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2024-25 USHL Power Rankings

USHL Power Rankings: Lincoln Stars Setting The Pace

Writer Ryan Sikes provides his view on the league each month with our USHL Power Rankings.

Welcome to FloHockey’s monthly Clark Cup contender power rankings for the USHL. Find out which of the league's 16 teams rise and fall over the course of the long regular season.

1. Lincoln Stars 

Record: 6-1-0-0

The Stars are a wagon. 

Led by Daniel Shlaine, who already has nine points on five goals and four assists in his first seven games, Lincoln leads the league in goals scored (30). 

Blake Montgomery (OTT), Jack Pechar and Dashel Oliver also all have at least seven points.

Added, Yan Shostak has been one of the best goaltenders in the USHL thus far. The St. Cloud commit owns a 1.41 goals-against average and .948 save percentage, with one shutout in five appearances.

2. Dubuque Fighting Saints 

Record: 5-2-0-0

Despite losing some key pieces from last year’s Eastern Conference-winning team, Dubuque looks poised to make another run this year. The Fighting Saints sit atop the Eastern Conference standings and have scored the third-most goals (28) in the league.

Heikki Ruohonen (PHI) has made the transition from overseas to the USHL look seamless. The Flyers’ prospect has seven points on three goals and four assists and will look to extend his current five-game point streak this weekend.

3. Waterloo Black Hawks 

Record: 5-2-1-0

Waterloo is quietly sitting in second place, one point behind Lincoln in the Western Conference standings. 

Matt Smaby’s squad has backed its offensive firepower with solid goaltending.

Reid Morich is establishing himself as a solid re-entry candidate in the 2025 NHL Draft. After recording just 19 points in 54 games last year, the Minnesota State commit already has four goals and eight points in his first seven games.

4. Sioux City Musketeers

Record: 5-1-0-0

The Musketeers saw their perfect record suffer its first loss this past weekend. However, Sioux City, despite landing at No. 4 in our rankings, could be (will be) a team to watch as the season unfolds.

Tate Pritchard impressively has goals in all six of his games thus far, paired with eight points overall after tallying 29 points in 57 games last year. 

5. Sioux Falls Stampede

Record: 4-2-0-0

Sioux Falls, winner of two straight games and four of its first six contests, sits firmly in the Western Conference race.

The Herd are led by Ethan Wyttenbach (2025), who has seven points on two goals and five assists. 

John McNelis and Aiden Welch also have five points in their first six games, providing balanced firepower for Sioux Falls’ offensive attack.

Sam Spehar (2025) certainly is a player to watch this year. The Denver commit has been red-hot lately, notably scoring three goals in his last two games. He has four goals overall.

6. Madison Capitols

Record: 3-2-1-1

The arrow is trending up for the Caps, who have points in their last three games. 

Forward Diego Johnson, who had just 10 points in 31 games last year, already has seven in his first seven games, as does Ryker Lee (2025).

Mason Moe (2025) is another player who could blossom into a star this year. The 17-year-old was called up to the U.S. National Team Development Program U18 team last weekend, and all he did was score a hat trick.

7. Chicago Steel

Record: 4-4-0-0

The Steel had a tough weekend out in Omaha but very much are in the Eastern Conference race. 

Chicago historically has been an offensive juggernaut, but the Steel have just 16 goals in eight games this year, the third-fewest in the league.

Adam Valentini (2026) is tied for the points lead with four on two goals and two assists. 

Chicago will be looking for others to step up. 

William Tomko (2025) and Kolin Sisson (2025) are potential breakout candidates.

8. Fargo Force

Record: 3-3-0-1

We aren’t used to seeing Fargo this far down in the power rankings, but the Force lost a ton from their Clark Cup-winning team from last year.

That said, Reid Daavettila, Peter Cisar and Sam Laurila already have racked up seven points and are intriguing re-entry candidates in next year’s draft.

Added, Damian Slavik was super impressive in his USHL debut last Friday, stopping all 32 shots Cedar Rapids sent his way.

9. Green Bay Gamblers

Record: 3-3-1-0

The Gamblers sit three points back of first place in the Eastern Conference, despite registering just 17 goals in their first seven games. 

Vasily Zelenov is looking to establish himself as a re-entry candidate in the 2025 NHL Draft. The Russian forward leads the team with six points on one goal and five assists. 

Added, Gavin Moffatt has looked impressive in net, recording a pair of shutouts in his first six games to go along with a 2.02 goals-against average and .935 save percentage.

10. Muskegon Lumberjacks

Record: 2-2-2-1

The Jacks lost a lot of scoring from last year’s team that reached the Eastern Conference Finals, and it is showing in the early stages of this season. Muskegon has scored just 15 goals, tied for the second-fewest in the league.

Tynan Lawrence (2026) has been one of the most exciting rookies to watch thus far. The Boston University commit is tied for the team lead with five points on three goals and two assists.

11. USNTDP

Record: 3-3-0-0

The U17s have collected three wins in their first three USHL contests, while the U18 team is in the thick of the NCAA schedule.

Mikey Berchild (2026) has gotten off to a fast start, racking up 12 points in his first 10 games, including three points in his first two USHL games.

12. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

Record: 3-4-0-0

Cedar Rapids started fast, but the Riders have lost three in a row coming into this weekend’s slate of games. 

It certainly does not help that forward Loa Milfors, who amassed six points in his first five games, is heading back to Sweden.

Still, Amine Hajibi, who has three goals and eight points, is reason alone to watch this team. 

Added, Cedar Rapids is flexing its goaltending depth with Rudy Guimond (DET) and AJ Reyelts leading the charge.

13. Youngstown Phantoms

Record: 3-3-0-0

I maintain that Youngstown will be among the best Eastern Conference teams this season. The Phantoms just need a little time to gel in the early stages. 

The team’s defense and goaltending have been rock-solid, allowing 16 goals thus far, which is the third-fewest in the league. 

Added, Jack Hextall (2026) has collected points in four of his first six games, including multi-point efforts in his last two.

Still, Youngstown is looking for its primary sources of offense.

14. Tri-City Storm

Record: 2-3-1-1

Tri-City scored just 18 goals in its first seven games, which is the third-fewest in the Western Conference. 

Nolan Roed has gotten off to a fast start, recording five points on three goals and two assists. 

Added, Carmelo Crandell, Cam Briere, Carson Pilgrim and Rylan Bonkowski all have at least four points to begin the year.

15. Omaha Lancers

Record: 2-4-0-0

The Lancers picked up their first two wins of the season this past weekend after starting the year 0-4.

Nicolas Sykora (2025) impressively recorded his first four goals of the season, all within a 12:39 span of play.

16. Des Moines Buccaneers

Record: 1-5-0-0

The Bucs have dropped their last five straight after capturing a victory in their regular-season opener. 

Ben Kevan (2025) has looked sharp, collecting six points in his first five games, but he can’t do it alone. 

Des Moines has scored just 15 goals in its first six games, tied for the second-fewest in the league.

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