MUSKEGON – If you ever wonder how the United States Hockey League benefits young, talented players, just take a look at the Muskegon Lumberjacks’ Jack Williams.

He broke in with the Jacks late in the 2018-19 season for the playoffs, then returned in 2019-20 for the entire campaign. While he showed some potential in his first full year, he didn’t have a big impact on the ice, with only six goals and seven assists and a -8 plus/minus rating.

But last season, after getting a long taste of the fast pace of USHL hockey, Williams had a breakout season with 18 goals and 20 assists and a plus-15 rating. He could emerge as one of the biggest offensive threats in the league this year.

Personal growth also came into the picture.

Throughout his years of youth hockey, Williams was rarely a designated team leader. One season he was an alternate captain, but that was it.

But last season, as his game improved, Williams started to feel and act more like a leader, even though the talented roster was full of older players with strong leadership qualities.

That growth was noticed, and this summer, months before training camp began, Lumberjack Coach Mike Hamilton informed Williams that he would be the team captain this season. It will be the first time he’s ever experienced wearing the C on his jersey.

Hamilton has never named a captain so early before, but said Williams was obviously ready for the important role.

“He knows how things work, and Jack is one of those guys who leads on the ice with the way he plays, and off the ice as well,” said Hamilton, who has been putting the Jacks through their first workouts of training camp this week. ”He’s a high character person who makes the right decisions, on and off the ice.

“We knew right away that he was our guy.”

The only real question about Williams being captain this year was whether he would return. He is committed to playing college hockey at Northeastern University in Boston, and could have started his freshman season this winter.

But Williams said there really was no question. He wanted to come back to Muskegon for another season, for several different reasons.

“This was the smart decision to make at the end of the day<” he said. “There’s no rush. I’m looking forward to developing for another year. The college coaches kind of leaned toward me coming back, as well.

“I love Muskegon. I love the city, the fans are great, and I have a great billet family.”

When asked about his rapid development as a player and leader, Williams points to the summer of 2020 as the start of it all. The Lumberjacks’ season was cut short due to COVID, and he spent months on the ice back home in Maine, working on his skills and focusing on his future.

When he returned to Muskegon last fall, he felt like a different hockey player.

“Confidence was the number one thing,” he said. “From my first (full) year to my second year, just the way I brought myself to the rink, I had a whole new attitude. My first year was really good for me. I learned how to play the defensive side of the game, and at the end of that year I switched to center, which helped a lot.

“I had confidence in myself, and the coaches had confidence in me. When someone else has confidence in you, that helps a lot.”

Hamilton expects Williams’ game to continue to improve, and thinks he will be a major asset this season.

“Just look at his trajectory,” the coach said. “He started out as a guy trying to work his way into the lineup, last year he was a top four forward, and this year he may be one of the best players in the league.”

Williams, one of 14 players in training camp who played on last year’s team, said the returnees are chomping at the bit to make up for last season’s loss in the Eastern Conference finals in the Clark Cup playoffs.

The Jacks were swept by the Chicago Steel in two intense, one-goal games.

“Some guys are still kind of pissed about it,” he said. “It was a tough one to swallow. I think we have the skill and the heart to make a push this season.”