It used to be that if players wanted to get junior hockey experience before moving on to Division 1 college hockey, the USHL was the main option.
But since the CHL ruling, players now have the option to go north of the border to the QMJHL, OHL or WHL.
The USHL, however, is still a top option for players. In today's climate, many of the players heading to junior hockey are uncommitted and won't receive offers until they prove themselves in junior.
This story tracks New Englanders and players with local ties who made USHL squads for the 2026-27 season.
Let's dive in.
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
- David Bosco (F): Winchester, Mass. | 2/8/2008
- Matas Janulis (D): Lincoln, Mass. | 11/19/2008
- Owen McHale (F): Charlestown, Mass. | 2/17/2008
- Braiden Scuderi (F): Mount St. Charles | 3/31/2009
- Blake Wilichoski (F): Danvers, Mass. | 4/18/2010
Cedar Rapids is always active with New Englanders, and that's no different this year. Bosco (34 points) and Scuderi (35) are back after productive first seasons in the USHL. McHale should be a welcome addition up front as a tough, power forward who should thrive in head coach Mark Carlson's system. Janulis was Cedar Rapids' first-round pick this year, and Wilichoski was tendered, though he's hurt to begin the season.
Chicago Steel
- Brian McFadden (D): Holbrook, Mass. | 1/2/2008
- Alex Wang (G): Concord, Mass. | 1/28/2009
McFadden, a Northeastern commit, should step right in and make a big impact for Chicago. The 6-foot-5 defenseman, who was picked in the fifth round by the Washington Capitals this past June, is coming off a strong winter with Thayer. Wang is no stranger to facing lots of shots after playing at St. George's last winter. He's been a longtime top '09 goalie in New England.
Des Moines Buccaneers
- None
Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Joe Covelluzzi (F): Wakefield, Mass. | 1/30/2009
- Sullivan Martin (D): Essex Junction, Vt. | 2/20/2008
- Jacoby Palmer (D): Holden, Mass. | 8/9/2009
Covelluzzi spent some time with Dubuque last season after leaving Cushing early, putting up three points in 11 games. The Maine commit is a sniper who should translate well to the USHL. On defense, Martin and Palmer are vastly different players. Martin, at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, is a mean, bruising defender, while Palmer is more of a puck-mover.
READ MORE: 15 men’s college hockey recruiting takeaways from the last few weeks
Fargo Force
- Wilson Boumedienne (F): Mount St. Charles | 6/29/2010
- Declan Wotton (F): Windsor, Maine | 5/16/2009
Expectations are high for Boumedienne, who was tendered by Fargo. He had 160 points as a 14U and, in a season filled with injuries last winter, posted 44 points in 22 games as a 15O player. He's highly skilled. Wotton spent last season in the QMJHL with Baie-Comeau, putting up six points in 28 games.
Green Bay Gamblers
- Logan Cotter (D): Marlboro, Mass. | 8/17/2010
- Andrew O'Sullivan (D): Scituate, Mass. | 8/15/2006
This will be O'Sullivan's third season in Green Bay. The Dartmouth commit had a strong winter last year with 46 points in 62 games. Cotter, who just committed to Northeastern, is fresh off a big winter with St. Mark's and was tendered by Green Bay in May. He'll take his lumps, but he's a phenomenal skater.
Lincoln Stars
- Will Prowse (G): Holderness | 12/18/2006
- Brady Sloper (D): North Andover, Mass. | 5/21/2008
Prowse is one of my favorite local hockey stories. After being Holderness' backup goalie, he left early for Lincoln in 2024. No way he's been successful, right? Wrong. So wrong. After a strong first season, he posted a 2.90 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage in 42 games last season. He decommitted from Princeton and pledged to Boston University.
Sloper is a 6-foot-3, shutdown defenseman. He had seven points in 55 games last season.
Madison Capitols
- Stephen Cover (F): Mount St. Charles | 4/19/2009
- Elliot Lennon (G): Deerfield | 3/5/2008
- Cooper Snee (F): Avon Old Farms | 6/20/2006
- Colin Yandle (D): Dorchester, Mass. | 10/15/2009
The big story here is Yandle leaving Cushing early for Madison. The 5-foot-9 defenseman is tough to play against and a good skater. That should serve him well in Madison, and it will be interesting to see how he adjusts. Cover had a strong first season in Madison last winter, putting up 23 points in 60 games. Snee, a Providence College commit, should bounce back after 14 points in 50 games last season.
Lennon is a big addition in net. The big netminder was picked in the fourth round by the Ottawa Senators in June.
Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Zaac Charbonneau (F): Mount St. Charles | 1/18/2010
- Samuel Doyon-Cataquiz (G): Mount St. Charles | 4/18/2007
- Billy MacAusland (F): Westwood, Mass. | 8/4/2007
- Will Schlechtweg (F): Kent | 4/16/2008
- Jake Tavares (F): Belmont, Mass. | 1/27/2007
Charbonneau was tendered by Muskegon midway through last season and will be counted on after lighting it up at Mount St. Charles over the last two years. Schlechtweg left Kent for Muskegon at Christmas break last year, putting up four points in 25 games. The big addition is MacAusland, whom I have always liked a lot. The high-compete forward should fit right in as an impact center or left wing. Tavares arrives after posting seven points for the NAHL's Lone Star Brahmas last season.
Doyon-Cataquiz played in six games for Muskegon last season after coming over from the NAHL's Springfield Junior Blues.
Omaha Lancers
- Cam Caron (F): Dracut, Mass. | 6/21/2007
Caron was with Omaha last season, scoring 10 goals and posting 21 points in 61 games. The 6-foot-3 forward is a Northeastern commit and should be due for an uptick in production this coming season.
READ MORE: What is Masters Academy’s plan for boys hockey? What’s different?
Sioux City Musketeers
- Evan Jones (D): Boston, Mass. | 2/9/2007
- Dallas Potter (F): Madison, Conn. | 6/9/2007
- Cole Sabourin (F): Cumberland, R.I. | 1/23/2008
- Nate Watson (D): Deerfield | 3/16/2007
- Max Yakub (D): Avon Old Farms | 7/6/2009
Jones, Watson and Yakub should be impactful on defense. Jones and Yakub were top defensemen in prep last season, and Watson would've been had he not missed most of the season with an injury. Jones is a master puck-mover who will be able to step right in and run a power play. Yakub, fresh off "The Save" in the Elite 8 final, and Watson are great two-way defenders.
Potter, a Sacred Heart commit, had six points in 31 games for Sioux City last season. Sabourin, a UNH commit, stayed at Mount St. Charles for his 18U season last year, putting up 60 points in 48 games.
Sioux Falls Stampede
- Matteo Alvarez (F): Deerfield | 7/20/2007
- Anthony Bongo (D): Ridgefield, Conn. | 5/16/2007
- Isaac Davis (F): Rockland, Mass. | 1/27/2009
Davis should be a great addition for Sioux Falls. The speedy left winger is fresh off making the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup Camp in the summer and had 76 points in 55 games for the Woodbridge Wolfpack's 16U team last winter. Alvarez, a Colgate commit, had 22 points for Deerfield last season.
This will be Bongo's third season in Sioux Falls after putting up 30 points last season. The puck-mover recently committed to Union.
Tri-City Storm
- Quinn Beumer (G): Mount St. Charles | 10/1/2009
- Dylan Krayer (F): Concord, Mass. | 3/12/2007
- Matthew Krayer (F): Concord, Mass. | 10/22/2008
- JP Messuri (F): Arlington, Mass. | 6/19/2008
- Tyler Russo (D): South Hamilton, Mass. | 3/19/2007
- Danick St. Pierre (F): North Hampton, N.H. | 5/13/2008
Getting the Krayer brothers should make a difference. Dylan spent last season with the BCHL's West Kelowna Warriors, scoring 23 goals and posting 63 points in 54 games. Matthew, however, was with the QMJHL's Saint John Sea Dogs and notched 13 points in 58 games. St. Pierre was a longtime standout for Seacoast Performance Academy before spending last season with the BCHL's Sherwood Park Crusaders and Des Moines. He's a Yale commit. I've always been a big fan of Messuri's game. His gritty, hard-nosed style should serve him well in the USHL after spending a year at Dexter Southfield.
Russo, at 6-foot-1 and committed to Minnesota State, is a shutdown defenseman. He spent last season with West Kelowna. Beumer, despite playing for Mount's 16U team last season, got four games with Tri-City and was terrific with a 2.01 GAA and a .933 save percentage.
U.S. National Team Development Program U18 team
- Nate Chizik (G): Mount St. Charles | 2/15/2009
- Sam Pandolfo (F): Winchester, Mass. | 7/2/2009
- Rocco Pelosi (F): Mount St. Charles | 1/28/2009
- Finn Sears (F): Medford, Mass. | 5/4/2009
- Christian Semetsis (D): Mount St. Charles | 10/14/2009
- Brayden Willis (F): Mount St. Charles | 9/16/2009
This is a big year for the NTDP's U18 team. Up front, Sears, Pandolfo, Pelosi and Willis will have every opportunity to be top scorers. Sears, Pandolfo and Pelosi will have NHL eyes on them all season. Willis misses the 2027 NHL Draft cutoff by one (yes, one) day. Semetsis is an incredible skater and should have a strong season. Chizik, a Notre Dame commit, will also attract attention from NHL talent evaluators. He's 6-foot-4, after all.
Waterloo Black Hawks
- None
READ MORE: New England vs. Minnesota: Who produces more NHL Draft talent? | 5 takeaways from the findings
Youngstown Phantoms
- Brody Berard (D): Cumberland, R.I. | 9/2/2009
Berard is a defenseman who's mean, tough, hard-nosed — whatever word you want to use. He had seven points in his first season in Youngstown, but there is so much more to his game than points. His skating was noticeably better at USA Hockey Select 17 Camp, and he should be an NHL Draft prospect all winter.
