Heil and Alumni Highlight U.S. National Junior Team Preliminary Roster
Published on December 1, 2025 under United States Hockey League (USHL) News Release
Twenty-five players who developed through the United States Hockey League (USHL) were named to the U.S. National Junior Team preliminary roster in advance of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship from Dec. 26, 2025, to Jan. 5, 2026, in Minnesota.
Tampa Bay Lightning prospect, North Dakota commit, and Madison Capitols goalie, Caleb Heil headlines a list of players with USHL ties including 2025 USHL Rookie of the Year Ryker Lee (Madison Capitols/Michigan State University), returning gold medalist Trevor Connelly (Tri-City Storm/Providence College/Henderson Silver Knights), and 2025 USHL Defenseman of the Year, Luke Osburn (Youngstown Phantoms/University of Wisconsin).
The 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.
The U.S. 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.
United States Hockey League Stories from December 1, 2025
- Storm Alum Trevor Connelly Makes U.S. Preliminary World Junior Roster - Tri-City Storm
- Andrew O'sullivan & Joey Slavick Named USHL Players of the Week - Green Bay Gamblers
- Tynan Lawrence Named USHL Week 11 Forward of the Week - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Lawrence, O'sullivan, Slavick Named Players of the Week - USHL
- "Fill the Boot" Night Saturday - Waterloo Black Hawks
- 3 RoughRiders Headed to the World Juniors A Challenge - Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
- Two Former Stars Named to Team USA World Junior Team - Lincoln Stars
- Heil and Alumni Highlight U.S. National Junior Team Preliminary Roster - USHL
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