Finley, Hage, Pohlkamp, Zellers Headline USHL Alumni at Frozen Four
Published on April 9, 2026 under United States Hockey League (USHL) News Release
Seventy-four United States Hockey League (alumni) will be participating in the 2026 Frozen Four in Las Vegas, Nev. Find stats and notes below. View the full list online.
74 USHL alumni are on Frozen Four rosters, with every team carrying between 16-20 players who have played 10 or more USHL games.
21 players in the Frozen Four played in the USHL last season.
36 USHL alumni in the Frozen Four are drafted by an NHL team.
14 alumni in the Frozen Four have won a Clark Cup, including Michigan's Stephen Peck and Waterloo's David Klee who won the 2025 Clark Cup with the Muskegon Lumberjacks.
The following players in the Frozen Four have won a Clark Cup together.
Chicago Steel - '21: Nick Mondelhauer (Michigan), Luca Fantilli (Michigan), Jake Livanavage (North Dakota), Quinn Finley (Wisconsin)
Sioux City Musketeers - '22: Garrett Brown (Denver), Dylan James (North Dakota)
Youngstown Phantoms - '23: Tory Pitner (Denver), Andrew Strathmann (North Dakota)
Fargo Force - '24: Jake Fisher (Denver), Anton Castro (Wisconsin), Mac Swanson (North Dakota)
Muskegon Lumberjacks - '25: Stephen Peck (Michigan), David Klee (North Dakota)
North Dakota General Manager Bryn Chyzk spent five seasons with the Waterloo Black Hawks, one as Director of Scouting and four as General Manager, before joining North Dakota as the first General Manager in college hockey midway through last season. North Dakota's associate head coach, Matt Smaby, coached in Waterloo the last four seasons. Smaby reached the Clark Cup Final last season with Denver's Brendan McMorrow's and Wisconsin's Grady Deering.
Wisconsin head coach Mike Hastings is a four-time Clark Cup champion, winning with the Omaha Lancers in 1993, 1998, 2001, and 2008. Michigan Head Coach Brandon Naurato played for Hastings from 2003 to 2005 in the USHL. Muskegon Lumberjacks General Manager Jimmy McGroarty, father of NHLer Rutger McGroarty (NTDP), was an assistant on Hastings' staff during the year Naurato played.
Kason Muscott joined the Michigan Wolverines midway through the 2015-26 season from the Sioux City Musketeers. After a season with the Shreveport Mudbugs in the North American Hockey League (NAHL), Muscott played a full season in Cedar Rapids, a full season in Sioux City and 29 games this year before making the jump.
Denver Head Coach David Carle was an assistant coach for the Green Bay Gamblers for a season and a half from 2012-14 before rejoining the Pioneers.
USHL alumni Max Plante (NTDP) and Denver's Eric Pohlkamp (Cedar Rapids RoughRiders) are among the top three finalists for the Hobey Baker (MORE).
Eight of the last 10 Hobey Baker winners played in the USHL, including the last six: Isaac Howard ('25 - Michigan State, NTDP - '20-22), Macklin Celebrini ('24, Boston University, Chicago Steel - '22-23), Adam Fantilli ('23, Michigan, Chicago Steel - '20-22), Dryden McKay ('22, Minnesota State, Madison Capitols -'16-18), Cole Caufield ('21, Wisconsin, NTDP - '17-19), and Scott Perunovich ('20, Minnesota Duluth, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders - '16-17).
USHL alumni Trey Augustine (NTDP) and Michael Hrabel (Omaha Lancers) are among the top three finalists for the Mike Richter Award. (MORE)
Since the Mike Richter Award was established in 2014, USHL alumni have won more than half the awards, including, most recently, Montreal Canadiens prospect Jacob Fowler ('25 - Boston College, Youngstown Phantoms - '22-23).
20 of 24 Division I All-Americans during the 2024-25 season were USHL alumni.
United States Hockey League Stories from April 9, 2026
- Stars Drop Series Opener to Buccaneers - Lincoln Stars
- Finley, Hage, Pohlkamp, Zellers Headline USHL Alumni at Frozen Four - USHL
- Series Preview: First Round at Des Moines - Lincoln Stars
- Madison Capitols Tender Quinn Kaiser - USHL
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