USHL prospects head to NHL development camps after draft success

Tobias Trejbal, Casey Mutryn, Jack Hextall, Jayden Kurtz, Victor Plante, Rudolfs Berzkalns, Samuel Hrenak, Luke Schairer and Blake Zielinski are among the USHL prospects now getting their first real NHL camp look after a draft that again put the league in the center of the pipeline.

Trejbal, a Youngstown Phantoms goalie, became the first netminder selected from the USHL in the 2026 NHL Draft. The league finished the draft with 43 picks at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, and the NHL credited the USHL with 32 direct selections, a number that points to how often NHL clubs turn to the league when they want players tested against top junior competition before college or pro hockey.

Development camp participation is the next checkpoint. The sessions typically mix on-ice drills with strength and conditioning work, while prospects also sit through instruction on nutrition, meal prep, financial planning and social media. For players fresh off the draft, that mix is more than a welcome seminar circuit: it is the first chance to see how an NHL organization handles daily expectations, preparation and professionalism.

The USHL’s presence at those camps has been deep for years. In 2024, the league said 316 of its products attended NHL development camps, with every NHL team except the New York Islanders carrying at least four USHL-produced players and the Detroit Red Wings leading the way with 21. In 2025, more than 330 USHL alumni took part, 17 camp rosters had at least 10 former USHL players, and the Boston Bruins brought 20. Those numbers show how often USHL skaters arrive with enough pace, structure and adaptability to earn immediate attention from NHL development staffs.

That reach is expanding beyond the traditional Midwest footprint, too. On June 2, the USHL and stakeholders signed a memorandum of understanding to establish member clubs in Arizona, California and Nevada, a move that broadens the league’s Tier I development base and opens another route for Western players chasing the same path.

The league’s standing in the scouting process backed up the draft results. Sixty-eight players with USHL ties were ranked by NHL Central Scouting ahead of the 2026 draft, reinforcing the USHL’s role as one of the clearest bridges from junior hockey to the college and professional game.