MUSKEGON, MI – For more than 15 years, the Muskegon Lumberjacks have made player development a cornerstone of the organization. That commitment has been especially evident over the past five seasons, with 31 Lumberjacks selected in the NHL Draft. The most of any USHL organization during that span.
 
 
That continued success was on display over the past week, as 21 current and former Lumberjacks took part in NHL Rookie Showcases across the league.
 
Leading the way were three current Lumberjacks, each representing their respective NHL organization.
 
Lumberjacks captain Rudolfs Berzkalns (Cesis, LAT) joined the Edmonton Oilers after being selected 58th overall in the 2026 NHL Draft. Berzkalns is entering his third season on the Lakeshore and was recently named the 17th captain in franchise history.
 
Also participating in Rookie Showcase action was Teddy Lechner (Bloomington, MN), who joined the Colorado Avalanche after being selected 152nd overall in the 2026 NHL Draft.
 
Rounding out the group was Felix Färhammar (Stockholm, SWE), who participated with the New York Rangers. Färhammar was selected by New York 203rd overall in the 2025 NHL Draft.
 
The Lumberjacks' presence extended beyond their current roster, with alumni also making their mark throughout the NHL Rookie Showcase circuit.
 
Quinn Hutson joined Berzkalns in Edmonton, while Jack Williams represented the Columbus Blue Jackets, Sacha Boisvert took the ice with the Chicago Blackhawks, and Matvei Gridin participated with the Calgary Flames.
 
The strong showing at NHL Rookie Showcases adds to a growing list of Lumberjacks alumni reaching the NHL level and further highlights the organization's success in developing players and preparing them for the next level.
 
Full list of Lumberjacks at NHL Rookie Camps:
Colorado (3) – Teddy Lechner, Alex Gagne, Hank Kempf
Buffalo (2) – Gavin McCarthy, Jake Richard
Edmonton (2) – Rudolfs Berzkalns, Quinn Hutson
NY Rangers (2) – Felix Färhammar, Tomas Chrenko
Calgary (1) – Matvei Gridin
Carolina (1) – Ivan Ryabkin
Chicago (1) – Sacha Boisvert
Columbus (1) – Jack Williams
Dallas (1) – Artem Shlaine
Detroit (1) – Kienan Draper
Montreal (1) – Jean-Samuel Daigneault
Nashville (1) – Ben Strinden
New Jersey (1) – Christophe Tellier
NY Islanders (1) – Cam Berg
Pittsburgh (1) – Carter Sanderson
   
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.