The United States Hockey League just completed the first round of the Clark Cup playoffs, with four best-of-five series set to begin this weekend.
The Tri-City Storm won the Anderson Cup as USHL's top regular season team, finishing with a franchise-record 47 wins in 62 games. The Sioux City Musketeers finished behind Tri-City as the second seed in the Western Conference. In the Eastern Conference, the defending league champion Chicago Steel took the top seed, with the Dubuque Fighting Saints behind them. Those teams earned first-round byes.
The Omaha Lancers, Muskegon Lumberjacks and Madison Capitols swept their best-of-three series, while the Waterloo Black Hawks went on the road to stun the Lincoln Stars in overtime Wednesday.
Here is a look at some regional players to keep an eye through the rest of the postseason, plus a few more from outside of New England who are expected to be difference-makers.
The favorites: Tri-City and Chicago
Jeremy Wilmer
Tri-City Storm, LW, 8/16/03, left shot, 5-8/147
NCAA commit: Boston University
NHL draft: Eligible (2nd year)
After two years with the U.S. NTDP, the Rockville Centre, N.Y., native played a third season in the USHL with the league’s best team. He broke several club scoring records and finished with 98 points in 60 games. An electric talent who can skate and score at will, the extra year in the USHL will help him to be one of the more impactful freshmen in Hockey East next season.
Arsenii Sergeev
Tri-City Storm, G, 12/16/02, catches left, 6-4/192
NCAA commit: UConn
NHL draft: Flames, 2021, Rd. 7/205
It looks like Calgary stole the Russian from the industrial city of Yaroslavl late in the draft, as he led the USHL with 30 wins, a 2.08 goals against average and .918 save percentage. It isn’t just that he’s big and athletic, but also brings a high-level work ethic and an ultra-competitive drive. He is going to make the Huskies a formidable opponent, and it won’t take him much time to adjust to college hockey.
Victor Czerneckianair (Southington, Conn.)
Tri-City Storm, LW, 2/17/02, left shot, 5-10/166
NCAA commit: Quinnipiac
Close to returning to action for the Storm after missing much of the season with a lower body injury, the former South Kents Selects Academy star has a lot of skill and plays hard. With Storm forward Gavin Brindley playing for Team USA at the Under-18 World Championship, Czerneckianair makes an elite team that much better if he is able to slot into the lineup.
Joe Miller
Chicago Steel, C, 9/15/02, right shot, 5-9/155
NCAA commit: Harvard
NHL draft: Maple Leafs, 2021, 6/180
The future Crimson forward jumped from 18 points as a rookie a year ago to 68 points, and plays with a lot of quickness and craftiness. Chicago always ensures that it has a skilled, deep team. Miller’s experience from a year ago means he’ll be counted on to play a lot and produce.
Andon Cerbone (Stamford, Conn.)
Chicago Steel, LW, 4/13/04, left shot, 5-9/153
NCAA commit: Michigan
Cerbone left Brunswick a year ago to play juniors with Chicago in a limited role. This year, he took another step, scoring 11 goals with 37 points in 61 games. Cerbone has the skating and skills to score, but there is room for improvement in his game to come off the perimeter and attack the middle of the ice more with his agility and quick stick. He is eligible for the NHL draft and is one of New England Hockey Journal’s top-15 prospects.
Video: Cerbone's draft prospects
Hunter McDonald
Chicago Steel, D, 5/11/02, left shot, 6-3/205
NCAA commit: Northeastern
A tall, mobile blueliner from Fairport, N.Y., McDonald was acquired from Omaha via trade and has improved the defensive play on the Steel back end. He isn’t a big point producer, but is tough to get around with his fluid skating and reach, plus hard-nosed playing style. He and Braden Doyle (transfer) will have an opportunity to play a lot on a Huskies blue line that lost a lot of veteran experience this year.
Contenders: Sioux City and Dubuque
Ben Steeves (Bedford, N.H.)
Sioux City Musketeers, LW, 5/10/02, left shot, 5-9/167
NCAA commit: Minnesota Duluth
The former N.H. Avalanche and Jr. Monarchs star is one of the league’s more dangerous scorers with 39 goals. He’s elusive and wastes no time getting the puck off of his stick and right at the net, often sliding through layers in defenses undetected to establish himself in prime scoring areas.
Dylan James
Sioux City Musketeers, LW, 10/12/03, left shot, 6-0/181
NCAA commit: North Dakota
The production has surged, and he scored 10 goals with 17 points in 10 April games. The Calgary native has always been willing to attack the net, going back to the first weekend of the season in Pittsburgh, but his ability to come up big in clutch situations is what is going to make him a key contributor in the playoffs and will get him drafted to the NHL in July.
Stephen Halliday
Dubuque Fighting Saints, C, 7/2/02, left shot, 6-4/215
NCAA commit: Ohio State
Just completed his fourth season in the USHL with an impressive 95-point campaign. He had 215 points in his junior career. The former first overall pick in the 2018 USHL futures draft has NHL tools with his size, skating and shot but has struggled in the past to put it all together.
Philip Svedeback
Dubuque Fighting Saints, G, 5/28/02, catches left, 6-4/205
NCAA commit: Providence
NHL draft: Bruins, 2021, 4/117
He went 5-1 to close out the season after missing a lot of games with various injuries and ailments. When healthy and on top of his game, the Boston prospect and inbound Friars goalie uses his big frame and fast reflexes to stymie shooters. He’s a raw project type, but there’s some intriguing upside here.
Other players to watch
Quinn Hutson, Muskegon Lumberjacks, RW; 1/1/02, 5-11/171- Boston University
The older brother of 2022 NHL Draft prospect and fellow Terriers recruit Lane Hutson tallied 33 goals this season to lead Muskegon in scoring. He's skilled and has a high hockey IQ. Scored two goals and had four points in the two-game sweep of Cedar Rapids.
Philip Tresca, Muskegon Lumberjacks, C; 4/10/02, 6-0/190 (Newton, Mass.)- Harvard
The former Rivers School product put up impressive numbers this year, and has been on a steady trajectory. A top skater, he is eligible for the NHL draft and might have done enough to get a later call given his development.
Jake Dunlap, Madison Capitols, LW; 12/5/01, 5-8/160 (Windham, N.H.)- New Hampshire
The Granite Stater and New Hampton graduate moved the needle in impressive fashion with a pair of goals and three points against Youngstown. His production helped Madison advance in the playoffs under head coach Tommy Upton for the first time since the franchise returned to the USHL in 2014.
Alex Bump, Omaha Lancers, LW; 11/20/03, 6-0/194- Vermont
Started the year in the USHL with Omaha and made a quick transition. He then returned to Minnesota for the high school season, where he was among the best players and a Mr. Hockey finalist out of Prior Lake High. He is a disruptive player with a big shot. He’s a great get for the Catamounts, and made an impact against Fargo.
Michael Cameron, Omaha Lancers, LW; 07/24/02, 5-9/180- UMass
Philadelphia-area native and former Salisbury standout led Omaha in scoring, and is a top two-way character forward. A high-end skater, Cameron isn't the most skilled forward in the playoffs, but is smart and competes hard: a quiet leader who plays well in big moments.
