Great Lakes Premier Division Season Preview
The USPHL Premier’s Great Lakes Division is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in 2025–26. With established contenders and ambitious newcomers, the Great Lakes promises fast, physical hockey and plenty of storylines as the season unfolds.
Battle Creek Kernels
The Kernels continue building their identity in the division, aiming to turn experience into consistency. Last season finishing 11-32, the squad is looking to turn that around in the 2025-26 campaign. Expect a young but hungry group eager to prove they belong in the playoff chase.
Bearcat Junior Hockey Club
The Bearcats bring energy and grit to this year’s campaign, working to carve out a reputation as a tough opponent. Development and depth will be key to climbing the standings.
Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones
The Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones made big strides last year, finishing the 2024-25 campaign with a playoff series win and a trip to the Division Semifinals. While their 14-29 record showed growing pains, the late-season surge proved the program is trending upward. Head Coach Lee Lansdowne believes this year’s group can build on that momentum.
“We are excited to build on the growth of last season, especially after our playoff series win and how strong we ended the season,” Lansdowne said. “Our identity won’t change much from that—a hard-working group that wants to show up every shift and compete. We have added a few key guys to help increase our scoring output and a good core of returners.”
Several familiar names will lead the way. Dom Nuanes returns for his third season after finishing second on the team in points last year, while veteran forward Noah Geggie enters his fourth season, bringing valuable leadership. In net, Carson Balow proved last season that he can go toe-to-toe with the division’s best, and he’ll once again provide stability in goal.
Lansdowne, however, emphasizes that success will come from the collective. “I think we expect big things from all of our guys this season,” he noted. “We are young and there’s going to be growing pains as they acclimatize to junior hockey, but our guys all have the ability to contribute every night.”
On the ice, fans can expect a high-tempo style. “We will play a structured, quick-in-transition game,” Lansdowne explained. “We are on the smaller side but have tremendous speed, so we have to use that to our advantage.”
With Cincinnati’s hockey culture continuing to back the Jr. Cyclones, and with a blend of experience and youthful energy, the team is aiming to take the next step toward becoming a true contender in the Great Lakes Division.
Columbus Mavericks
The Columbus Mavericks enter the 2025-26 USPHL Premier season with momentum and a roster built for consistency. After a strong showing last year, Head Coach Joey Recktenwald emphasizes that the team’s focus is on culture, chemistry, and a disciplined style of play.
“We have an experienced core of returning players and a group that skates very well,” Recktenwald said. “We come in with a more established culture and identity and have a lot of talent.”
Key returning contributors include Giovanni Valentine (24-25 All Division Team), Thomas Eggleston, Alexander Brown, Jonah Little, and Lukáš Kamenický, all of whom bring leadership and stability. Complementing them are high-potential newcomers such as Jan Vančura, Thomas Astley, Ethan Zuvela, Luke Fleming, and Aaron Gallant, expected to make an early impact.
Recktenwald wants fans to expect a team-first approach on the ice. “Mavs fans should see a team that plays for each other and not just themselves. We’re a hard-working group determined to build off of last year’s success and will be a difficult team to play against every night,” he said. “Our goal is to work hard for the full 60 minutes and play a more disciplined brand of hockey.”
With a balanced mix of experience and exciting new talent, the Mavericks are shaping up to be a challenging opponent in every game, blending skill, speed, and commitment into a cohesive unit ready to compete at the top of the Great Lakes Division.
Fresh Coast Freeze
The Freeze are one of the division’s newest squads, focused on building chemistry quickly. After a rocky first season finishing 5-38, they’ll look to play hard while developing into a long-term Great Lakes competitor.
Metro Jets
Few programs in junior hockey carry the tradition and consistency of the Metro Jets, and the 2025-26 season promises to be no different. Coming off another strong year, the Jets continue to set the standard in the Great Lakes Division, with an emphasis on development and sustained success.
General Manager Justin Quenneville makes it clear that the team’s focus remains steady. “Our strength is our process,” he said. “We take one week at a time and focus on our development. Naturally everyone is excited about their lineups early in the season, but at the moment, we are focusing on our habits and working on establishing our style of play.”
That process will lean heavily on a strong group of returners who bring both skill and leadership. Up front, AJ Zaccagni, Sutton Majeske, Jaxon Stone, Gabe Outman, and Luka Pivec will drive the offense. On the blue line, Jake Blum, Enrick Fournier, and captain Jake Taylor provide experience and stability. Their presence will help integrate an exciting mix of younger Jets program players and key newcomers eager to make their mark.
“Our returners will be key to our early success,” Quenneville noted. “They will be relied on to lead the way and drive our new players to get involved out of the gates.”
As for the style of play, the Jets won’t stray from their identity. “Most teams that know our program know our style,” Quenneville explained. “Just like everyone else in this game, we want to be a difficult opponent to play against in all three zones and on both sides of the puck. We know opponents will always bring their best against us, so we always know to be ready for a battle every game, and we look forward to the challenge.”
With a proven formula, strong leadership, and a tradition of excellence, the Metro Jets once again look primed to be one of the toughest teams in the division.
Red River Spartans
Entering their second season in the USPHL Premier, the Spartans are a wild card. With a great first season in the books finishing 22-21 and a Division QF loss, the Spartans are a competitive squad. Their physicality and work ethic make them a tough matchup night in and night out.
Toledo Cherokee
The Toledo Cherokee enter the 2025-26 USPHL Premier season looking to build on yet another strong campaign. Last year, the perennial contenders posted an impressive 35-8-1 record before falling in the Division Final, and the goal remains the same: contend at the top of the Great Lakes Division and make a push for a deep playoff run.
Head Coach and GM Kenny Miller sees plenty of reason for optimism in this year’s roster, especially with a core group of experienced players ready to step in and lead.
“We’ve got a large group of ‘05 birth years that have junior experience that I think can help us as we start the season and get our footing under us,” Miller said.
That veteran presence will be complemented by key returning talent across all positions. Between the pipes, goaltender Dax Lucidi is expected to anchor the crease. On the blue line, the Cherokee boast depth and toughness with Landon Edwards, Jay Cormier, and Eoin Ingersoll patrolling the back end. Up front, the offensive load will be carried by forwards Trevin Johnson, Bredon Hammer, and Hank Davis, each capable of sparking the attack.
Miller and his staff also put an emphasis on recruiting players who can handle the physical grind of the season. “Our staff went out this offseason and looked for players that were not afraid to go to the tough areas of the ice,” Miller explained. “I feel like we will be a hard-working team that will defend well.”
With a balanced lineup that mixes grit, experience, and scoring touch, Toledo once again looks the part of a contender. Fans can expect a competitive, hard-nosed style of hockey from a team hungry to finish the job this time around.
