Scouting Report: Standout Players Among First Group of Teams at USHL Fall Classic

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pennsylvania — The USHL Fall Classic is appointment viewing for the scouting community. All 15 of the league’s teams and the United States National Team Development Program descend upon Cranberry Township, just a half-hour north of Pittsburgh, to play two games apiece over the four days of the tournament.

The tournament starts on Thursday, September 26th, with a five-game slate of action between the first group of teams (Fargo Force, Omaha Lancers, Muskegon Lumberjacks, Madison Capitols, Tri-City Storm, Lincoln Stars, Waterloo Black Hawks, Youngstown Phantoms and Dubuque Fighting Saints). The opponents switch, but each plays another game the following Friday. By the weekend’s end, I’ll have seen every team twice.

It’s not what I’d call an especially great setup for medi