Yesterday, I posted about Sioux City forward Dominik Bednar (2028 draft-eligible) and the strong start to his rookie campaign in the USHL. The link to that post is below. Muskegon and Green Bay forwards Zaac Charbonneau (2028 DE) and Gunnar Conboy (2027) also are two youthful players exhibiting elite skill in the first two days of the league’s regular season kickoff.
Charbonneau, a native of Gatineau, QC, netted the OT winner in Muskegon’s 3-2 victory over Waterloo on Thursday, his second points in as many days (he also assisted on Muskegon’s lone goal in a 4-1 loss to Des Moines on Wednesday). The mere fact that his coaching staff trusted him enough to put him on the ice in the 3-on-3 overtime format speaks volumes about the quality he brings to the table. Like Bednar, Charbonneau spent the prior two seasons at a hockey school, his alma mater being Mount St. Charles Academy in Rhode Island. During his stint at MSC, he registered a whopping 311 points (158G 153A).
Conboy also has registered two points (1G 1A) on the young season, although his Green Bay team dropped both contests in Chicago. Early 2027 draft rankings put the 6’4″, 201-pound power forward in-the-making as a late first-round to early second-round pick. Conboy, who is in his second USHL season, will return to his home state next season, as he is committed to attending the University of Minnesota in 2027-28.
