American Prospect Update Thread

[Pavel Buchnevich]

WJC18 is like a month away. There are so many players that are in and out of the lineup, so I have no clue who will be available, except we know Hughes won't play, so I'm just going to operate as if all the other NTDP players will be available. Some of these guys probably will be out, and we don't know it.

Duke-Lucius-Pastujov
McGroarty-Hughes-Wilmer
Boucher-Gasseau-Cooley
Janicke-Savage-Gilmartin
Brown

Behrens-Schmidt
Hreschuk-Gallagher
Murchison-Chesley
Hutson

Silverstein
Mbereko
Homer

First line is set. I think Rutger has earned a top 6 role as the best forward on the 17's. He's probably the most talented offensive player on this team. Hughes and Wilmer are very solid players that can be top 6 at this level. 3rd line is a combination of everything. Boucher brings the Tom Wilson element, Gasseau is a big center with some complimentary skill, and I'm pretty sure Cooley will be on this team, given he's played a lot with the 18's. He can also shift to center, if needed. He can play a lot of roles. The 4th line is the shutdown line thats played together a lot of the season. I would've slotted Janicke higher, but I'm pretty sure this line will play together. 13F spot could go to a younger forward, but I doubt they'll demote too many of the 2003 forwards. Brown's the best of the rest for the 2003 forwards.

Defense takes a hit without Hughes, but I think we still have four early round defensemen from the 2003 NTDP age group. Murchison isn't a bad 3rd pair guy, and I think Chesley could have a breakout tournament. I think Hutson probably doesn't make it with Hughes available, but Hughes isn't, so Hutson can be the 7th defenseman over a few of the lesser 2003 defensemen.

Goaltending is going to be the weakness of this team. It might be bad enough that we can't win this tournament. 16 year old goalies rarely play for this team, and usually they are Knight caliber, if they do, but the 17 year old goalies are bad enough that an above-average 16 year old goalie is probably the best option. Silverstein's been injured for months though, so I would think Mbereko starts with Homer backing him up. Homer is the late birthday 2022 draft eligible whose much bigger with more potential, but Mbereko is the better goalie right now.

The coach of this team is not very good and makes a lot of very strange decisions, so I have no idea what to expect with this team.

 

[canuck2010]

I can't imagine that this U18 will be anything else but a walkover for the USA. Does anyone else even have a team to play? The US has played all season together. Some players, some leagues haven't even played.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I can't imagine that this U18 will be anything else but a walkover for the USA. Does anyone else even have a team to play? The US has played all season together. Some players, some leagues haven't even played.

Russia, Finland, Sweden have all been playing. Only Canada, and even some of those kids have played. I think it’ll be high level hockey.

 

[canuck2010]

Russia, Finland, Sweden have all been playing. Only Canada, and even some of those kids have played. I think it’ll be high level hockey.

Don't get me wrong. I'm looking forward to it and seeing all kinds of good players.

Legit question, how is the U18 age group determined. I've never really known that?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Legit question, how is the U18 age group determined. I've never really known that?

I'm not exactly sure what you mean, but I'll try to answer.

The players are chosen during the end of their U16 season to play for the NTDP. About 22 players, often 12-8-2. The players play two years at the NTDP. Their first year they are U17. Their second year they are U18. Most players in their first year don't get to make the roster for the U18 Worlds. A few of the best U17's usually will with them replacing the weakest players in the U18 age group. The weaker U18 players who miss out on U18 worlds will finish out the season with the U17's, who still have some USHL games remaining by the time the World U18's is played.

Thats usually how it goes. You'll see the changes in the lineup decisions for the two teams around February/March of a season. Occasionally it'll be a little earlier like a January or late December lineup. This year it's a little harder to figure out because the rosters have had to be mixed with so many players unavailable from game to game.

 

[canuck2010]

I'm not exactly sure what you mean, but I'll try to answer.

The players are chosen during the end of their U16 season to play for the NTDP. About 22 players, often 12-8-2. The players play two years at the NTDP. Their first year they are U17. Their second year they are U18. Most players in their first year don't get to make the roster for the U18 Worlds. A few of the best U17's usually will with them replacing the weakest players in the U18 age group. The weaker U18 players who miss out on U18 worlds will finish out the season with the U17's, who still have some USHL games remaining by the time the World U18's is played.

Thats usually how it goes. You'll see the changes in the lineup decisions for the two teams around February/March of a season. Occasionally it'll be a little earlier like a January or late December lineup. This year it's a little harder to figure out because the rosters have had to be mixed with so many players unavailable from game to game.

That's great, pretty straight forward. Thanks for this.

 

[mphmiles]

WJC18 is like a month away. There are so many players that are in and out of the lineup, so I have no clue who will be available, except we know Hughes won't play, so I'm just going to operate as if all the other NTDP players will be available. Some of these guys probably will be out, and we don't know it.

Duke-Lucius-Pastujov
McGroarty-Hughes-Wilmer
Boucher-Gasseau-Cooley
Janicke-Savage-Gilmartin
Brown

Behrens-Schmidt
Hreschuk-Gallagher
Murchison-Chesley
Hutson

Silverstein
Mbereko
Homer

First line is set. I think Rutger has earned a top 6 role as the best forward on the 17's. He's probably the most talented offensive player on this team. Hughes and Wilmer are very solid players that can be top 6 at this level. 3rd line is a combination of everything. Boucher brings the Tom Wilson element, Gasseau is a big center with some complimentary skill, and I'm pretty sure Cooley will be on this team, given he's played a lot with the 18's. He can also shift to center, if needed. He can play a lot of roles. The 4th line is the shutdown line thats played together a lot of the season. I would've slotted Janicke higher, but I'm pretty sure this line will play together. 13F spot could go to a younger forward, but I doubt they'll demote too many of the 2003 forwards. Brown's the best of the rest for the 2003 forwards.

Defense takes a hit without Hughes, but I think we still have four early round defensemen from the 2003 NTDP age group. Murchison isn't a bad 3rd pair guy, and I think Chesley could have a breakout tournament. I think Hutson probably doesn't make it with Hughes available, but Hughes isn't, so Hutson can be the 7th defenseman over a few of the lesser 2003 defensemen.

Goaltending is going to be the weakness of this team. It might be bad enough that we can't win this tournament. 16 year old goalies rarely play for this team, and usually they are Knight caliber, if they do, but the 17 year old goalies are bad enough that an above-average 16 year old goalie is probably the best option. Silverstein's been injured for months though, so I would think Mbereko starts with Homer backing him up. Homer is the late birthday 2022 draft eligible whose much bigger with more potential, but Mbereko is the better goalie right now.

The coach of this team is not very good and makes a lot of very strange decisions, so I have no idea what to expect with this team.

No Isaac Howard iyo?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

No Isaac Howard iyo?

I think he has a good chance to make it. I'm not sure three 16 year old forwards are going to make it this year though. I would think if it's two that it'll be Cooley and McGroarty, but absolutely Howard has a chance. It's really hard to figure out what the squad will be this year.

 

[chaser17]

I can't imagine that this U18 will be anything else but a walkover for the USA. Does anyone else even have a team to play? The US has played all season together. Some players, some leagues haven't even played.

I honestly don't know who canada even plans on sending to this cause all three junior leagues could potentially still be playing. Unless teams have an agreement with hockey canada to send players since playoffs probably won't be played this year.

 

[canucklax]

Has anyone seen Tanner Bruender or Cade Littler play? Couple of highly regarded PNW prospects that are developing elsewhere now. Hoping with the Kraken coming in, we see more rinks built in this part of the country

 

[SanDogBrewin]

Probably quite a few flowing in now.

 

[Dux917]

Tonight - the BioSteel All-American game on NHL Network at 8:00est. Top USHL players vs US NTDP U-118 team

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

NTDP destroyed Team USHL. 7-1. Mbereo played very well, but it’s still not a good look for the USHL that a good group of players this year outside of the NTDP gets beat so badly by the NTDP.

 

[PuckProspects]

NTDP destroyed Team USHL. 7-1. Mbereo played very well, but it’s still not a good look for the USHL that a good group of players this year outside of the NTDP gets beat so badly by the NTDP.

They really need to switch up the teams. The chemistry the NTDP has is just too much for a talented but unorganized team to face. I think last year war 5-1 too and next years NTDP team is looking pretty good.

 

[Gopher13]

It the setup of the game. A team that plays together, practices together, trains together all year verse a team that is tossed together for one practice? Thats not a level playing field. Scramble the players and make two even teams and it would be more competitive.

 

[Dux917]

Mount St. Charles Academy program already locking up players for next year's team -

Joining Prep Hockey Conference paying dividends

 

[Corso]

NTDP destroyed Team USHL. 7-1. Mbereo played very well, but it’s still not a good look for the USHL that a good group of players this year outside of the NTDP gets beat so badly by the NTDP.

This annual game is a farce due to the format. In no way can the USHL kids really showcase their skill when they are playing against a TEAM that has been together since September. USA Hockey should do better by these players.....USA Hockey needs to do better.

 

[BKarchitect]

Mount St. Charles Academy program already locking up players for next year's team -

Joining Prep Hockey Conference paying dividends

The Prep Hockey Conference sounds pretty interesting. SSM, the Mount, Culver, Kent, Northwood and St. Andrews? Would watch. How robust a schedule will these six schools be playing against each other? Don’t a lot of the top prospects leave after U16 to go to the USHL and such? I know Morrow stayed at SSM this year but it was an odd year with the pandemic. Would this encourage top prospects to stay prep thru U18 or will some of the top younger prospects at these programs play up in this conference schedule?

 

[Dux917]

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I don't like our chances this year. Very poorly coached, goaltending sucks. Defense isn't bad, but it's not the strength it could be. Offense is good and has a lot of depth, but no real stars from the 2003's.

 

[BKarchitect]

I don't like our chances this year. Very poorly coached, goaltending sucks. Defense isn't bad, but it's not the strength it could be. Offense is good and has a lot of depth, but no real stars from the 2003's.

Surprised they didn't take Chesley among 8 defenders or is this simply having continuity from just taking he entire '03 group? Doesn't look like he's had as many U18 team chances as McGroarty, Cooley and Howard up front.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Surprised they didn't take Chesley among 8 defenders or is this simply having continuity from just taking he entire '03 group? Doesn't look like he's had as many U18 team chances as McGroarty, Cooley and Howard up front.

I think it's that the '03 group initially had 4LHD and 4RHD. Without Hughes, its 3LHD and 4RHD. It'd become 3LHD and 5RHD if Chesley made it. Hutson makes it 4 and 4. Chesley played more games this season than Hutson with the 18's, but Hutson gives better L-R balance. I think if they were just going for the best defensemen possible, Casey might also come before Hutson.

I don't think its a big issue there. The bigger issue is that usually we see some of the 18's and 17's switch spots during the season. This season, that didn't happen. Hughes, Boucher, and Brown miss out due to injury. McGroarty, Cooley, Howard, Stramel, Hutson made the team due to those injuries. Maybe two of the forwards make it without the injuries because they took 14, but it's still the same issue.

I think thats very problematic. Merit has to matter. I'm not suggesting the team should be half and half between U17 and U18 players, but players such as St. Louis, Devine, Straky, Murchison, Martin, and in a year where the best U17 goalie wasn't injured, both U18 goalies, should've also had their spots under threat. The NTDP made some changes in the last year with coaching, and I have to say that I've thought the U18 coaching this season has been awful, and the U17 coaching hasn't been good, although not as bad as the U18 coaching. The U18's have been coached all year in a way that has me questioning if they actually are trying to win games. The decisions are so puzzling that they must be 100% for development and draft exposure purposes.

 

[Jaykay]

Camp roster, this happened on Wednesday. Seems like Minnesota kids, some Mass kids (Boston Jr. Eagles notably), and kids from Mount St. Charles among others will be some of the notable ones not at this camp, and will be at a later camp.

Anyone know if/when this later camp is actually happening for the '05s or when we will get a roster?

 

[William H Bonney]

Anyone know if/when this later camp is actually happening for the '05s or when we will get a roster?

Looks like the camp invites are starting to leak:

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Has anyone mentioned Kyle Kukkonen?(18) He is unranked 2021 draft eligible player.
Plays in the NCAA next season, for Michigan Tech.

5 foot 10 forward, from Maple Grow.

Combined stats from this season:
64 goals, 79 assists, 143 points, in 57 games
|56 points in the UMHSEHL, 13 points in the NAHL, 74 points in the USHS-MN|

In the 2018-2019 season, played 3 games in the USHL, scored 2 goals.
Total of 54 games in the USHS-MN, 55 goals, 84 assists, 139 points
+ 6 goals in 3 play-off games