Hennepin Nordiques

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United States Hockey League
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2025–26 USHL season
SportIce hockey
Founded1947 (1947)
CommissionerGlenn Hefferan[1]
No. of teams16
CountryUnited States
Most recent
champion
Sioux Falls Stampede (4th title)
Most titles(Clark Cup era) Omaha Lancers (7)
(overall) Waterloo Black Hawks (9)
BroadcasterFloSports
Websitewww.ushl.com Edit this at Wikidata

The United States Hockey League (USHL) is the top junior ice hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey. The league consists of 16 active teams located in the Midwestern United States and Great Plains, for players between the ages of 16 and 21. The USHL is strictly amateur, allowing former players to compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) college hockey.

The Lincoln Stars won the Anderson Cup as the 2024–25 regular season champions. The Muskegon Lumberjacks won the 2025 Clark Cup playoff championship, their first in franchise history. Although in the 2026 Clark Cup, while the Lumberjacks were looking for back to back wins, Joey Macrina (Sioux Falls Stampede) scored a goal that went past Axelsson (Lumberjacks) in game 4.

Operations

The USHL is the country's top sanctioned junior hockey league, classified as Tier I. Like comparable entities such as the Canadian Hockey League's (CHL) three member leagues, the USHL offers a schedule of high-level, competitive games for top players aged 16 to 20.[2]

Teams are subject to strict roster rules. In 2017–18 they may have no more than four overage skaters (players who have turned 20 in the first year of the season) and are limited to a maximum of five import players, three international players and two Canadian skaters. Starting in 2018–19, non-American goaltenders will count as two import players in a move designed to give more development time to American goalies, who are also exempt from the overage rule.

USHL teams, typically located in mid-sized cities, pay for all uniforms and equipment. Players live with local families, who receive a small stipend for food expenses, and either continue school or work part-time jobs. Due to their schedules, more than 90% of games are on weekends, which many NHL and college scouts attend.[2] Average attendance at regular season games for the 2014–15 season was 2,715 with 1,384,820 fans attending games during the season.[3]

Kyle Woodlief of Red Line Report stated in 2007 that the USHL's first line players are as good as their counterparts in the CHL—historically an important producer of NHL players—but that the Canadian-based league has better third and fourth lines. In 2006, Trevor Lewis, the 17th pick in the NHL entry draft, was the first USHL player to sign an NHL contract immediately after playing in the league.[2]

At the conclusion of the 2014–15 regular season, the USHL has tallied 251 alumni that have played in the NHL and has 347 current players with NCAA college commitments.[4] According to the league, approximately 95 percent of its players will eventually land a Division I college scholarship.[5]

On March 18, 2020, the USHL cancelled the rest of 2019–20 season and playoffs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[6][7] The start of the following season was delayed to November 2020 and some teams had to suspend operations for the 2020–21 season.[8]

Draft

The USHL Draft is an annual event conducted in two "phases" during the second week of May.[9] The first phase is an eight-round draft of U-17 players for the upcoming season. The second phase of the draft is open to all players eligible to play junior hockey who are not already protected by a USHL team. The number of players drafted varies, as each team will draft until they have filled the 45 spots available on their roster. Undrafted players are open to try out for any team as a try-out player. Each team must reduce their roster to 23 players for the start of the season, but may carry 18 additional players on an affiliate list.[10]

Teams

Current USHL team locations (Eastern Conference teams in red; Western Conference teams in blue)

Current teams

Eastern Conference
TeamFoundedArenaCapacityCity
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders1998ImOn Ice Arena4,000Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Chicago Steel2000Fox Valley Ice Arena2,800Geneva, Illinois
Dubuque Fighting Saints2010Mystique Ice Center3,079Dubuque, Iowa
Green Bay Gamblers1994Resch Center8,709Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin
Madison Capitols2014Bob Suter's Legacy20 Arena2,611Middleton, Wisconsin
Muskegon Lumberjacks2010Trinity Health Arena5,100Muskegon, Michigan
USA Hockey National Team Development Program1996USA Hockey Arena3,504Plymouth, Michigan
Youngstown Phantoms2003Covelli Centre5,717Youngstown, Ohio
Western Conference
TeamFoundedArenaCapacityCity
Des Moines Buccaneers1980Mid American Energy Company RecPlex2,000West Des Moines, Iowa
Fargo Force2008Scheels Arena4,000Fargo, North Dakota
Lincoln Stars1996Ice Box4,212Lincoln, Nebraska
Omaha Lancers1986Liberty First Credit Union Arena4,000Ralston, Nebraska
Sioux City Musketeers1972Fleet Farm Arena9,500[a]Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux Falls Stampede1999Denny Sanford Premier Center10,678Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Tri-City Storm2000Viaero Center4,047Kearney, Nebraska
Waterloo Black Hawks1962Young Arena3,500Waterloo, Iowa
  1. Expandable to 10,000

Future teams

On June 24, 2026, the league announced the addition of six new West Coast markets targeted to launch teams by the 2027-28 season, along with the owners of the teams.[11]

MarketOwners
San Diego, CaliforniaShawn Hicks and Joe Sakic
Orange County, CaliforniaJohn Moreland and Teemu Selanne
Simi Valley, CaliforniaLeorjay Sports
Northern CaliforniaMark Heintz
Prescott Valley, ArizonaJustin Reynolds
Phoenix, ArizonaBen Robert

Defunct professional teams

TeamCityYears
Anoka NordiquesAnoka, Minnesota1978–1979
Austin MavericksAustin, Minnesota1977–1979
Bloomington Junior StarsBloomington, Minnesota1977–1979
Calumet-Houghton ChiefsCalumet Township, Michigan1972–1973
Central Wisconsin FlyersStevens Point, Wisconsin1974–1976
Chicago WarriorsChicago, Illinois1972–1975
Copper Country ChiefsCalumet, Michigan1974–1976
Copper Country IslandersCalumet, Michigan1973–1974
Des Moines Oak LeafsUrbandale, Iowa1968–1969
Duluth Port StarsDuluth, Minnesota1968 (Duluth dropped out of league on December 30, 1968)[12]
Fox Valley AstrosDundee, Illinois[13]1965–1966
Grand Rapids BladesGrand Rapids, Michigan1976–1977
Grand Rapids BruinsGrand Rapids, Minnesota1968–1969
Green Bay BobcatsAshwaubenon, Wisconsin1961–1979
Madison BluesMadison, Wisconsin1973–1974 (transferred to CnHL)
Marquette Iron RangersMarquette, Michigan1964–1976
Milwaukee AdmiralsMilwaukee, Wisconsin1973–1977 (transferred to IHL)
Milwaukee MetrosMilwaukee, Wisconsin1961–1962 (Milwaukee folded Jan 16, 1962, due to financial trouble)[14]
Minneapolis RebelsMinneapolis, Minnesota1961–1962
Minnesota NationalsSaint Paul, Minnesota1967–1968 (U.S. 1968 Olympic team[15])
Rochester MustangsRochester, Minnesota1961–1970
Sault Ste. Marie CanadiansSault Ste. Marie, Ontario1968–1972
Sault Ste. Marie GreyhoundsSault Ste. Marie, Ontario1972–1973
Sioux City MusketeersSioux City, Iowa1972–1979
St. Paul SteersSaint Paul, Minnesota1962–1966
St. Paul VulcansSaint Paul, Minnesota1977–1979
Thunder Bay FlyersThunder Bay, Ontario1984–2000
Thunder Bay TwinsThunder Bay, Ontario1970–1975 (transferred to OHA)
Traverse City BaysTraverse City, Michigan1975–1977
U.S. NationalsSaint Paul, Minnesota1966–1967
Waterloo Black HawksWaterloo, Iowa1962–1969, 1970–1979

Senior league timeline

Junior league timeline

History

Precursors to this league were:

American Amateur Hockey League

The United States Hockey League was established as the American Amateur Hockey League in 1947 and began play for the 1947–48 season. When the league began operations it had five teams in and around the Twin Cities arena along with a team in Rochester. The league was made up three clubs from St. Paul which were 7-Up, Koppy's and Tally's, and two from Minneapolis, Jersey's and Bermans, along with a team from Rochester called the Rochester Mustangs. After the 1947–48 season the St. Paul Tally's dropped out of the league and left the five remaining members to make up the league for the 1948–49 and 1949–50 seasons. For the 1950–51 season the St. Paul 7-Up and St. Paul Koppy's merged and became St. Paul 7-Up/Koppy's. The Minneapolis Bermans dropped out of the league and new team called the Twin City Fords were added to give the American Amateur Hockey League four teams for 1950–51 season. The Rochester Mustangs were the only club to return for the fifth and final season of the American Amateur Hockey League in 1951–52. Gone were the St. Paul 7-Up/Koppy's, Twin City Fords and the Minneapolis Jerseys, replaced by the St. Paul Saints, Hibbing Flyers, Minneapolis Millers, Eveleth Rangers and the first club based outside of the state of Minnesota, the Sioux City Iowa Sunhawks, which gave the league six clubs for 1951–52, its final season as the American Amateur Hockey League.

Central Hockey League

The American Amateur Hockey League was renamed the Central Hockey League for the 1952–53 season. Only five of the clubs who had made up the American Amateur Hockey League for 1951–52 season returned. Those clubs were the Rochester Mustangs, St. Paul Saints, Minneapolis Millers, Hibbing Flyers and the now called Eveleth-Virginia Rangers. Gone were the Sioux City Sunhawks.

Minnesota Hockey League

After a year as the Central Hockey League the league was renamed the Minnesota Hockey League and would be called this for the 1953–54 and 1954–55 seasons. Only two teams who had made up the Central Hockey League returned to make up the Minnesota Hockey League for the 1953–54 season. Those teams were the Rochester Mustangs and the Hibbing Flyers. Gone were the St. Paul Saints, Minneapolis Millers and the Eveleth-Virginia Rangers. The Grand Forks Red Wings were added and this gave the league three teams for 1953–54 season. The Rochester Mustangs were the only team to return for the second and final season of the Minnesota Hockey League. Gone were Hibbing and Grand Forks. The league added two teams in Minneapolis called the Culbersons and Bungalows and a new team in St. Paul, again called the Saints, to give the league four teams for 1954–55.

United States Central Hockey League

After two seasons as the Minnesota Hockey League the league became the United States Central Hockey League and would be called this for five years, 1956 to 1960. Only three of the four teams who had made up the Minnesota Hockey League for the 1954–55 season returned. Those teams were the Rochester Mustangs along with both Minneapolis clubs, the Culbersons and the Bungalows. Gone were the St. Paul Saints who replaced by a team called the St. Paul Peters. These four clubs would make up the USCHL for the 1955–56 and 1956–57 seasons. For the 1957–58 season the St Paul Peters were replaced by a team called St. Paul K.S.T.P. The Rochester Mustangs were the only team to return for the 1958–59 season. Gone were St. Paul K.S.T.P. along with both Minneapolis clubs (the Culbersons and the Bungalows). The league returned to four teams when it replaced these clubs with the St. Paul Capitols, Minneapolis Millers and the Des Moines Ice Hawks, marking the league's return to Iowa. For the fifth and final season of the USCHL the St Paul Capitols dropped out and the league expanded to five teams and into new territory with a team in Michigan with the addition of the Marquette Sentinels and into Wisconsin with the addition of the Green Bay Bobcats.

1961–79

The United States Hockey League (USHL) operated as a senior ice hockey league from 1961 to 1979.[16]

The USHL welcomed the first female professional hockey player in 1969–70, when the Marquette Iron Rangers signed Karen Koch.[17]

By the late 1970s, the USHL had fallen on hard times. In the summer of 1977, clubs from the recently folded Midwest Junior Hockey League contacted the USHL. A unique merger was formed, with the three junior teams (Bloomington Junior Stars, Austin Mavericks, St. Paul Vulcans) and three remaining pro teams (Sioux City Musketeers, Waterloo Black Hawks, Green Bay Bobcats) gathered under the USHL banner. League governors decided on a two-division format, with the junior-aged teams in the Midwest Division and the professionals in the U.S. Division. The teams played an interlocking schedule that was, predictably, dominated by the professionals. The USHL's split existence would last just two seasons. The minor-pro wing of the league folded following the 1978–79 season, providing junior hockey operators with the opportunity to redefine the circuit. The 1979–80 season was the league's first as an entirely junior arrangement.[18]

The league's last season as a senior hockey league was 1978–79. During this final season the league comprised seven teams in two conferences. The U.S. Conference (with the Green Bay Bobcats, the Sioux City Musketeers and the Waterloo Black Hawks); while the Midwest Conference (with the Anoka Nordiques, the Austin Mavericks, the Bloomington Junior Stars and the St. Paul Vulcans). All seven teams were made up with players categorized as "Senior Amateur".[19][20][21][22][23][24][25] Following the 1978–79 season the senior league teams in the U.S. Conference folded and the USHL became an all-junior league the following season.[26]

Awards

Semi-Pro Champions

Championships from the semi-pro era of the USHL.

YearTeam
1961–62Rochester Mustangs
1962–63Green Bay Bobcats
1963–64Waterloo Black Hawks
1964–65Waterloo Black Hawks
1965–66Waterloo Black Hawks
1966–67Waterloo Black Hawks
1967–68Waterloo Black Hawks
1968–69Marquette Iron Rangers
1969–70Marquette Iron Rangers
1970–71Marquette Iron Rangers
1971–72Green Bay Bobcats
1972–73Thunder Bay Twins
1973–74Thunder Bay Twins
1974–75Waterloo Black Hawks
1975–76Milwaukee Admirals
1976–77Grand Rapids Blades
1977–78Waterloo Black Hawks
1978–79Waterloo Black Hawks

Anderson Cup Champions

Regular season champions from junior era of the USHL.

YearTeam
1979–80Hennepin Nordiques
1980–81Dubuque Fighting Saints
1981–82Sioux City Musketeers
1982–83Dubuque Fighting Saints
1983–84St. Paul Vulcans
1984–85Austin Mavericks
1985–86Sioux City Musketeers
1986–87Rochester Mustangs
1987–88Thunder Bay Flyers
1988–89Thunder Bay Flyers
1989–90Omaha Lancers
1990–91Thunder Bay Flyers
1991–92Thunder Bay Flyers
1992–93Omaha Lancers
1993–94Des Moines Buccaneers
1994–95Des Moines Buccaneers
1995–96Green Bay Gamblers
1996–97Green Bay Gamblers
1997–98Des Moines Buccaneers
1998–99Des Moines Buccaneers
1999–2000Lincoln Stars
2000–01Lincoln Stars
2001–02Omaha Lancers
2002–03Lincoln Stars
2003–04Tri-City Storm
2004–05Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
and Omaha Lancers (tie)
2005–06Sioux Falls Stampede
2006–07Waterloo Black Hawks
2007–08Omaha Lancers
2008–09Green Bay Gamblers
2009–10Green Bay Gamblers
2010–11Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
2011–12Green Bay Gamblers
2012–13Dubuque Fighting Saints
2013–14Waterloo Black Hawks
2014–15Youngstown Phantoms
2015–16Cedar Rapids Roughriders
2016–17Sioux City Musketeers
2017–18Waterloo Black Hawks
2018–19Tri-City Storm
2019–20Chicago Steel[27]
2020–21Chicago Steel[28]
2021–22Tri-City Storm
2022–23Fargo Force
2023–24Fargo Force
2024–25Lincoln Stars
2025–26Youngstown Phantoms

Clark Cup Champions

Playoff champions from the junior era of the USHL.

YearTeam
1980Hennepin Nordiques
1981Dubuque Fighting Saints
1982Sioux City Musketeers
1983Dubuque Fighting Saints
1984St. Paul Vulcans
1985Dubuque Fighting Saints
1986Sioux City Musketeers
1987Rochester Mustangs
1988Thunder Bay Flyers
1989Thunder Bay Flyers
1990Omaha Lancers
1991Omaha Lancers
1992Des Moines Buccaneers
1993Omaha Lancers
1994Omaha Lancers
1995Des Moines Buccaneers
1996Green Bay Gamblers
1997Lincoln Stars
1998Omaha Lancers
1999Des Moines Buccaneers
2000Green Bay Gamblers
2001Omaha Lancers
2002Sioux City Musketeers
2003Lincoln Stars
2004Waterloo Black Hawks
2005Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
2006Des Moines Buccaneers
2007Sioux Falls Stampede
2008Omaha Lancers
2009Indiana Ice
2010Green Bay Gamblers
2011Dubuque Fighting Saints
2012Green Bay Gamblers
2013Dubuque Fighting Saints
2014Indiana Ice
2015Sioux Falls Stampede
2016Tri-City Storm
2017Chicago Steel
2018Fargo Force
2019Sioux Falls Stampede
2020Clark Cup not awarded
2021Chicago Steel
2022Sioux City Musketeers
2023Youngstown Phantoms
2024Fargo Force
2025Muskegon Lumberjacks
2026Sioux Falls Stampede

Alumni

League records

Team

Individual

  • Most points in a season – 135 by Tim Ferguson of Sioux City Musketeers in 1985–86 season.
  • Most goals in a season – 67 by Rod Taylor of Sioux City Musketeers in 1986–87 season.
  • Most assists in a season – 79 by Tim Ferguson of Sioux City Musketeers in 1985–86 season.
  • Most PIMs in a season – 316 by Chad Stauffacher of Green Bay Gamblers in 1996–97 season.

See also

References

  1. "Glenn Hefferan Named as new USHL Commissioner". USHL.com. June 15, 2023.
  2. Allen, Kevin (February 6, 2007). "Youngsters hoping to realize hockey dreams". USA Today. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
  3. "Psuedo Ajax".
  4. http://www.ushl.com/page/show/1209183-alumni-in-the-nhl | date=April 11, 2015 | Access Date=April 12, 2015
  5. Alex Lantz (January 25, 2015). "The drive to be the best". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  6. Rose, Joshua (March 12, 202). "Green Bay Gamblers season suspended due to COVID-19". WFRV-TV. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  7. "Remainder of USHL season canceled". Nebraska TV. March 18, 2020.
  8. "Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and Madison Capitols Will Not Participate in 2020-21 USHL Season". OurSports Central. September 18, 2020.
  9. "USHL Draft". USHL. Archived from the original on December 28, 2016. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  10. "Home". USHL. Archived from the original on April 28, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  11. "League Announces Markets, Partners for West Coast Expansion". USHL. June 24, 2026. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
  12. 1968-69 United States Hockey League [USHL] standings at. Hockeydb.com. HockeyDB. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  13. Santa's Village by Phillip L. Wenz, Published by Arcadia Publishing, 2007 ISBN 0-7385-4149-4, ISBN 978-0-7385-4149-5
  14. 1961–62 United States Hockey League [USHL] standings at. Hockeydb.com (January 16, 1962). Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  15. "Murray Williamson". Archived from the original on October 13, 2008. Retrieved November 3, 2008.
  16. United States Hockey League [USHL] seasons at. Hockeydb.com. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  17. www.marquetteironrangers.com Archived July 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. www.marquetteironrangers.com. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  18. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on September 13, 2008. Retrieved October 19, 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  19. Sioux City Musketeers hockey team of the USHL at. Hockeydb.com. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  20. Green Bay Bobcats hockey team of the USHL at. Hockeydb.com. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  21. Anoka Nordiques hockey team of the USHL at. Hockeydb.com. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  22. Waterloo Black Hawks hockey team of the USHL at. Hockeydb.com. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  23. Austin Mavericks hockey team of the USHL at. Hockeydb.com. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  24. Bloomington Junior Stars hockey team of the USHL at. Hockeydb.com. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  25. St. Paul Vulcans hockey team of the USHL at. Hockeydb.com. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  26. 1978–79 United States Hockey League [USHL] standings at. Hockeydb.com. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  27. "Steel Named 2019-2020 Anderson Cup Champions". OurSports Central. April 1, 2020.
  28. "Chicago Steel Named Anderson Cup Champions for Second-Straight Season". OurSports Central. April 18, 2021.