General 9/17/2025 9:58:00 AM Calvin Bush

Steel Set to Open 2025-2026 Season at USHL Fall Classic

Chicago begins season with two games at annual league event

GENEVA, ILLINOIS — The Chicago Steel will kick off the 2025-2026 season at the DICK'S Sporting Goods USHL Fall Classic in Cranberry Township, PA, on Thursday, September 18, and Friday, September 19.

Chicago will take on two Western Conference opponents at the UPMC Lemieux Center, starting with the Sioux Falls Stampede on Thursday, Sept. 18, at 3:30 pm CT. The Steel will close their Fall Classic slate against the Omaha Lancers on Friday, Sept. 19, at 7:00 pm CT.

The Steel will return home for Opening Night the following weekend on Saturday, September 27 at 6:05 pm CT as the team begins its 11^th and final season at Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva before relocating to Fifth Third Arena in downtown Chicago in the summer of 2026.

Chicago squared off with the Stampede twice last season in Sioux Falls, dropping a pair of one-goal games in January. Tobias Ohman tallied three assists in a 4-3 loss on Jan. 3, and Luke Goukler and Ashton Schultz each scored a goal in a 3-2 loss on Jan. 4.

Despite a down season for Omaha last year, the Lancers created two bright spots against the Steel with early-season victories over Chicago in October, a 2-0 win on Oct. 12 followed by a 5-1 win the following day.

The 2025-2026 season features a pair of new faces behind the Steel bench, with two-time Stanley Cup champion and recent US Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Scott Gomez making his USHL coaching debut, and former Hobey Baker award winner and long-time NHL defenseman Mike Mottau serving as assistant coach.

Along with the excitement of a pair of new coaches with NHL pedigree is the roster of talent that features several returning skaters including a pair of NHL draft picks, and a plethora of exciting newcomers. The Steel open the season as the sixth-youngest roster in the league at 18 years, two months old.

Among eight returning players for the Steel are forwards Kolin Sisson and Tobias Ohman, each entering his third season with the club. Sisson led the Steel last year in goals (18) and had the fifth-most points on the team before missing the final 15 games due to injury. A Providence College commit, Sisson is set to appear in his 100^th USHL game on Thursday.

Ohman doubled his assists output (24) from his rookie season (11) and nearly doubled his total point output. The Colgate University commit appeared in 58 games with the Steel last season and scored the second-most points while tallying nine power play points (3G-6A).

Two current Steel forwards heard their names called in the 2025 NHL Draft, Jackson Crowder by the Washington Capitals in Round 5 and Ashton Schultz by the Buffalo Sabres in Round 6. Both Crowder and Schultz came to the Steel in separate trades, and both made immediate impacts upon their arrival. Crowder scored a goal and tallied an assist in his first three games with the Steel and finished the season with points in four of the final seven games.

Schultz, a North Dakota commit, will look to build upon his strong 2024-2025 campaign which saw him record the second-longest assist streak in the league at seven games with eight helpers. Schultz ranked at the top for the Steel last season in points (39), and was second in assists (25) and third in goals (14). He tallied the most power play points (15) for the Steel and had the league's fifth-most power play assists (13).

Canadian forward James Scantlebury is expected to make his Steel debut Thursday. Scantlebury, tendered by the Steel prior to the 2025 USHL Phase 1 Draft, dominated with the Bishop Kearney Selects 16U team last season, scoring 100 points on 35 goals and 65 assists in 56 games.

Recently-acquired goaltender Louis-Felix Charrois brings a veteran presence into the locker room as the fifth-oldest player in the league, with just 16 days separating him from the oldest player, Muskegon's Charles Blanchard. Charrois played two seasons with the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and posted sparkling numbers – a 2.21 goals against average and .918 save percentage in 39 games, and a 1.86 goals against average in the playoffs.

At 6'6" tall, defenseman Jonas Kemps is the second-tallest player in the USHL this season. Committed to Michigan State, Kemps appeared in 30 USHL games with the USA Hockey NTDP last season and posted four assists.

NHL prospect Cole Tuminaro, a 2007-born defenseman, skated in just one game with the Sioux City Musketeers last season before missing the remainder of the year due to injury. The Cornell commit, whom the Steel acquired by trade in May, appeared in all four preseason games for the Steel and posted an assist.

Chicago will look to another pair of returners to step into valuable roles after productive rookie seasons. Luke Goukler appeared in all but one game last season and posted 27 points (12G-15A). The Merrimack commit was one of the Steel's most disciplined skaters, only taking five penalties during the campaign. Aidan Dyer played in all 62 games for Chicago and tallied 26 points (10G-16A).

2024 USHL Draft picks Nate Chorlton, Benson Grande, Timo Kazda, and Zach Spagnuolo are members of the team's season-opening roster. Chorlton, Kazda, and Spagnuolo each appeared in at least one game for the Steel last season. Grande's first regular-season game will mark his Steel debut as will the first games for 2025 USHL Draft picks Jason Millett and Sam Caulfield.

Last season was the first time in nine seasons the Steel did not qualify for the Clark Cup playoffs, but saw their highest season-long attendance, one-upping their previous record set in 2023-2024.

Chicago will return home after the Fall Classic and open the Fox Valley Farewell Tour on Opening Night on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 6:05 pm. Fans will want to head to Fox Valley Ice Arena early for the game to experience a red carpet entrance with photo opportunities and the first 500 fans will receive a 2025-2026 tour-themed magnet schedule presented by Teqworks. After the game, fans can hit the ice for the first Skate with the Steel this season.

For a limited time, fans can purchase the Chicago Hockey Deal, which includes a ticket to Steel Opening Night on Sept. 27 plus four Steel home games of your choice and a Chicago Blackhawks preseason home game for just $75.

Single-game, group, and premium seating tickets for the 2025-2026 season are also on sale now.

For more information, call 855-51-STEEL or visit ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.

Chicago Steel Upcoming Schedule presented by Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush:
Thursday, September 18 at Sioux Falls Stampede (3:30 pm CT) | DICK'S Sporting Goods USHL Fall Classic | Cranberry Township, PA
Friday, September 19 vs. Omaha Lancers (7:00 pm CT) | DICK'S Sporting Goods USHL Fall Classic, | Cranberry Township, PA
Saturday, September 27 vs. Madison Capitols (6:05 pm CT) | Opening Night | Magnet Schedule Giveaway presented by Teqworks (first 500 fans) | Post-Game Skate with the Steel

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