Jacks, Bucs Swap D-Men in 3 Player Trade
Published on January 7, 2026 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release
MUSKEGON, MI - The mid-season roster shakeup continues for the Muskegon Lumberjacks, who made another move to bolster their blue line on Wednesday morning. In a trade with the Des Moines Buccaneers, the Jacks acquired defenseman Gus Thorp (Chippewa Falls, WI).
Muskegon Receives:
Gus Thorp, D, 2007
Des Moines Receives:
Barrett Dexheimer, D, 2006
Nick Koering, D, 2007
2025 Phase II 3rd
"I've actually known Gus for four years now," said Jacks' Head Coach Colten St. Clair, who coached Thorp at a Sioux City Musketeers Main Camp when the two were in the organization together in 2022. "He's a hard-nosed defenseman who can skate well. He's got a lot of intangibles to his game that will translate to the next level, and I'm looking forward to helping him with his development." St. Clair added.
A two-year member of the Buccaneers, Thorp was named an alternate captain at the start of the season, highlighting his leadership ability and off-ice skills. On the ice, Thorp has already matched his point total from last season and has a +5 rating, helping the Bucs to a better position in the standings than a year ago.
Heading to Des Moines in the trade are Dexheimer and Koering. "Dexy (Dexheimer) and Nick were obviously really good for us and really great people who were on that Clark Cup winning team," said St. Clair. "It's always a sad day to see them go. They did great things for this organization. We wish them the best of luck." He finished.
Thorp will join the Lumberjacks this week on the road in Sioux Falls as the Jacks take on the Stampede on Friday and Saturday night. Catch the action on the official live stream partner of the Muskegon Lumberjacks, FloHockey, and the Lumberjacks Hockey Network on Mixlr.
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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
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