Forty-Five Players with USHL Ties Crack World Juniors Rosters
Published on December 24, 2025 under United States Hockey League (USHL) News Release
Forty-five players with United States Hockey League (USHL) ties are set to compete in the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship from Dec. 26, 2025, to Jan. 5, 2026, in Minnesota.
Of those players participating, 14 are on USHL rosters, 26 are alumni playing in the NCAA, and 28 were selected in the NHL draft, including Colorado Avalanche prospect Will Zellers (Green Bay Gamblers/University of North Dakota), Nashville Predators prospect Ryker Lee (Madison Capitols/Michigan State University), and Buffalo Sabres prospect Luke Osburn (Youngstown Phantoms/University of Wisconsin. Tampa Bay Lightning prospect and North Dakota commit Caleb Heil (Madison Capitols is among eight goalies with League ties set to participate in the international tournament. All three American and Slovakian goalies played or are playing in the USHL.
Twenty-four players with USHL ties are on the U.S. roster, including eight returners. The Americans won back-to-back gold medals for the first time in history at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario. The U.S. has medaled in the last three World Junior Championships and won the gold in three of the last five tournaments.
U.S. General Manager, John Vanbiesbrouck, served as the Muskegon Lumberjacks' GM and Director of Hockey Operations from 2013-2018. Head coach Bob Motzko (North Iowa Huskies, Sioux Falls Stampede, Waterloo Black Hawks, Dubuque Fighting Saints) and his assistant coaches, Steve Miller (Madison Capitols), Greg Brown (Dubuque Fighting Saints), and Garrett Raboin (Lincoln Stars), and goaltending coach David Lassonde (NTDP) each have USHL experience as players and/or coaches.
Nationality Name Current Team (Conference/League) Former USHL Team(s)
U.S Caleb Heil * Madison Capitols (USHL)
U.S Brady Knowling * NTDP (USHL)
U.S Asher Barnett University of Michigan (Big Ten) NTDP
U.S Kamil Bednarik Boston University (Hockey East) NTDP
U.S Cole Eiserman # Boston University (Hockey East) NTDP
U.S EJ Emery University of North Dakota (NCHC) NTDP
U.S James Hagens # Boston College (Hockey East) NTDP
U.S Logan Hensler # University of Wisconsin (Big Ten) NTDP
U.S Will Horcoff University of Michigan (Big Ten) NTDP
U.S Cole Hutson # Boston University (Hockey East) NTDP
U.S Nick Kempf University of Notre Dame (Big Ten) NTDP
U.S Adam Kleber # University of Minnesota Duluth (NCHC) Lincoln Stars
U.S Ryker Lee Michigan State University (Big Ten) Madison Capitols
U.S Cole McKinney University of Michigan (Big Ten) NTDP
U.S Brendan McMorrow University of Denver (NCHC) NTDP/Waterloo Black Hawks
U.S LJ Mooney University of Minnesota (Big Ten) NTDP
U.S Luke Osburn University of Wisconsin (Big Ten) Youngstown Phantoms
U.S Max Plante # University of Minnesota Duluth (NCHC) NTDP
U.S Chase Reid Soo Greyhounds (OHL) Waterloo Black Hawks
U.S Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen University of Michigan (Big Ten) NTDP
U.S Teddy Stiga # Boston College (Hockey East) NTDP
U.S Shane Vansaghi Michigan State University (Big Ten) NTDP
U.S Brodie Ziemer # University of Minnesota (Big Ten) NTDP
U.S Will Zellers University of North Dakota (NCHC) Green Bay Gamblers
Canada Michael Hage University of Michigan (Big Ten) Chicago Steel
Czechia Vaclav Nestrasil University of Massachusetts (Hockey East) Muskegon Lumberjacks
Czechia Adam Benák Brantford Bulldogs (OHL) Youngstown Phantoms
Czechia Richard Zemlicka * Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
Denmark Markus Jacobsen * Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
Finland Heikki Ruohonen Harvard University (ECAC) Dubuque Fighting Saints
Germany Gustavs Griva * Madison Capitols (USHL)
Germany Simon Seidl Straubing Tigers (DEL) Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
Latvia Nils Roberts Maurins * Omaha Lancers (USHL)
Latvia Olivers Murnieks St. John Sea Dogs (QMJHL) Sioux City Musketeers
Latvia Rudolfs Berzkalns * Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
Slovakia Leo Henriquez * Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)
Slovakia Alan Lendak * Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL)
Slovakia Michal Pradel * Tri-City Storm (USHL)
Slovakia Adam Belusko * Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
Slovakia Samuel Murin * Tri-City Storm (USHL)
Slovakia Luka Radivojevic Boston College (Hockey East) Muskegon Lumberjacks
Slovakia Alex Misiak Erie Otters (OHL) Waterloo Black Hawks
Sweden Sascha Boumedienne Boston University (Hockey East) Youngstown Phantoms
Switzerland Lenny Giger * Sioux CIty Musketeers (USHL)
Switzerland Phileas Lachat * Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
* - Active in the USHL
# - U.S. Returner
United States Hockey League Stories from December 24, 2025
- McMorrow Plays for Team USA - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Forty-Five Players with USHL Ties Crack World Juniors Rosters - USHL
- Weekend Preview: December 27-28 - Omaha Lancers
- Lumberjacks Add Will Schlechtweg to Roster Ahead of Second Half - Muskegon Lumberjacks
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