals. Freddie Schneider joins him after a 24-point campaign, and the U18s land a significant blue-line addition in UMass commit Jake Prunty, who led all USHL rookie defensemen with 37 points while helping Sioux Falls to the Clark Cup title. The U18s open the season against Tri-City and Sioux Falls at the USHL Fall Classic.

Youngstown Phantoms
2025-26 Record: 43-14-3-2, Lost in Eastern Conference Semifinals of Clark Cup Playoffs

Players To Watch: Lukas Zajic, Malachi McKinnon, Brody Berard, Austin Hall, Owen Lepak

2026-27 Outlook: A franchise-record 43 wins and the Anderson Cup weren't enough to get Youngstown past a red-hot Madison team in the conference semifinals. Malachi McKinnon is the headliner coming back after a 50-point breakout in his first full USHL season, and defenseman Brody Berard returns after a strong rookie year of his own. Western Michigan commit Owen Lepak holds down the crease following a 2.32 GAA and .903 save percentage across 19 appearances, while Wisconsin commit Lukas Zajic joins as a Phase II tender after a 31-point season with the NTDP U18s. Youngstown opens its schedule against Des Moines and Waterloo at the USHL Fall Classic.

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).