Buffalo Sabres Prospect Near Top Of Scoring Race

As we close out 2025, the top scorer race in the United States Hockey League is starting to take shape. The Youngstown Phantoms and Lincoln Stars each have two forwards pushing for the top spot as the league's most prolific producer. For the Ohio club, Ryan Rucinski is one of those skaters setting the pace for a team pushing for home ice advantage come April and the Clark Cup Playoffs.

Rucinski, who hails from Broadview Heights, Ohio, offers the most well-rounded profile of any of the top four scorers. With 17 goals and 20 assists so far this season, Rucinski is as much a playmaker as he is a finisher.  Perhaps most important to his coaches, he leads the USHL in game winning goals with 6.  Rucinski also excels on the man advantage (10G, 11A), trailing only teammate Cooper Simpson (6G, 16A) in power play production. The ability to execute when it matters most has certainly gotten the attention of NCAA and NHL scouts.

Rucinski was drafted in the seventh round this year by the Buffalo Sabres. The New York outfit has been stockpiling talent and Rucinski's playmaking ability will be valuable as the team looks to continue building depth and future firepower. He'll have to impress a new General Manager however, as Buffalo recently hired Jarmo Kekalainen to lead the front office. 

Before getting to join the Sabres, Rucinski has committed to play for his home state Ohio State Buckeyes. He will look to make an instant impact next season with the Buckeyes sitting near the bottom of the conference and surrendering the most goals in league play so far this year. The Big Ten is proving to be an especially difficult conference with four teams inside the top ten at the turn of the calendar. 

University Of North Dakota Commit Sits Second in The United States Hockey League In PointsCooper Simpson was selected in the third round by the Boston Bruins at the 2025 draft

Rucinski and Simpson will be looking to progress their Phantoms squad further than last season, where they were upset as the top Eastern Conference seed by the eventual champion Muskegon Lumberjacks. Rucinski is continuing to grow as a player, being named captain of the Phantoms this season and is just five points away from eclipsing his total from last year (42). Youngstown sits second in the Eastern Conference heading into the new year. 

Youngstown will get 2026 started with a road trip to Madison for a couple of matchups with the Capitols on January 2nd and 3rd.