2024 NHL Draft: Top-5 USHL Players Ending The Season Off Strong

These five players have put their best foot forward in the homestretch of the 2023-24 USHL season.

The second half of a season can make or break an NHL Draft-eligible player's stock. 

Last year, the USHL saw the meteoric rise of players like Tanner Ludtke (ARI), Michael Emerson (CAR), Ryan Walsh (LAK), William Whitelaw (CBJ), and Cole Knuble (PHI). 

All five players had outstanding performances in the second half, resulting in their names being called in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Let's look at five players who orchestrated remarkable second halves that should boost their stock ahead of June's draft.

The Providence College commit has followed up on his second-half performance last year as a rookie. Connelly tallied 20 goals and 37 points in 36 games after the holiday break in 2022-23. 

'The 18-year-old entered this season as a projected first-round pick, even with scouts concerned about his previous off-ice issues.

Despite a slower start to the season compared to how he finished last year, Connelly has been a scoring machine in the second half of the 2023-24 season.

He has 23 goals and 52 points in 32 games. Added, Connelly has 15 multi-point games during that run and has only gone three games without finding the scoresheet.

Concerns about his size and ability to produce without his veteran linemates from last season have been quieted in the second half of the 2023-24 campaign.

Mac Swanson has proven that he can drive plays all on his own. While he is primarily known as a setup man, the North Dakota commit has shown more of a scoring touch this season.

Swanson has 25 goals and 75 points in 53 games this season, 20 more points than last year. The Anchorage, Alaska, native has 18 goals and 49 points in the second half of this season.

Swanson has been as consistent as any player in the USHL. He enjoyed a 12-game point streak in March and has had just seven games without a point since the holiday break.

Most wondered how Michael Hage would perform this season on a Chicago Steel team that saw significant roster turnover from last year, including the USHL Player, Forward, and Rookie of the Year Macklin Celebrini.

Hage had a slower start to the year. In his first full season returning from shoulder surgery last year, the University of Michigan went a few more games without finding the scoresheet than he wanted to in the first half.

However, Hage has been a man on a mission in the second half. The 18-year-old has 23 goals and 51 points in 30 games.

In March, he solidified his first-round draft status, recording nine goals and 25 points in 12 games, a stretch that saw Hage go only one game without a point.

Powell enters the 2024 NHL Draft as one of the most intriguing re-entry prospects. In his first year of draft eligibility, he recorded just 19 points in 53 games last season.

However, the Ohio State commit has thrived with expanded minutes, and he is playing with a lot of confidence right now.

Powell has posted huge numbers in the second half of the 2023-24 season, tallying 32 goals and 52 points in 33 games.

The 19-year-old enjoyed a seven-game goal streak, a run in which he broke the Dubuque scoring record for most goals (38) in a single season. Since then, Powell became the first 40-goal scorer in franchise history.

He reminds me a lot of Cedar Rapids' Ryan Walsh (BOS) or Sioux City's Ryan Conmy (LAK) from last season. Powell could be a mid-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, but one with a promising upside that could make a general manager pleased when he is fully developed.

Gridin spent much of the first half of the 2022-23 season watching games from the press box. However, after Muskegon's coaching change in December 2022, Gridin saw more ice time and played well down the stretch.

The University of Michigan commit has continued that success over into the season and put scouts on notice with a four-point night in his first game of the 2023-24 season.

Griding has proven equally dangerous as a shooter and passer, racking up 36 goals and 44 assists. With two games to go, his 80 points are the most in the USHL.

The 18-year-old has been crucial in the second half for a Muskegon squad looking to make a deep postseason run. Since the holiday break, Gridin has accumulated 22 goals and 50 points in 32 games.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Gridin is a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Honorable Mentions: Leo Gruba, D, Fargo Force, Joe Connor, F, Muskegon Lumberjacks, Austin Burnevik, F, Madison Capitols, Kaden Shahan, F, Sioux City Musketeers, John Mustard, F, Waterloo Black Hawks, Ty Hanson, D, Sioux City Musketeers, Calvin Vachon, G, Waterloo Black Hawks, Cameron Korpi, G, Tri-Storm