Things might be a little different this year as USA Hockey is making NTDP players attend the select festival (something they haven't done since the first year of the program). I don't know if they will be allowed on the U18 World Cup team though.
Very few Americans who played in the CHL are attending (No B.Ryan, Spade, J.Ryan, Andricopolous, Abraham, Mannino etc.) and a few of the better NTDP players have been excused (Johnson, Gerbe, Foligno) so the team sent still won't represent the best in the age group. However, last years festival was one of the weakest showings ever talent wise and the team they put together went on to win gold at the U18 World Cup.
For anyone interested in following the select 17 festival just click
here. Stats, standings, and schedules are available (or will be soon) on the menu to the left.