<p>Like most other junior leagues, the USHL will soon be in a strange spot.</p>



<p>With the NCAA’s eligibility rules getting an update earlier this season, it won’t be too long until we see some major shakeups on players’ development. </p>



<p>For starters, the USHL has done a great job in recent years of taking players away from major junior programs, especially the OHL. Now that players can play in major junior and keep their NCAA eligibility, will the USHL start to suffer because top-quality players don’t want to be there? The 2024-25 season wasn’t impacted meaningfully, but that could change moving forward.</p>



<p>So, the prospects on this list are the ones using the opportunity at their disposal to make a name for themselves. There might not be a star player in the USHL or the USA Hockey National Team Development Program like we’ve seen in recent years, but the quality is still good, especially if you’re looking for potential depth scorers.</p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="161"></div>



<p>If there’s one thing you can take away about the USHL’s draft class this year, it’s hidden gem potential. A few of these players were much higher on draft boards heading into the season but fell for one reason or another. Others have fought their way up the ranks. Mix all that together, and the teams who’ve done that could come out looking quite smart in a few months:</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">1. Ivan Ryabkin, C (Muskegon Lumberjacks)</h2>



<p>Ryabkin is one of two players on this list who didn’t start the season in the USHL, but he’s making the most of his time in Muskegon. He’s one of the most divisive players in this draft because he started out as a potential top-five pick but looked distant back in Russia and needed a change of scenery. He’s been productive since his move to Muskegon, though, playing at a 40-goal pace in a full season (which is no easy task for a draft-eligible prospect). We’ve also seen him flesh out his physical and playmaking games, with his passing and hockey sense being two of his best traits. A boost of confidence in the USHL seems to have really helped Ryabkin’s stock.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="191"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2. Jack Murtagh, LW (USNTDP)</h2>



<p>Murtagh is a skilled puck handler who can absolutely fire a shot and is a bit of a workhorse, too. I think he’s a good skater and has the hockey sense you’re looking for in a second or third-liner. I’ve been impressed in most of my viewings this year, and he’s one of the primary reasons to watch the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. He’s speedy, works hard and when you put it all together, he’s a difficult player to contain. I think he can become a middle-six forward.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">3. William Moore, C (USNTDP)</h2>



<p>You’re not going to get flash or pure skill out of Moore, but you’ll find someone who can play a role and get the job done. The two-way forward has good size at 6-foot-2, and he’s not afraid to outmuscle players. He doesn’t get too fancy or anything like that with the puck – instead, he spends a lot of time around the net at both ends of the ice. When Moore is really on his game – when he desperately wants the puck or has a chance to get a second, third, or even fourth look at a chance – he can be so dangerous. I just want to see more consistency.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="2" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="203"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">4. Cole McKinney, C (USNTDP)</h2>



<p>McKinney has been the USNTDP’s top scorer throughout most of the season – and he’s also one of the most aggressive. McKinney is a mid-sized, two-way center who can play on the penalty kill, block shots and win a ton of faceoffs. He’s not going to be a playdriver in the NHL, but he’s detail-oriented and exceptionally smart. McKinney is also not afraid to land a big hit to channel some energy. I hope he gets stronger when he heads to college, but the overall package right now is a solid base to build around.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">5. Adam Benák, C (Youngstown Phantoms)</h2>



<p>Benák is one of the biggest high-risk, high-reward players in this draft – and it mostly comes down to his petite frame. The 5-foot-7 forward has the most points in Hlinka Gretzky Cup history and has generally been downright dominant at the junior national team level. And after a slow start in the USHL, Benák bounced back by putting up more than a point per game in the USHL while being more physically engaged, too. I want nothing more than to see Benák make it to the NHL and show just how good he can be in open space – but how worried will teams be about his frame? He’s not as strong as, say, Logan Stankoven. Will it matter?</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="3" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="215"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">6. Ryker Lee, RW (Madison Capitols)</h2>



<p>Lee stood out with the Shattuck St. Mary’s U-18 team a year ago and brought that same energy to the USHL. He’s been one of the best players in the USHL this season, using his quick hands and excellent hockey IQ in the offensive zone to win so many battles. He’s not big and can be pushed around a bit too much at times, but he doesn’t let it get to him and is quite competitive. I hope to see him become quicker once he heads to college – if he could just use his footwork to win more puck races, he’d be even more effective.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">7. Ben Kevan, RW (Des Moines Buccaneers)</h2>



<p>Kevan quickly became one of my favorite players at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and he continued to find ways to impress. There’s nothing that particularly stands out about his game – instead, it’s his work ethic, speed and play away from the puck, combined, that make him interesting. Scouts seem a bit worried about his overall hockey sense and whether he’s got enough high-end talent to be more than a depth scorer in the NHL. I still like where his game is at right now, though.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="4" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="192"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">8. Conrad Fondrk, C/LW (USNTDP)</h2>



<p>When he’s hot, Fondrk can be a difference-maker. The first half was a bit ugly, but I liked him at the CHL USA Prospects Challenge, and I think he’s better than his stats might suggest. That’s because he’s a solid 200-foot player who brings speed and a great shot to the table every night. I feel like he’s more competitive than we saw him a year ago where it seemed like he just stapled himself to high-end shooting areas and didn’t grind it out like many would have hoped. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">9. Carter Amico, RHD (USNTDP)</h2>



<p>A season-ending injury in the fall limited his season to just 13 games, but Amico still showed some promising signs. He’s hard to play against, moves well and has some decent puck skills, even if his point totals don’t reflect it. Amico hits hard and hits often, and his own-zone play was the best of any USNTDP defender before the injury. You could tell that not having him on the ice hurt the team in a big way. At 6-foot-5, he’s hard to miss out there, and I can see him maxing out as a solid second-pairing defender.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="5" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="188"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">10. Charlie Trethewey, RHD (USNTDP)</h2>



<p> Trethewey is a solid, two-way defenseman who, at times, has shown some serious flash. At one point last year, he led the U-17 USNTDP in scoring. This year, he’s been a bit more reserved, both in the USHL and against college players. But there’s still a lot to like about the way he moves the puck and gets it into scoring lanes. He’s one of the youngest players in the draft, is a right-handed shot, and he’s smart, too. Trethewey is prone to trying to do too much and can make mistakes, but he’s still a reasonable project prospect.</p>



<p><em>Other notables: Luka Radivojevic, RHD (Muskegon Lumberjacks);</em> Sam Laurila, D (Fargo Force);<em> Jacob Rombach, LHD (Lincoln Stars);</em> L.J. Mooney, C (USNTDP);<em> Asher Barnett, LHD (USNTDP).</em></p>



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