C/LW Lucas Van Vliet - US National U17 Team, USDP (2024 Draft)

[ghettoNancy]

He had a nice snipe in the pre tournament game vs. Sweden. He centered the 4th line between his buddy Austin Baker, and Vansaghi.

 

[95snipes]

Tough spot for LVV. Injured and missed a chunk of time and now playing a 4th line role with an extra forward at Worlds. Not in a good position to show what he can do. Probably going to go in the 3rd or 4th, but not hard to envision him breaking out in his +2 or +3 as a top prospect.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Tough spot for LVV. Injured and missed a chunk of time and now playing a 4th line role with an extra forward at Worlds. Not in a good position to show what he can do. Probably going to go in the 3rd or 4th, but not hard to envision him breaking out in his +2 or +3 as a top prospect.

Bringing Connelly screwed him over. He would've most likely been top 9 without it. And Mooney's breakout with this team didn't help.

It sucks for him because there's really nowhere for players like Humphreys and Plante to go either, and they're almost too good to demote to the 17's. Maybe you could make them the 13th forward, but they've had more traction in the lineup during the two years and haven't had the same type of injuries as he's had. He also can much easier play line 4 than they can, so it's probably easiest to place him as the 13F. Doesn't help him either that Stiga has had a big year, and Ziemer is like the only potential top 9 winger on the team with any sandpaper.

I don't like it. Could see him end up one of the best players from this team when all is said and done, but it is what it is. He'll get drafted somewhere and will have to prove himself once he leaves the NTDP.

 

[ghettoNancy]

Haven't checked the boxscore, but he had to have had the lowest TOI for USA vs. Norway, and it shouldn't even be close.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Haven't checked the boxscore, but he had to have had the lowest TOI for USA vs. Norway, and it shouldn't even be close.

Technically, he played 6 seconds more than Vansaghi. He had the fewest shifts though.

I think that he didn’t play the least suggests he might be starting to break into more TOI. This shouldn’t be a question. He’s been better than all of those players. I noticed him a lot more than any of the players on that fourth line.

 

[showtimewilly]

Really don't understand it. He had the least amount of shifts and ice time again yesterday against Latvia. Very unfortunate that his draft year has gone like this, could have been a very high pick.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He also leads the tournament with 75% on face offs. I would like to see him replace Humphreys on the third line for the rest of the tournament.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Might be playing another year of USHL next year.

 

[ghettoNancy]

Another year in the Junior’s would be nice to showcase his talents. I have a feeling he’ll go to college though. Make’s more sense… closer to home and friends.

 

[ghettoNancy]

My take on LVV is he is a nice, humble kid who has some exceptional hockey talents. Mainly his hands and vision. He shows excellent patience with the puck. Sometimes off the puck he can look a little disengaged. It looks he waits for the play to come to him, which depending on who you’re talking hockey with, can be a good or a bad thing. If you watch someone like Hagens, he is always trying to influence the play in someway. With his stick or his positioning, with the puck or without. I wish LVV could pick this up. He has the size, all the same skills. I think the edge and physicality part of the game is something he is going to develop in time. I don’t think he is a naturally aggressive person, but he is not afraid of going to the dirty areas, or taking a hit either. Unlike a lot of his hockey peers, he comes from a very blue collar background. It’s exceptional that he was gotten this far in his hockey path. I’m am excited to see his development over the next few years.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Another year in the Junior’s would be nice to showcase his talents. I have a feeling he’ll go to college though. Make’s more sense… closer to home and friends.

He'll probably play one more year of junior before heading off to State

 

[ghettoNancy]

He'll probably play one more year of junior before heading off to State

It’s possible. I’m guessing the former.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I think some of these selections are knowing the player will play another year and some hoping they will play another year.

I don't think LVV is a clear situation of he needs another year. He could use another year. He was injured a few times this season and probably didn't get as much ice time as you'd want him to get, but I don't doubt that he could compete at the NCAA level next year.

Some players from the NTDP can't compete at the NCAA level next year and they will pretty much be forced to play another year. I think it's more of an option for him.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Playing USHL next year.

x.com

x.com

 

[95snipes]

Playing USHL next year.

x.com

x.com

That's the right move in my opinion. I don't doubt he could have held down a consistent shift in the NCAA, but he'll get way more puck touches in the USHL. More ice time and powerplay time unless things go wrong. Given his deployment this year, a year of being a top dog would be good for his development. I like to see players thrive at their current level before advancing.

Points aren't everything, but I would expect LVV to be > point per game next year. Burnevik just put up 71 points in 61 games. Hendrickson 64 / 59. Cerrato 50 / 45. LVV has more raw talent than all three of them in my view. USHL teams don't seem to share the same optimism given he was the last of the NTDP forwards drafted. We'll see soon what NHL teams think of him.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

USHL teams don't seem to share the same optimism given he was the last of the NTDP forwards drafted. We'll see soon what NHL teams think of him.

I think some of this is about reporting. The team that drafted him he played for the coach before. No sense in drafting a guy who won't report, and he probably maneuvered the situation to get what team he wanted if he was going to report.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

I think some of this is about reporting. The team that drafted him he played for the coach before. No sense in drafting a guy who won't report, and he probably maneuvered the situation to get what team he wanted if he was going to report.

The USHL Entry Draft reminds me a bit of the CHL Import Draft. In the USHL Entry Draft, universities have been known to steer guys to certain teams, just as NHL teams have been known to steer imports to certain CHL teams in the Import Draft.