MUSKEGON, MI – The USHL Trade deadline has come and gone, and with it, the Muskegon Lumberjacks made a trade with the Sioux Falls Stampede that fills needs for both teams. The Jacks add a young defenseman and a pair of draft picks, while the Stampede bolster their offense as one of the two teams already clinched for the 2026 Clark Cup Playoffs.
 
 
Muskegon Receives:
Dane Sorensen, D, 2007
2026 Phase II 1^st
2027 Phase II 3^rd
 
Sioux Falls Receives:
Jake Stuart, F, 2007
Future Considerations
 
In Sorensen, the Lumberjacks get a medium-sized, power-skating defenseman who can impact the game in multiple ways. As an affiliate, Sorensen joined the Stampede late in the 2024-25 season and played in 3 playoff games. This season, he played 41 games before joining the Brooks Bandits of the BCHL.
 
Sorenson's father, Kelly, played NCAA Division I Hockey in Michigan at Ferris State, where he appeared in 143 games over 4 years. He was a Bulldog from 1988 to 1992. Dane is committed to play College Hockey in the Hockey East at UMass Amherst following the conclusion of his junior hockey career.
 
 
The draft picks in return are early round selections in the Phase II Draft, including a first-round pick this summer. The saying goes, "You build your future in Phase I, and your team in Phase II". For a team like the Lumberjacks, who are constantly battling for a Clark Cup Championship, adding two early picks in the Phase II Draft means adding two potential high-impact players in future years.
 
The Lumberjacks' first-round pick of the 2025 Phase II Draft was Viktor Norringer (Kungsbacka, SWE), who has been lighting up the scoresheet as of late and leading the charge for the Lumberjacks on the offensive end alongside Melvin Novotny (Stockholm, SWE).
 
Heading to Sioux Falls is Jake Stuart, a 2007 birth year forward in his 3^rd season of USHL play. After a couple of years in Plymouth with the USNTDP, Stuart joined the Lumberjacks as a Phase II selection in the 7^th round. In 47 games with the Jacks this season, Stuart recorded 14 points on 6 goals and 8 assists. We wish Jake the best of luck in Sioux Falls and in the future as he continues his hockey career in the NCAA and beyond.
 
Welcome to Muskegon, Dane!  
About the Muskegon Lumberjacks
The Muskegon Lumberjacks are proud and dedicated members of the United States Hockey League (USHL), the nation's only Tier I junior hockey league and leading producer of NCAA players and National Hockey League draft picks in the United States. The club's goal is to create an environment where student-athletes develop into successful young men, both on and off the ice. This includes playing the game the right way while maintaining academic excellence in the classroom and staying actively involved in the West Michigan community. The organization is committed to providing high-quality, affordable, and top-notch family entertainment while serving as positive role models for the youth and local community.