Danny Klaers, Muskegon 

The Minnetrista native and former Minnetonka High School standout finished the weekend with a goal and two assists for the Lumberjacks, earning USHL Defenseman of the Week honors in the process. 

Klaers checks in at 5-foot-11 and 179 pounds according to Elite Prospects, and has a tantalizing mix of speed and agility that teams crave on the backend. He had 19 points in 76 games last season for the Clark Cup champion Lumberjacks, and should take on a larger role this year in his second full USHL campaign. He’s a high-quality puck distributor, and his mistakes at both ends of the ice are rare. 

Klaers is verbally committed to the University of Notre Dame. 

Garrett Lindberg, Fargo 

Lindberg is following the same path fellow Moorhead product Sam Laurila took last season, going from a rotational depth piece on the National Team Development Program U18 team's blueline to a locked-in, top-four defender for the Fargo Force. 

Lindberg plays with outstanding pace and speed, making his decisions quickly and efficiently. He’s an excellent skater with superb change-of-direction abilities and isn’t afraid to go into the corners when necessary. 

Laurila was selected by the New York Islanders in the fifth round of the 2025 NHL Draft, and Lindberg, a North Dakota commit, could be on the same trajectory. 

Max Rider, Madison 

In addition to his goal and assist during the Fall Classic, Rider was relentless on the back check and a terror in the defensive zone, routinely forcing opposing defensemen to change direction or throw the puck away at the blueline. 

Scouts and fellow USHLers weren’t the only ones impressed with Rider’s play - multiple Division I coaches took note of the uncommitted forward’s ability and had good things to say about him in the lobby and along the glass. 

Rider is originally from St. Louis Park and totaled four goals and nine points in 40 games with the Capitols last season. 

Cooper Simpson, Youngstown 

The book is out on Simpson - he’s a supremely talented offensive player with exceptional hands and an innate ability to find space on the ice. The Shakopee product lived up to those scouting notes and then some in Pittsburgh, scoring a goal and handing out three assists as the Phantoms went 2-0 with wins over Tri-City and Cedar Rapids. 

The Boston Bruins selected Simpson in the third round of the 2025 NHL Draft this summer, and have to be content with his production thus far, albeit just two games into the USHL regular season. Simpson is verbally committed to the University of North Dakota. 

Zac Zimmerman, Fargo 

Zimmerman has wasted no time in establishing himself as a top-six mainstay after a junior season at Moorhead, where he recorded 32 goals and 78 points to help the Spuds to their first Class AA state title in March. 

Zimmerman’s highlight of the Fall Classic came in overtime against the NTDP U18 squad. In front of a packed FedEx Rink at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Center, Zimmerman deposited a pass from Garrett Lindberg to give the Force the 1-0 victory. 

Zimmerman has natural offensive instincts, especially below the face-off dots, and his competitiveness pays off in the defensive zone. As he polishes his play on the defensive side this season in the USHL, the number of Division I programs interested in him - of which there are already several with heavy interest - should only grow.