Chicago, IL – With the preseason in the rear-view mirror and the roster finalized, the Muskegon Lumberjacks and the rest of the USHL are ready to start the regular season with the annual kickoff event, the Fall Classic. This year, the Jacks take on the Des Moines Buccaneers in the league's first contest on Wednesday afternoon. Thursday, the Jacks face the Waterloo Black Hawks.
Fall Classic Preview: Deja Vu.
Historically, the Lumberjacks have not had much success in the USHL's season-opening event. Each team plays its first two regular-season games at a neutral site, and despite routinely finishing near the top of the standings, Muskegon has started 2-0 just twice in the last eight years.
The first came in 2018, when the Jacks picked up wins over the Fargo Force and Sioux City Musketeers. Last season, Muskegon opened the campaign with a 4-3 shootout victory over Waterloo before earning a 3-2 overtime win against Sioux City.
Now in a new location, the Lumberjacks will look to once again leave the opening weekend with four points in the standings. Waterloo is back on the schedule, joined this time by the Des Moines Buccaneers.
One challenge the Lumberjacks face that most USHL teams do not is the absence of three players attending NHL training camps.
Rudolfs Berzkalns (Cesis, LAT),
Teddy Lechner (Bloomington, MN), and
Felix Färhammar (Stockholm, SWE) all missed the second half of the USHL preseason and are expected to be unavailable to start the regular season.
The Jacks are also dealing with an injury to
Louis Jonerheim (Lund, SWE), who suffered a neck laceration during Saturday night's preseason finale. With four key players potentially unavailable, Muskegon enters opening night already facing some early adversity.
Despite the absences, the Lumberjacks remain confident in their roster depth. The offensive attack features plenty of firepower beyond Berzkalns and Jonerheim, with
Zaac Charbonneau (Gatineau, QC, CAN),
Maxim Šimko (Poprad, SVK), and
Alex Smyth (Denver, CO) each recording four points during the preseason to share the team lead.
In total, seven Lumberjacks averaged at least a point per game during the preseason, providing an early indication of the offensive depth Muskegon hopes to carry into the regular season.
Players to Watch
Zaac Charbonneau – Forward
One of the youngest players in the USHL this season,
Zaac Charbonneau (Gatineau, QC, CAN) looked right at home during the preseason. The 2010-born forward dominated at the 15U level last season and showed he has the skill and confidence to make an immediate impact against USHL competition. Charbonneau enters the Fall Classic tied for the team lead with four preseason points.
Maxim Šimko – Forward
European players can often face an adjustment period when making the jump to North American hockey, but
Maxim Šimko (Poprad, SVK) appears to have made the transition seamlessly. Šimko scored a pair of impressive power-play goals against the NTDP last week, showing off his offensive ability against some of the top draft-eligible players in the country. With NHL scouts in attendance at the Fall Classic, expect the Slovakian forward to have plenty of opportunities to make an impression.
Gustas Zemaitis – Forward
With three returning Lumberjacks expected to miss the opening weekend, including team captain
Rudolfs Berzkalns,
Gustas Zemaitis (Barrington, IL) will be called upon to take on an elevated role. The second-year forward enters the Fall Classic after producing at a point-per-game pace during the preseason and will be one of the key pieces tasked with helping fill the void left by the absent veterans. With an increased leadership role and an opportunity for more responsibility, Zemaitis will look to carry that offensive production into the regular season.
The Opponents
Des Moines enters the 2026-27 season looking to build on a return to the Clark Cup Playoffs last spring. The Buccaneers finished
27-27-3-4 in 2025-26 before falling to Lincoln in the opening round, and they return a strong group of young players who should give them more offensive punch this season.
The centerpiece is Riley Zupfer, a Notre Dame commit who had an impressive rookie season. Zupfer recorded 16 goals and 25 assists for 41 points in 58 games, earning USHL All-Rookie Team honors. Henry Major gives the Bucs another returning offensive threat. Major split last season between Chicago and Des Moines and finished with 26 points, giving him a solid foundation to build on entering his second full USHL season.
For the Lumberjacks, the key will be limiting Des Moines' transition opportunities and forcing its young forwards to defend. Muskegon's experience and depth should give the Jacks an advantage if they can sustain pressure and force the Bucs to play in their own zone. With plenty of young talent on the Des Moines roster, the Lumberjacks will need to be ready for a team that can create offense quickly when given time and space.
Waterloo is a much more intriguing team than its 2-3 preseason record might suggest. The Hawks have legitimate NHL-draft-caliber talent in forward David Sedlácek and netminder Sebastian Charvat, a returning NHL draft pick in Rieber, and a proven offensive producer in Salvatore Viviano.
The biggest question is consistency. They're young, they're replacing their leading scorer, and they're introducing several new players to the USHL. For the Lumberjacks, the key will be limiting Waterloo's time and space through the middle of the ice and staying out of the penalty box. Muskegon will look to use its depth and experience to put pressure on a young Black Hawks roster and start the Fall Classic with a familiar opponent, and hopefully a familiar result.
Over the Airwaves
Gray Supply Corp. proudly presents the Lumberjacks Hockey Network, your home for every Muskegon Lumberjacks game throughout the preseason, regular season, and postseason. Follow all the action with the voice of the Lumberjacks,
Ezra Gennello.
FloHockey is the official live-streaming partner of the Lumberjacks, providing fans with a high-quality viewing experience for every game. The Lumberjacks Hockey Network also offers a free internet radio broadcast of every game through Mixlr.
Get ready for puck drop on every game day with the Gray Supply Corp. Pregame Show, streaming live on Facebook beginning 30 minutes before game time.
For more information on all Lumberjacks broadcast options, visit the Press Box tab at muskegonlumberjacks.com.
Upcoming Games
Wed. September 16 | 1:00 pm ET | vs Des Moines *Fall Classic
Thu. September 17 | 4:30 pm ET | vs Waterloo *Fall Classic
Fri. September 25 | 7:00 pm | vs NTDP Under-18
Sat. September 26 | 6:00 pm | NTDP Under-18
Follow the Jacks
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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, including playing the game the right way, maintaining their academic focus 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.
