NTDP Off Season Thread
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joshyhockey26
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NTDP
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Yeah some might point to his record at RPI but he didn't have the best team in front of him to work with. I think he'll be a good fit for the program.
NTDP
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US National U17 Team 2017-18
About a month and a half ago the US National U17 roster was released for next season. I'll break this into two posts. Some of these players I can't give any thoughts on, but others I have seen play via streams and in person. Always interesting seeing these kids transition into play in the USHL. I remember a quote from Caleb Jones who won a gold medal with the US WJC team this past year saying when you play Midget AAA on any given night there are 2-3 good players you have to be ready for on the opposing team, but when you make the jump to the USHL every player is a good player and can really get up and go out there. I'll also add that it's really cool to see some future players that will be representing the US at international events later in their careers. So get out there and support these guys, it's great hockey.
Some of the initial things I always look at when checking out the new group is where are they college committed? And what CHL teams own their draft rights, as I love watching the CHL especially the Flint Firebirds whom I continued to follow after the Whalers moved. There is a really heavy Boston College presence on this team as well as some BU, Harvard, and Quinnipiac kids. Interesting how it's kids from all over the country now committing to schools like BC and BU not just kids from the Northeast. Someone made a joke in the OHL threads a few years ago about how the NTDP is almost a farm program for the London Knights and there is in fact 3 players that have their draft rights owned by London. Another point of interest is Mississauga has a few kids they own draft rights to. I noticed a couple years ago more eastern conference OHL teams like Hamilton, Missy, and Oshawa are starting to take chances on elite U.S. talent even if they are college committed. The OHL's western conference is a beast with some great Canadian talent but don't overlook some of the high end americans that have committed straight from Midget or went the NTDP route then made the jump to Kitchener, London, Erie, Windsor, Plymouth/Flint, etc...
About a month and a half ago the US National U17 roster was released for next season. I'll break this into two posts. Some of these players I can't give any thoughts on, but others I have seen play via streams and in person. Always interesting seeing these kids transition into play in the USHL. I remember a quote from Caleb Jones who won a gold medal with the US WJC team this past year saying when you play Midget AAA on any given night there are 2-3 good players you have to be ready for on the opposing team, but when you make the jump to the USHL every player is a good player and can really get up and go out there. I'll also add that it's really cool to see some future players that will be representing the US at international events later in their careers. So get out there and support these guys, it's great hockey.
Some of the initial things I always look at when checking out the new group is where are they college committed? And what CHL teams own their draft rights, as I love watching the CHL especially the Flint Firebirds whom I continued to follow after the Whalers moved. There is a really heavy Boston College presence on this team as well as some BU, Harvard, and Quinnipiac kids. Interesting how it's kids from all over the country now committing to schools like BC and BU not just kids from the Northeast. Someone made a joke in the OHL threads a few years ago about how the NTDP is almost a farm program for the London Knights and there is in fact 3 players that have their draft rights owned by London. Another point of interest is Mississauga has a few kids they own draft rights to. I noticed a couple years ago more eastern conference OHL teams like Hamilton, Missy, and Oshawa are starting to take chances on elite U.S. talent even if they are college committed. The OHL's western conference is a beast with some great Canadian talent but don't overlook some of the high end americans that have committed straight from Midget or went the NTDP route then made the jump to Kitchener, London, Erie, Windsor, Plymouth/Flint, etc...
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NTDP
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US National U17 Team 2017-18 cont...
These are the players I can give an opinion on, starting with in goal...
Spencer Knight (Avon Old Farms) (Boston College) (Chicoutimi-QMJHL) - One of three kids from Avon Old Farms prep school that made this team. He's a good goalie that positions himself well, has great size at 6 foot 3, and has played in some big games taking his team the the New England prep league title and winning over a good Albany Academy team. Saw their first game of the year against that same Albany Academy team and he got lit up as they lost 8-3. Next time I saw them he backstopped his team in the semi's against an offensive Brunswick team and then on to the championship where they blasted Albany. His team was good in front of him no doubt but he'll be the better netminder here imo.
Defense
Ryan Siedem (Avon Old Farms) (Boston College) - You sometimes hear scouts say about a defenseman "I almost didn't notice him out there" meaning they do all the right things and are more of a defensive d man and that is what Ryan is. I think he'll go good on a 3rd D pairing and get minutes on the PK as there are others who are offensive minded. Kind of reminds me of a DJ King
Case McCarthy (Buffalo Jr Sabres U16) (Boston University) (Sarnia Sting) - I like this kid a lot. Saw him play twice in person when his team came to town to play the Cleveland Barons U16. He's big and moves around like he's a little guy. Quick on his feet and reads the ice so well. Didn't make a bad play exiting his zone all game and had a few bursts through the neutral zone where he used his puck protection and powerful stride to get from one end to the other easily. Defensively no one beat him 1 on 1. He even got into a puck battle in open ice where he lost the puck, backtracked and lifted the stick of the Barons forechecker and brought the puck back up ice. Just has a commanding presence out there and can't help but notice him on both sides of the puck.
Drew Helleson (Shattuck St. Mary's Prep U16) (Boston College) - I know many of these guys can all blossom into something special but Helleson and/or Warren have the chance at being the best D men on this team for two years. So I took in the U16/U18 Youth Nationals in Pittsburgh a few months ago and saw a few of these guys on this list and obviously playing at Shattuck you have a chance to win Nationals on any given year. Well against a really good Omaha AAA team he was the best player on the ice. His gap control is tremendous and he's so quick at stripping players of the puck and transitioning up the ice. One thing McCarthy might have on his is his powerful stride but this kid moves forward/backward/diagonally with such ease. Makes it look so effortless. In the championship game against Compuware off a face off the puck was won to the guy at the top of the circle, Helleson snuck to a quiet area at the top right of the slot and the pass came to him. He pump faked and put the puck just under the goalie's glove and pad on a perfect shot to put them on the board. Watch for this kid.
Marshall Warren (North Jersey Avs U16) (Harvard) (Missy Steelheads) - He's been regarded as the best defensmen in the country at this birth year for the past two years. A lot has been written about him by others on various sites but when I saw him against Omaha AAA at Youth Nationals he was very fluid with the puck, was never out of position because of his skating ability, jumped into the rush and pretty much just did everything you'd expect from a player as hyped as him. Helleson was more eye popping in the small sample size I saw, but until he proves otherwise, Marshall Warren has my vote for the best D man on this team for now.
Alex Vlasic (Chicago Mission U16 (Boston University) (London Knights) - Saw him play in the Youth Nationals against Honeybaked which was a great game between two league rivals and lots of kids on both squads getting drafted into the OHL, USHL drafts. Big kid with a lot of potential, he has really nice puck control on his stick, has a good shot, but can work on his skating and gap control defensively. He'll have to adjust a bit to the pace of the USHL but worthy of being on this team imo.
Some Forwards
Alex Turcotte (Chicago Mission) (Wisconsin) (Saginaw Spirit) - Saginaw has hit some home runs in drafting fellow NTDP players Blade Jenkins and Bode Wilde. Add Turcotte to the list of players Saginaw fans hope comes over to add extra punch. He was the best offensive player I saw at Youth Nationals. Others were very good, yes but he cut through the neutral zone on a number of occasions with quick hands and speed. He also uses his teammates well, and had some really nice dishes coming over the blue line and in the slot for some good opportunities. He could end up being really good or just average. Not going to hype him up too much, but he's a skilled player.
Trevor Zegras (Avon Old Farms Prep School) (Boston University) - Saw him in a few streams two years ago and thought he was an impactful player then, this year he did nothing to change that. In that semi final game against Brunswick he had some beautiful setups for goals. He's a really quick player down low that can pivot and sauce the puck across the ice. If I remember correctly he's a smaller guy but that is becoming more and more irrelevant in hockey as even NHL teams aren't afraid to take smaller kids from junior with a lot of speed and skill.
Michael Gildon (Dallas Stars Elite) (Kelowna Rockets) (Uncommited) - His team made it to the Youth Nationals this year and I took in their game against the Pittsburgh Pens Elite. Pittsburgh was the better team and this game got very very chippy and physical. I sat next to a scout at the game and overheard him say how did this team make it to nationals? Ottawa 67's drafted Owen Swankler from the Pens who is a really skilled forward but honestly when it comes to the younger brother of Max Gildon he isn't as good of a player as Max was at this age. But that's not a knock on him as he plays a different position but he's not as hyped. He'll be a project going forward but I'm going enjoy watching how he comes along during his two years at the NTDP. You never know with these guys, anything can happen.
So that's really all I can say as far as my thoughts on some of these guys. Lots of players I didn't mention but I've never seen them play so I'm not going to ******** an answer. I fell off these boards last year as I got really busy in the winter, but anytime I can talk hockey on here I love it.
These are the players I can give an opinion on, starting with in goal...
Spencer Knight (Avon Old Farms) (Boston College) (Chicoutimi-QMJHL) - One of three kids from Avon Old Farms prep school that made this team. He's a good goalie that positions himself well, has great size at 6 foot 3, and has played in some big games taking his team the the New England prep league title and winning over a good Albany Academy team. Saw their first game of the year against that same Albany Academy team and he got lit up as they lost 8-3. Next time I saw them he backstopped his team in the semi's against an offensive Brunswick team and then on to the championship where they blasted Albany. His team was good in front of him no doubt but he'll be the better netminder here imo.
Defense
Ryan Siedem (Avon Old Farms) (Boston College) - You sometimes hear scouts say about a defenseman "I almost didn't notice him out there" meaning they do all the right things and are more of a defensive d man and that is what Ryan is. I think he'll go good on a 3rd D pairing and get minutes on the PK as there are others who are offensive minded. Kind of reminds me of a DJ King
Case McCarthy (Buffalo Jr Sabres U16) (Boston University) (Sarnia Sting) - I like this kid a lot. Saw him play twice in person when his team came to town to play the Cleveland Barons U16. He's big and moves around like he's a little guy. Quick on his feet and reads the ice so well. Didn't make a bad play exiting his zone all game and had a few bursts through the neutral zone where he used his puck protection and powerful stride to get from one end to the other easily. Defensively no one beat him 1 on 1. He even got into a puck battle in open ice where he lost the puck, backtracked and lifted the stick of the Barons forechecker and brought the puck back up ice. Just has a commanding presence out there and can't help but notice him on both sides of the puck.
Drew Helleson (Shattuck St. Mary's Prep U16) (Boston College) - I know many of these guys can all blossom into something special but Helleson and/or Warren have the chance at being the best D men on this team for two years. So I took in the U16/U18 Youth Nationals in Pittsburgh a few months ago and saw a few of these guys on this list and obviously playing at Shattuck you have a chance to win Nationals on any given year. Well against a really good Omaha AAA team he was the best player on the ice. His gap control is tremendous and he's so quick at stripping players of the puck and transitioning up the ice. One thing McCarthy might have on his is his powerful stride but this kid moves forward/backward/diagonally with such ease. Makes it look so effortless. In the championship game against Compuware off a face off the puck was won to the guy at the top of the circle, Helleson snuck to a quiet area at the top right of the slot and the pass came to him. He pump faked and put the puck just under the goalie's glove and pad on a perfect shot to put them on the board. Watch for this kid.
Marshall Warren (North Jersey Avs U16) (Harvard) (Missy Steelheads) - He's been regarded as the best defensmen in the country at this birth year for the past two years. A lot has been written about him by others on various sites but when I saw him against Omaha AAA at Youth Nationals he was very fluid with the puck, was never out of position because of his skating ability, jumped into the rush and pretty much just did everything you'd expect from a player as hyped as him. Helleson was more eye popping in the small sample size I saw, but until he proves otherwise, Marshall Warren has my vote for the best D man on this team for now.
Alex Vlasic (Chicago Mission U16 (Boston University) (London Knights) - Saw him play in the Youth Nationals against Honeybaked which was a great game between two league rivals and lots of kids on both squads getting drafted into the OHL, USHL drafts. Big kid with a lot of potential, he has really nice puck control on his stick, has a good shot, but can work on his skating and gap control defensively. He'll have to adjust a bit to the pace of the USHL but worthy of being on this team imo.
Some Forwards
Alex Turcotte (Chicago Mission) (Wisconsin) (Saginaw Spirit) - Saginaw has hit some home runs in drafting fellow NTDP players Blade Jenkins and Bode Wilde. Add Turcotte to the list of players Saginaw fans hope comes over to add extra punch. He was the best offensive player I saw at Youth Nationals. Others were very good, yes but he cut through the neutral zone on a number of occasions with quick hands and speed. He also uses his teammates well, and had some really nice dishes coming over the blue line and in the slot for some good opportunities. He could end up being really good or just average. Not going to hype him up too much, but he's a skilled player.
Trevor Zegras (Avon Old Farms Prep School) (Boston University) - Saw him in a few streams two years ago and thought he was an impactful player then, this year he did nothing to change that. In that semi final game against Brunswick he had some beautiful setups for goals. He's a really quick player down low that can pivot and sauce the puck across the ice. If I remember correctly he's a smaller guy but that is becoming more and more irrelevant in hockey as even NHL teams aren't afraid to take smaller kids from junior with a lot of speed and skill.
Michael Gildon (Dallas Stars Elite) (Kelowna Rockets) (Uncommited) - His team made it to the Youth Nationals this year and I took in their game against the Pittsburgh Pens Elite. Pittsburgh was the better team and this game got very very chippy and physical. I sat next to a scout at the game and overheard him say how did this team make it to nationals? Ottawa 67's drafted Owen Swankler from the Pens who is a really skilled forward but honestly when it comes to the younger brother of Max Gildon he isn't as good of a player as Max was at this age. But that's not a knock on him as he plays a different position but he's not as hyped. He'll be a project going forward but I'm going enjoy watching how he comes along during his two years at the NTDP. You never know with these guys, anything can happen.
So that's really all I can say as far as my thoughts on some of these guys. Lots of players I didn't mention but I've never seen them play so I'm not going to ******** an answer. I fell off these boards last year as I got really busy in the winter, but anytime I can talk hockey on here I love it.
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Good analysis on those guys. Quick note, Zegras is 5'11 already, he's just very thin. He was smaller than his peers a while ago but he's a pretty average height now. Might be the most skilled US forward in the class.
NTDP
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Whalers Fan
Go Habs!
Thanks for the scouting reports on some of the upcoming U17's, NTDP. I don't really start following the players until they hit the NTDP, so it's helpful for me.
Congrats to Josh Norris and Jake Oettinger on being selected in the first round of this year's NHL Draft. It was a down year for the NTDP, with only two players going in the 1st round after a record nine were selected last year - including #1 overall pick Auston Matthews. However, Oettinger was only the 2nd goalie to be selected in the 1st round in the last five drafts, so that is pretty impressive.
Congrats to Josh Norris and Jake Oettinger on being selected in the first round of this year's NHL Draft. It was a down year for the NTDP, with only two players going in the 1st round after a record nine were selected last year - including #1 overall pick Auston Matthews. However, Oettinger was only the 2nd goalie to be selected in the 1st round in the last five drafts, so that is pretty impressive.
NTDP
Registered User
You're right Whalers Fan, it was a down year for the NTDP when it comes to the draft. You saw the truth of it throughout the first half of the season when the team just wasn't playing that well. But our 99 birth year wasn't that strong. I like Oettinger a lot, it's his job to lose for the starting job in the World Juniors next year. Our U18 team next year should be a good group to watch and I expect more players from next years U18 team to be drafted as the 2000 birth year is a better all around group.
Whalers Fan
Go Habs!
Overall, 11 players from the NTDP ended up being taken in the draft. Two of those were late birthday players from the 2015-16 team - Oettinger and 2nd round pick Luke Martin. The 2016-17 team ended up with 9 players taken -- including one each in the first & 2nd rounds, and three in the 3rd round. I would expect late birthdays Brady Tkachuk and Quinn Hughes will go in the first couple of rounds in the '18 Draft, too. So it wasn't too bad a showing, considering how the '99 birth years looked for the past two seasons in Plymouth.
I am looking forward to watching the U18's this upcoming season, too. They showed a lot of promise last season, so hopefully that translates to a more exciting team this fall.
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LeafChief
Matthew Knies Enthusiast
@NTDP / Whalers Fan:
Does this look like a strong crop this year? I know that you guys were disappointed with Wise/Wahlstrom/Wilde etc as that class came in with a lot of hype and sort of underwhelmed.
What are you expecting out of this crop? Will we see an Eichel/Matthews? Will we see a Tkachuk?
Does this look like a strong crop this year? I know that you guys were disappointed with Wise/Wahlstrom/Wilde etc as that class came in with a lot of hype and sort of underwhelmed.
What are you expecting out of this crop? Will we see an Eichel/Matthews? Will we see a Tkachuk?
Not sure any of the forwards are going to be Eichel/Matthews level, but then again there aren't going to be too many of those coming out of anywhere..those are special players.
Zegras reminds me a bit of Clayton Keller. I could see him ending up being the best out of this crop of forwards.
The D is really where you might have some special players though. Warren and McCarthy are really something, both on the same level or better than Wilde IMO.
Zegras reminds me a bit of Clayton Keller. I could see him ending up being the best out of this crop of forwards.
The D is really where you might have some special players though. Warren and McCarthy are really something, both on the same level or better than Wilde IMO.
NTDP
Registered User
Keller could be a good comparison with Zegras. Agree with the D, Helleson will be a name to watch with this group too. He's a good one.
NTDP
Registered User
Nice to see you on here again! Not an Eichel/Matthews type as obviously they don't come around often. We will see the NTDP produce another stud in the next 10 years though imo. This program is getting more and more popular with young hockey players around the states. Don't think there is a Tkachuk type player as he is a special breed. He has that mean streak but has top 5 prospect skill to back it up. He can take control of a game. As mentioned I think the D core will be a really strong group and in two years time we could see 3 or 4 of these guys backstopping us at the WJC and being compared to the 2013 D group. (I know a lot has to play out, just saying Helleson, Warren, and McCarthy are pretty darn good).
I know that the three W's underperformed at times last year but there was a lot to like about their games. Especially Wahlstrom at the U-18's. He was a true underager in that tournament and he really took off. So you saw his skill come through as the season progressed. One of the reasons he will play in the summer showcase at the U20 level in a month. I still like a lot about Wilde's game, he'll be a good D man for us next year. Thing is with access to information so quickly a lot of these guys get hyped up and we expect to much to soon. Sometimes I remind myself to just sit back and give it the good ole eye test, throw the analytics out at times. It's fun for us fans though, I'm really excited to see how this U-18 group will play out. I'll be at the summer showcase in a month for the U.S./Canada game. Was there last year and it was an awesome experience.
Whalers Fan
Go Habs!
Speaking of the U20 Summer Showcase, I just received an email from Char at the box office regarding the schedule for the games at USA Hockey Arena. All games, except for Saturday 8/5, are general admission. The Saturday games are reserved seating. We have a lot going on that week, but will probably go to the Saturday games. The info:
2017 World Junior Summer Showcase
Schedule/Ticket Information
Date Time Game Price/Note
7/29 1 pm USA White vs. Finland $5/GA
7/29 4:10 pm USA Blue vs. Sweden
7/30 1 pm USA Blue vs. Finland $5/GA
7/30 4:10 pm USA White vs. Sweden
8/1 4:08 pm Canada (R) vs. USA (W) $10/GA
8/1 7:18 pm Canada (W) vs. USA (B)
8/2 1:08 pm Canada vs. Finland $10/GA
8/2 4:08 pm USA vs. Sweden
8/4 1:08 pm Sweden vs. Canada $10/GA
8/4 4:08 pm Finland vs. USA
8/5 4:08 pm Sweden vs. Finland $10/Res/ parking free for season ticket holders
8/5 7:08 pm USA vs. Canada
**All sessions are day tickets (one price for both games).
2017 World Junior Summer Showcase
Schedule/Ticket Information
Date Time Game Price/Note
7/29 1 pm USA White vs. Finland $5/GA
7/29 4:10 pm USA Blue vs. Sweden
7/30 1 pm USA Blue vs. Finland $5/GA
7/30 4:10 pm USA White vs. Sweden
8/1 4:08 pm Canada (R) vs. USA (W) $10/GA
8/1 7:18 pm Canada (W) vs. USA (B)
8/2 1:08 pm Canada vs. Finland $10/GA
8/2 4:08 pm USA vs. Sweden
8/4 1:08 pm Sweden vs. Canada $10/GA
8/4 4:08 pm Finland vs. USA
8/5 4:08 pm Sweden vs. Finland $10/Res/ parking free for season ticket holders
8/5 7:08 pm USA vs. Canada
**All sessions are day tickets (one price for both games).
NTDP
Registered User
I'm really looking forward to this. It will be especially fun to watch the Finns and the group they have
Crazy Adam Samuelsson is now listed at close to 240 lbs ! No one in his family seems to be even close to that size, may be a mistake but likely not Eliteprospects is usually accurate for highly touted prospects at that age. If anyone would be that size I'd figure it would have been Kjell's son Mattias. Back to Adam, good for USA hockey giving him a chance to make up for a lost season with a chance to play in the u18 Ivan Hlinka tournament.
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Most likely an injury, but I'm not 100 % sure about that. Edit : Meant to say Adam lost most of the season likely due to injury, Mattias played in most of the games and even got into some u18 team games as well.
Adam was a very poor skater, bad in fact over the last 2 years. It will be interesting to see if there has been any improvement at all. Not sure why this guy was playing with NDTP last year.
I wouldn't say "bad".... Average? Sure. He was also a 6'5 16 year old. Kids who grow that big early typically have skating issues they work out as they hit this age range, Adam has improved a lot. He's there because the majority of scouts see him as a 1st or 2nd round NHL draft pick.
Whalers Fan
Go Habs!
I called the office yesterday to get my tickets for the Showcase tourney, and chatted for a bit with the box office manager. The regular season schedule is almost completed -- they are waiting on one last possible college opponent. The U18 will be hosting games versus Michigan State, Ferris State, Albion and some others I cannot remember. The team they are still waiting on is a possible home game versus Michigan. That would be quite a schedule of home games if the NTDP could get both UofM and MSU in the same season.
The game versus Michigan State is not that surprising, since Danton Cole is the new head coach of the Spartans after coaching the NTDP.
I will be at the Showcase games on both Friday and Saturday.
The game versus Michigan State is not that surprising, since Danton Cole is the new head coach of the Spartans after coaching the NTDP.
I will be at the Showcase games on both Friday and Saturday.
NTDP
Registered User
I'll be up there on Saturday. I think one of the other big name teams coming to USA Hockey Arena is the Miami Redhawks. They haven't released the dates of the smaller tournaments like the U18 five nations have they?
Whalers Fan
Go Habs!
I am not sure if the dates for the other tournaments are set yet. I know the USHL schedule is set, and that the NTDP's first home game will not be until October. You may be right about Miami being another college opponent - - I thought there was at least one more major school, but was distracted when Char mentioned Michigan.
We will be in our usual seats in Section 113 on Saturday. See you then, NTDP.
We will be in our usual seats in Section 113 on Saturday. See you then, NTDP.
NTDP
Registered User
Yeah I'm excited for it. I hope they keep this at USA Hockey Arena. I would assume when the tournament is held in Europe on the big ice they might switch to Lake Placid again for the summer showcase just to play 5-6 games on the big ice, then come back when the tournament is in North America. I know USA Arena has an olympic sheet but you can't hold many people and media in that part.
Those seats are the best there is there. Ever since I sat there for a Whalers game like 5 years ago we kept getting the same area.
Those seats are the best there is there. Ever since I sat there for a Whalers game like 5 years ago we kept getting the same area.
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