On August 15th, the Muskegon Lumberjacks announced the addition of three-time Stanley Cup Champion Patrick Maroon to their coaching staff. Maroon retired from the NHL this past March, where he ended his career with the Blackhawks after winning three consecutive Stanley Cups from 2019 to 2021.

Drafted in 2007 by the Philadelphia Flyers, Maroon played a long tenured career of 14 years before starting his new coaching journey in Muskegon.

The NHL veteran finished his playing career with 323 total points on 126/197 splits. Nicknamed “The Big Rig”, Maroon jumped between a couple different teams before he won his first championship with his hometown team, the St. Louis Blues. After his season at home, the Blues decided not to offer Maroon a contract to re-sign with the team, so he decided to take his talents to Tampa Bay on a one year deal in 2020. The 2020 and 2021 seasons both concluded with the Lightning taking home the Stanley Cup, giving Maroon his second and third Stanley Cup title.

Maroon is excited to begin a new chapter in his hockey career, stating “I'm really looking forward to working with a winning organization and learning from the coaches, players, and management.”

The staff at Muskegon is also extremely excited about the new addition. Head Coach Colten St. Clair said “Bringing Pat Maroon into our organization is a game-changing move… Pat knows what it takes to win, and his influence will elevate our locker room, our culture, and our pursuit of excellence."

You can catch the first game of the Lumberjacks’ season on September 17th as they take on the Waterloo Black Hawks in the DICK’S Sporting Goods USHL Fall Classic.

As the NHL draft concluded on June 28th, 27 of our league’s own officially began their new careers as NHL rookies. Vaclav Nestrasil and Ryker Lee from Muskegon and Madison respectively lead their USHL peers as the 25th and 26th pick in the first round.

Below is a list of every NHL rookie drafted from the USHL this year.

Round 1

Vaclav Nestrasil – RW, drafted 25th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks from the Muskegon Lumberjacks

At 6’6”, this Prague native is a fantastic young enforcer that never gives up on the play. Excellent while playing off-puck, Nestrasil brings a level of unselfishness to the Blackhawks that will bring a multitude of goals for the team.

Ryker Lee – RW, drafted 26th overall by the Nashville Predators from the Madison Capitols

In 58 games with the Capitols, Lee managed to lead his team with 68 points. The elusive shoot-first winger closed his season doing it all by collected a team-high of 37 assists with a team high of 31 goals to go along with them. If utilized well, Ryker Lee could pose a great threat to the NHL.

Round 2

Jacob Rombach – D, drafted 3rd in the 2nd round by the Nashville Predators from the Lincoln Stars

Ivan Ryabkin – C, drafted 30th in the 2nd round by Carolina Hurricanes from the Muskegon Lumberjacks

Ben Kevan – RW, drafted 31st in the 2nd round by the New Jersey Devils from the Des Moines Buccaneers

Round 3

Sean Barnhill – D, drafted 6th in the 3rd round by the New York Rangers from the Dubuque Fighting Saints

Michael Pradel – G, drafted 11th in the 3rd round by the Detroit Red Wings from the Tri-City Storm

Mason Moe – C, drafted 26th in the 3rd round by the New Jersey Devils from the Madison Capitols

Brady Peddle – D, drafted 27th in the 3rd round by the Pittsburgh Penguins from the Waterloo Black Hawks

Teddy Multryn – C, drafted 31st in the 3rd round by the San Jose Sharks from the Chicago Steel

Round 4

Adam Benak – C, drafted 6th in the 4th round by the Minnesota Wild from the Youngstown Phantoms

Caeden Herrington – D, drafted 24th in the 4th round by the Los Angeles Kings from the Lincoln Stars

Round 5

Sam Laurila – D, drafted 10th in the 5th round by the New York Islanders from the Fargo Force

Ethan Wyttenbach – LW, drafted 16th in the 5th round by the Calgary Flames from the Sioux Falls Stampede

Jackson Crowder – C, drafted 27th in the 5th round by the Washington Capitals from the Chicago Steel

Round 6

Ashton Schultz – C, drafted 7th in the 6th round by the Buffalo Sabres from the Chicago Steel

Anthony Allain-Samake – D, drafted 8th in the 6th round by the Anaheim Ducks from the Sioux City Musketeers

Carter Sanderson – LW, drafted 9th in the 6th round by the Pittsburgh Penguins from the Muskegon Lumberjacks

Bruno Idzan – LW, drafted 21st in the 6th round by the Ottawa Senators from the Lincoln Stars

Edison Engle – D, drafted 28th in the 6th round by the Winnipeg Jets from the Dubuque Fighting Saints

Round 7

Caleb Heil – G, drafted 1st in the last round by the Tampa Bay Lightning from the Madison Capitols

Brendan McMorrow – C, drafted 4th in the last round by the Los Angeles Kings from the Waterloo Black Hawks

Matthew Lansing – C, drafted 15th in the last round by the Vancouver Canucks from the Fargo Force

Maxon Vig – D, drafted 17th in the last round by the Montreal Canadiens from the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

Nolan Roed – C, drafted 22nd in the last round by the Colorado Avalanche from the Tri-City Storm

Ryan Rucinski – C, drafted 27th in the last round by the Buffalo Sabres from the Youngstown Phantoms

Aidan Park – C, drafted 31st in the last by the Edmonton Oilers from the Green Bay Gamblers

Jimmy Snuggerud picked a great time to make his NHL debut.

The 20-year-old USHL alum, who was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the first round (23rd overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft, joined the club Tuesday and logged 10:43 of ice time in a 3-2 overtime victory over the Detroit Red Wings.

Snuggerud had two shots on goal in the win, which extended the Blues’ winning streak to 10. He logged 15 shifts, including less than two minutes on a power-play chance.

While he had been to St. Louis in the past for prospect camps, the 6-foot-2, 187-pound right winger had never played in Enterprise Center until Tuesday.

As is often the case with highly-touted prospects, once that debut comes, it’s a whirlwind of activity. Snuggerud signed a three-year entry-level contract last Friday, one day after his University of Minnesota Gophers were eliminated in the regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament. Three days later, he practiced with the team before finding himself in a pivotal game during a hotly-contested playoff race on Tuesday.

Snuggerud, however, wouldn’t have had it any other way.

“It was fun. So exciting,” Snuggerud said after the game. “The rink was so energetic. Everything about the game, the comeback at the end, it was an awesome game.”

Jordan Kyrou tied the contest with 30 seconds left in regulation, and Cam Fowler scored the game-winner in overtime, as the Blues continue their hold on the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

Snuggerud played three seasons of collegiate hockey at Minnesota, where he recorded 51 points (24-27-51) in 40 games this season. He’s one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, which will ironically be announced on Thursday in St. Louis.

During his time with the Gophers, Snuggerud posted 135 points (66-69-135) in 119 games.

In two USHL seasons with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (NTDP), Snuggerud appeared in 55 games and totaled 40 points (13-27-40). He also led Team USA to the first of its back-to-back World Junior Championships with five goals in six games.

While his debut was brief, the Blues proved they are not afraid to throw their top prospect into the fire. St. Louis is counting on his offense, but he impressed scouts with his patience on puck and crisp cross-ice passes.

Aside from one giveaway during Tuesday night’s debut, Snuggerud showed he was worthy of the Blues’ confidence.