Even before the USHL Draft, the Waterloo Black Hawks had added several players likely to be important to the team's lineup next season.
In early April, the league adopted a Standard Player Development Agreement (SPDA), reaffirming the USHL's long-standing, player-first approach and enhancing the framework that supports athletes pursuing NCAA Division I hockey and National Hockey League opportunities. These agreements reflect a shared commitment between players, families, clubs, and the league to provide a structured, safe, and supportive Tier I development environment.
A number of talented prospects who joined the team for brief stints during the 2025/26 season have already signed SPDAs to indicate they will be Black Hawks when the new season begins. The stories below reintroduce some of these future stars who you may have glimpsed during the winter.
Camden Langfeld – Forward
Andover, Minnesota
This will be the third summer Langfeld has spent time at a Black Hawks camp. Each occasion has been slightly different.
In 2024, Langfeld was an undrafted not-quite-16-year-old. He made a positive impression, then continued to excel during the Minnesota high school season. Waterloo picked him during Phase II of the 2025 USHL Draft, so when he returned to camp last summer, Langfeld was officially a well-regarded Black Hawks prospect. Now after another year of high school seasoning, plus eight USHL appearances this spring, Langfeld is positioned to be a regular contributor in 2026/27.
"It was tough. There were a bunch of older guys that were trying to make the team," says Langfeld about his experience last summer. "I knew that I was going to be going back to high school, but I was still trying to work and show the coaches that I'm going to be a guy that they look for in the future. I think that camp really helped me, and they got a good look at me to bring me up at the end of the season."
Langfeld starred at Andover High School, churning out 51 points (19 goals, 32 assists) in 30 contests for the Huskies. He then spent most of March in Waterloo and was in the lineup against challenging competition ranging from the National Team Development Program Under 18s to the eventual Clark Cup champion Sioux Falls Stampede.
"I'd say once I got to my third or fourth game, I really felt comfortable and was able to make some plays and get some scoring opportunities, which I think gave me a lot of confidence to keep building," notes Langfeld, adding, "I'm ready to go for next season and going put in a bunch of work and be ready to produce for the team."
That work includes weightlifting for an hour or more each day before getting on the ice for another hour of skating and skill development. Camp in Waterloo will be an opportunity to push his training to another level and set the tone for the rest of the summer.
Hawks General Manager Kevin Gibson says those efforts will build on an excellent foundation Langfeld has already shown.
"We feel great about having Cam come in. He is someone that coaches can trust to put out in any situation," Gibson says. "He's a good skater who sees the ice well, making a lot of small area plays. He was one of the most consistent players I saw in all of Minnesota high school hockey last season. He really drove Andover on their state tournament run."
Even though Langfeld was on the ice for the final games during the USHL regular season, he will be returning to a different looking Waterloo, led by new Head Coach Brett Olson and featuring a host of players chosen during the recent USHL Draft.
"I'm excited to see all the new guys that are coming in, and I know that they're going to help us win. I think that we all have the same mindset: to win the Clark Cup."
A successful camp this June could be the first step toward positioning Langfeld and Waterloo for a season that extends into May of 2027.
Previously...
Keegan Davis – Forward
Stillwater, Minnesota
Of all the Black Hawks affiliate players who made their debuts with the team during the 2025/26 season, Keegan Davis had the most significant ice time, appearing in a dozen games between February 28th and the end of the schedule.
"Starting to get comfortable in those 12 games was huge," Davis says, "because now I feel like I can just go into next season mentally knowing what it's like, training all summer for the pace [of the USHL game] and all that stuff. So I think it was great just to get those 12 games of experience."
Twelve games is approximately equivalent to 20 percent of the USHL schedule. It is a significant springboard for a player who already has the physical attributes (6-1, 185) to be successful in the league.
"Keegan is a great skater with good size. He is a classic power forward," say Black Hawks General Manager Kevin Gibson. "He has the ability to take over games when he is playing physical. He will be someone that is able to give our lineup some jam. And Keegan has a great attitude and is completely invested in becoming a better hockey player while doing whatever it takes to help the team win."
Davis joined the Hawks after leading Benilde-St. Margaret's High School with 43 points (20 goals, 23 assists) in 26 Minnesota high school games. Davis played in all situations, generating three shorthanded points while also topping the Red Knights with a +14 plus/minus differential.
Transitioning from the leading scorer in high school to a new team can be challenging, but Davis found camaraderie and excitement in Waterloo, even during a season where wins were tough to earn.
"The boys were really inclusive, and I enjoyed it as much as I could, and the fans…it was the loudest building I've ever been in."
Davis isn't content with 12 games as preparation for the 2026/27 USHL schedule. Back home in Minnesota, he is already at work and looking ahead to the fall.
"[I'm] in the gym five days a week, and then the biggest thing for me is, getting stronger too," says Davis, who is also thinking ahead to what he needs to do when returning to the ice: "Pushing the pace every day in practice, pushing it harder and harder every day…I'm working on puck protection, because I learned that you need to be really good at it. Guys are strong and they can throw you off of the puck."
After wrapping up his time in the USHL, Davis is committed to play college hockey at Augustana.
Sam Peckham – Defenseman
Edina, Minnesota
Peckham made his Black Hawks debut on St. Patrick's Day during Waterloo's home game against the Dubuque Fighting Saints. He appeared in the Hawks' lineup four times during the late weeks of the schedule, including Waterloo's impressive 3-2 win against the National Team Development Program Under 18s in Plymouth, Michigan, on March 20th.
"Guys are bigger, faster, stronger," says Peckham after his initial USHL foray. "To experience that first-person for a couple of games, I think that's huge going into the summer. Now I know what I need to work on: getting bigger in the gym, keeping the puck in a spot where I can make plays, making plays faster on my feet."
General manager Kevin Gibson is a former USHL defenseman, and talked about the attributes which are likely to make Peckham successful at the junior level.
"Sam is a great skater. He is effective in moving pucks on time in transition, and he takes pride in being hard to play against with great details. He comes from a good program where he expected to win every year. We are excited to have Sam be a part of our group moving forward."
The Black Hawks originally selected Peckham during the sixth round in Phase II of the 2024 USHL Draft. Skating for Edina High School last winter, Peckham recorded two goals and seven assists in 31 games under Hornets head coach and 15-year NHL veteran defenseman Curt Giles.
"He taught me so much, especially on the defensive side of the puck," says Peckham. "A lot of things he taught me were the same sort of things that Coach Gordon and Coach Olson and Coach Eick were all talking about, and I think the little details – stick details, where you are gapping up on the ice, making quick passes, working at the blue line – those little details can pay off."
Peckham is committed to Cornell University. Before he makes his way to Ithica, the defenseman is not shy about what he would like to accomplish in Waterloo.
"I've been fortunate to be part of some great teams, and I've been fortunate enough to win some championships in my youth career and high school career. I want to do that in Waterloo.
"I'm a competitor, I have a good work ethic, and I'm itching to win. I don't care if it's the Cowell Cup, if it's the Anderson Cup, or the Clark Cup, I want to win all of them…by putting in the work every day, gaining the respect of my teammates and coaches, and getting one percent better each chance I get."
Cayden Jackman – Forward
St. Louis, Missouri
There were over 2,700 Black Hawks fans at Young Arena to see Jackman's USHL debut last November. It's true that most of the crowd wasn't there to see him specifically, but that matchup against Fargo on November 21st was the best-attended game through that point in the fall. It certainly made an impression on the St. Louis native who had just turned 16.
"The fans were loud," Jackman remembers. "It was probably one of the coolest things I've ever seen. I can't wait to experience it next year with all the home games."
Jackman has certainly been on hand in some loud rinks. His father, Barret Jackman, skated as a defenseman in over 900 NHL regular season or Stanley Cup Playoff games. The elder Jackman is a recent member of the St. Louis Blues Hall of Fame. Having a 14-year NHL veteran available as a mentor can have a profound impact on a young player's outlook.
"You need to work as hard as you can," says Cayden as he prepares to move to the USHL from AAA and high school hockey. "What really matters is the work you put in throughout the year and especially in the offseason. You just always want to get better. You will fall behind if you're not working hard, so I'm just making sure to work my hardest every day."
Although Cayden and his father play different positions, Black Hawks General Manager Kevin Gibson is enthusiastic about both the skills and intangibles which the younger Jackman will add to Waterloo's lineup this fall.
"Cayden does a lot of different things well and takes pride in playing the game the right way," says Gibson. "He is effective in all situations. He is hungry around the net and scores a lot of goals in the hard areas. He's the type of guy who can play in all situations, giving us depth at center, while also being able to play the wing. We look forward to watching his game grow in Waterloo."
In addition to two call-ups to Waterloo, Jackman also played five other USHL games with the U.S. National Team Development Program Under 17s.
"It was just great for my development to see where I needed to be for this coming year," Jackman notes about his early opportunities in the USHL. "The National Team was also a great experience. I met a lot of cool people, and it was cool playing for the U.S., but Waterloo was definitely a better experience, and I really loved the environment there."
Between the Hawks and the NTDP, Jackman skated in nine USHL games during 2025/26. When he is back at Young Arena this fall, he will step onto the ice with that experience while still remaining one of the youngest Black Hawks on the roster. Jackman will turn 17 in late October.
