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6 // JUNE 2026 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM O F F THE D R AW U S A H O C K E Y N E W S , P E O P L E & P R O G R A M S PHOTOS COURTESY USHL JUNIOR HOCKEY caption here please "Go West, young man" was a famous rallying cry from newspaper editor Horace Greeley who encouraged Americans to seek their fortune in the expanding west- ern frontier. More than 150 years later, a group of east coast hockey players have followed similar advice to stake their claim to a bright hock- ey future in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. As a result, they struck gold with the local USHL team as they helped the Stampede capture its fourth Clark Cup title. Leading the way was head coach Ryan Cruthers, a native of Farmingdale, New York who has helped usher in a new era of prosperity in Sioux Falls. Cruthers has opened the door to six New York players on this year's roster—Waylon Esche (Rome), Will Leonard (Utica), Matthew Grimes (Locust Valley), Thomas Zocco (Staten Island), Wade Weil (Lafayette) and Logan Renkowski (Nesconset)—along with a hand- ful of players from neighboring New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts. It's all part of a blueprint drawn up by Cruthers and Stampede vice president of hockey operations and general manager Tony Gasparini to infuse the team with a blue-collar mentality that has proven to be successful since Cruthers took the reins after serving as an assistant coach during the 2022-23 season. "It's not by accident," said Cruthers. "There are great hockey players all over the world and especially all over the U.S., but it seems that I'm able to connect with guys from the east coast. I know the type of play- er and person I'm getting with the attitude and the work ethic with players from the east coast." For all the work Cruthers and Gasparini have put into finding the right type of play- ers to wear the Stampede blue and gold, it is oftentimes the players on the current roster who have been the best recruiters to bring in new talent. Last season, when the Stampede were looking to fill out its roster after losing players to compete at the World Junior A Challenge, it was Ethan Wyttenbach, a native of Roslyn, New York and the recip- ient of the inaugural Johnny Gaudreau Award, who suggested that the coaching staff take a look at Logan Renkowski, a tal- ented forward who had yet to live up to his true potential with Cedar Rapids. Confidence is a huge thing." OFF AND RUNNING East Coast Influence Helps Power The Sioux Falls Stampede To The Clark Cup Title / By Harry Thompson