2024-25 USHL East Predictions - Cedar Rapids favored in tough Eastern Conference

 

1. Cedar Rapids
2. Dubuque
3. Youngstown
4. Chicago
5. Madison
6. Muskegon
7. Green Bay 
8. USNDTP

The Eastern Conference seems as competitive as ever, where the difference between second and seventh may not be decided until late in the season. 

But if all goes according to script, it will be Cedar Rapids taking home the division crown. 

Amine Hajibi leads the way as the leading scorer among all East clubs, tallying 46 points last year. But it’s the depth and team grit of the Roughriders that should propel the team to the division title. They were unstoppable in the preseason, going 5-0 with relative ease. 

Dubuque is always competitive in the Eastern Conference, and this year is no exception. Michael Barron stands just 5’5”, but he lets his play do the talking. With 40 points last year, Barron is one of the league’s top returning forwards and will lead another solid group of forwards for the Saints. 

With 14 returners combining for 202 points last season, Youngstown trails only Dubuque in points returning (thanks to Layla Lamborn for the statistics!). Look for the Phantoms to stay in contention all season once again.

Chicago enters the season under the radar, picked by many observers to miss the playoffs. Yet if all goes well, Chicago could contend for the division title. Tender Adam Valentini put up an astounding 134 points in 57 games for the Toronto Marlboros U16 team in the GTHL last year, a league that has produced many of the NHL’s superstars, including Connor McDavid, who played for the same Marlboros club. Valentini, a Michigan commit, could be one of the league’s marquee players from day one. 

Madison’s typical blueprint of hard work and depth should be good enough to make the playoffs once again. North Dakota Caleb Heil should have a big impact between the pipes for the Capitols. 

Muskegon never falls too far off the pace, although they lost a lot of firepower from last season and do not have a home game for the first month or so because of arena renovations. David Klee posted 40 points last season and will be looked at to be a key player this season. 

Green Bay returns just 10 players from last season, the third lowest total in the league. Yet the Gamblers always find a way to be competitive, and should stay in the mix all season. 

The US NDTP is always a mystery, as the under 17 squad plays about two-thirds of the games while the under 18s play the other third. The result is a very unbalanced schedule, and their success often depends on which squad is playing for which games. Once again, they are unlikely to make the playoffs for that reason. 

2024-25 USHL West Predictions - Muskies, Storm to battle for division title

 

1. Sioux City
2. Tri-City
3. Lincoln
4. Omaha
5. Sioux Falls
6. Waterloo
7. Fargo
8. Des Moines

The West will be interesting to watch this year. There’s some normal powers in a rebuild, some teams that look greatly improved, and some new coaches that could make a huge impact. 

One thing that seems clear is Sioux City will be good. With a lot of returners on goal, including  starting goalie Samuel Urban, the roster looks loaded. 

Add in the Muskies returning to their physical style / 11 fights over two preseason games - and this looks like a classic Sioux City team. 

Tri-City is picked closer to the middle of the pack by many, but they should challenge Sioux City for the division title. 

16-year-old tender Ilya Morozov should electrify from day one. Born in Moscow, he comes from the hyper-competitive Greater Toronto Hockey League, where he led all U16 midget players in scoring last season. He has already committed to Miami for 2026-27.

Also look for a big year from Artemi Nizamayev. The Storm should be electrifying to watch this year. 

From here, it gets murky. It is very conceivable to see the next theee finish in any order. Lincoln seems to have the size and grit to go with veteran experience  Blake Montgomery should have another huge year, while Matt Maltais epitomizes tradional intense hockey work ethic. 

Omaha will be an interesting club to watch. New Coach Lennie Childs seems to have his squad on the same wavelength, and the preseason has impressed. 

Nick Sykora seems primed for a big year, along with Nick Sykora and Sam Sheetz. Hunter Ramos, who came over in a trade from Youngstown, has been outstanding in preseason. 

The defense has impressive size, and Mikhail Yegorov/Kam Hendrickson provide a great 1-2 option between the pipes. 

Sioux Falls enters the season in a unique position with almost all players having scholarships in place or having been drafted by the NHL. On paper, this team could easily move up a few spots. 

The sole concern might be staying motivated if the team hits a slump, with most players having their future plans tied down. This is hard to pick the Herd this low - it would not be a surprise if they end up contending in the very tight West. 

Waterloo is also hard to pick at sixth, especially with starting goalie Cam Vachon returning. Once again, this is another team that could easily move up a few spots. 

Fargo missing the playoffs seems unconceivable, but with just eight returnees, this is a young team. The Force have a solid reputation, if they start decent and make some moves to contend again, this prediction won’t age well. Either way, the future is still bright in Fargo. 

Des Moines has faced issues such as a last minute arena change, and the key right is just maintaining momentum and getting fans to know the road to West Des Moines. It’s a rebuilding year in Central Iowa - but at least short term, the arena issue has worked out  And that’s the key thing.