U18: Team USA at the Hlinka

[William H Bonney]

This will probably get minor traffic but there's not a better thread for it.

USAH has finally made some much needed changes to the Hlinka process.

They've gone back to district based teams for the Boys 17 Player Development Camp. But the important news though is they no longer immediately pick the Hlinka team at that camp and then disband for over a month before they reconvene at the Hlinka. Players at the development camp are now competing for an invite to a separate Hlinka camp that will take place right before the Hlinka. This shift had already started to develop in the 2021 + 2022 Select 17 camps where a short mini-Hlinka camp was held to end the Select 17s but the timing was stupid as it was short and too far ahead of the Hlinka. The new process should increase competition for roster spots, increase team chemistry and bonding, and increase team preparedness as well.

USAH at the Hlinka is still ripe for substantial improvements but at least now they're actually trying to prepare a bit for the tournament. We'll see if it has positive impacts on the results in the same way we saw at the WJC when USAH actually started preparing for that tournament, too.

You can see the 2023 Hlinka camp roster here: 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup Camp Roster

Most of the names you'd expect are all there.

Click to read more...

 

[WarriorofTime]

Which ones would you say are the "names you'd expect"?

 

[William H Bonney]

Which ones would you say are the "names you'd expect"?

Will Felicio, Owen Keefe, Mac Swanson, Trevor Connelly, Aidan Park, Will Zellers, etc.

 

[clevelandcane]

Will Felicio, Owen Keefe, Mac Swanson, Trevor Connelly, Aidan Park, Will Zellers, etc.

I'd say/hope Eero Butella, Callum Hughes, and definitely Jake Merens. Sounds like Sisson had a great camp too. I'm also hoping Ryker Lee makes it.

Any TV coverage?

 

[William H Bonney]

I'd say/hope Eero Butella, Callum Hughes, and definitely Jake Merens. Sounds like Sisson had a great camp too. I'm also hoping Ryker Lee makes it.

Any TV coverage?

I haven't seen anything but maybe USA Hockey TV will stream it since the camp is at USA Hockey Arena.

 

[clevelandcane]

I haven't seen anything but maybe USA Hockey TV will stream it since the camp is at USA Hockey Arena.

I was thinking more about the tournament. Will the actual tournament be available to watch?

 

[William H Bonney]

I was thinking more about the tournament. Will the actual tournament be available to watch?

The US games.were on the NHL Network last tournament, although USAH's website says "broadcast information to be announced at a later date" so we'll see.

 

[NTDP]

This will probably get minor traffic but there's not a better thread for it.

USAH has finally made some much needed changes to the Hlinka process.

They've gone back to district based teams for the Boys 17 Player Development Camp. But the important news though is they no longer immediately pick the Hlinka team at that camp and then disband for over a month before they reconvene at the Hlinka. Players at the development camp are now competing for an invite to a separate Hlinka camp that will take place right before the Hlinka. This shift had already started to develop in the 2021 + 2022 Select 17 camps where a short mini-Hlinka camp was held to end the Select 17s but the timing was stupid as it was short and too far ahead of the Hlinka. The new process should increase competition for roster spots, increase team chemistry and bonding, and increase team preparedness as well.

USAH at the Hlinka is still ripe for substantial improvements but at least now they're actually trying to prepare a bit for the tournament. We'll see if it has positive impacts on the results in the same way we saw at the WJC when USAH actually started preparing for that tournament, too.

You can see the 2023 Hlinka camp roster here: 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup Camp Roster

Most of the names you'd expect are all there.

This is all true and the Select 17 National Camp is a hidden gem to go see. I made a post in the NHL Draft section on who I thought stood out over the two days I spent there.

 

[SanDogBrewin]

Trying to remember if NHL Network covered any of this last year.

 

[macbowes]

Eiserman, Hutson, and Hagens all skipping U18s, or are they just skipping camp?

 

[William H Bonney]

Eiserman, Hutson, and Hagens all skipping U18s, or are they just skipping camp?

USAH doesn't allow NTDP players to participate in the Hlinka except for rare occasions when an NTDP player misses the vast majority of their U17 season with the program.

 

[smalt021]

 

[WarriorofTime]

How many 16 year olds play in the USHL? Seems kinda rare (the USNDTP U-17s aside).

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

The only notable things from that roster are no Stout, no Pilgrim, and they included OHL player Spellacy. Stout is the only true snub, but that left side has a lot of depth, so it’s not too surprising. Pilgrim unfortunately couldn’t attend the camp because his stepfather unexpectedly passed away a few days before. It would’ve been nice to see him play at the Hlinka, as judging players by high school hockey is always impossible, but he likely wouldn’t be in a good state to play right now. Wasn’t expecting an OHL player who wasn’t at the camp to make it, but I don’t mind it. Spellacy is a player that’ll probably get drafted in 2024. We should include the best players, regardless of which league they’re playing in.

 

[William H Bonney]

How many 16 year olds play in the USHL? Seems kinda rare (the USNDTP U-17s aside).

It's not a lot, only a handful or two. There certainly could be more but a lot of the non-NTDP guys (i.e., MN-HS) would rather stay home.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

The only notable things from that roster are no Stout, no Pilgrim, and they included OHL player Spellacy. Stout is the only true snub, but that left side has a lot of depth, so it’s not too surprising. Pilgrim unfortunately couldn’t attend the camp because his stepfather unexpectedly passed away a few days before. It would’ve been nice to see him play at the Hlinka, as judging players by high school hockey is always impossible, but he likely wouldn’t be in a good state to play right now. Wasn’t expecting an OHL player who wasn’t at the camp to make it, but I don’t mind it. Spellacy is a player that’ll probably get drafted in 2024. We should include the best players, regardless of which league they’re playing in.

By the way, if you want to donate to the Pilgrim family

Donate to In Memory of Michael Tveit, organized by TJ Oshie

This fundraiser is to raise money for Darnell Tveit and her three boys Carson, Cooper and Cullen, … TJ Oshie needs your support for In Memory of Michael Tveit

www.gofundme.com

 

[ORRFForever]

The only notable things from that roster are no Stout, no Pilgrim, and they included OHL player Spellacy. Stout is the only true snub, but that left side has a lot of depth, so it’s not too surprising. Pilgrim unfortunately couldn’t attend the camp because his stepfather unexpectedly passed away a few days before. It would’ve been nice to see him play at the Hlinka, as judging players by high school hockey is always impossible, but he likely wouldn’t be in a good state to play right now. Wasn’t expecting an OHL player who wasn’t at the camp to make it, but I don’t mind it. Spellacy is a player that’ll probably get drafted in 2024. We should include the best players, regardless of which league they’re playing in.

Nice to see you, PB.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

We won the exhibition game against Slovakia 4-1, but it was messy.

Hendrickson was our player of the game. Should be no doubt now which of the goalies will be the starter. He was the biggest surprise from this game. Didn't know how legit he was. Defense was pretty rough. A lot of turnovers leading to odd-man rushes, players had no chemistry passing to each other, they struggled with the Slovak forecheck, and were poorly positioned in the defensive zone. Pitner's going to need to have a big tournament, Keefe is going to need to play well too, and then we're going to need Bales and Hendricks to contribute too because I think the other 3 will be liabilities.

I thought the forwards suffered because of how bad the defense was, so they rarely had the puck. Swanson is money on the PP. Connelly is money off the rush. Stefanek and Park are sneaky good. I like Young too. We should have enough offense. Not my worry. Coach was playing his big guns for huge amounts of ice time in this game. Pitner rarely left the ice, and neither did Swanson or Connelly. Coach isn't fooling around. Connelly moved onto the Swanson line in the third, and it worked better. This team won't be the favorite, but there's a pathway to us winning the tournament.

These would be my lines.

Connelly-Park-Swanson
Zellers-Stefanek-Lee
McNelis-Young-Butella
Hughes-Monteiro-Spellacy
Frank

Keefe-Pitner
Bales-Hendricks
Felicio-Kleber
McLaughlin

Hendrickson

Swanson is good on the draws and a natural center, but I think he's become too small to play center. Let him focus on his playmaking. We have plenty of centers. Park and Stefanek shouldn't be playing lower lines. Might want to move up Monteiro too, but I don't know if any of the others for the lower lines can play center. Keefe and Pitner should be put together. Play them a lot. Bales and Hendricks could work too. The rest of the defense I'd be scared about.

 

[clevelandcane]

It was hard to watch the stream and the numbers were tough to see.

The goalie? Outstanding and smooth. Nothing looked difficult for him even in the shootout at the end. I thought it was Heil today but others said Hendrickson.

The O was fun but certainly not dominant. I think Swanson is gonna get lots of points this year. I thought Monteiro played well and Stefanek as well.

 

[William H Bonney]

It was hard to watch the stream and the numbers were tough to see.

The goalie? Outstanding and smooth. Nothing looked difficult for him even in the shootout at the end. I thought it was Heil today but others said Hendrickson.

The O was fun but certainly not dominant. I think Swanson is gonna get lots of points this year. I thought Monteiro played well and Stefanek as well.

I only caught some of the first 2 periods but wasn't it Hendrickson to start the game and then Bernstein to finish it?

 

[Pazucha]

I only caught some of the first 2 periods but wasn't it Hendrickson to start the game and then Bernstein to finish it?

I think Heil was the second goalie

Well according to this tweet Hendrickson was in the net at the end of the last period and almost scored a goal:

But i am 100% sure that at some point Heil was there.

You can watch the vod here:

 

[WarriorofTime]

It would be interesting to look back at past rosters and look at who *could* have been on the rosters (essentially any non-USNDTP American) against who was. I think the timing of the Hlinka being played prior to the age 17 season leads to really inefficient roster selections considering most kids have yet to play a lot in the USHL.

 

[William H Bonney]

I think Heil was the second goalie

Well according to this tweet Hendrickson was in the net at the end of the last period and almost scored a goal:

But i am 100% sure that at some point Heil was there.

You can watch the vod here:

That is Heil shooting it. The Hlinka website has all 3 US goalies playing a period and I confirmed with the video. Hendrickson played the 1st, Bernstein played the 2nd, and Heil played the 3rd and practice shootout.

 

[clevelandcane]

That is Heil shooting it. The Hlinka website has all 3 US goalies playing a period and I confirmed with the video. Hendrickson played the 1st, Bernstein played the 2nd, and Heil played the 3rd and practice shootout.

Thanks for that. Like I said, it was just rough to see. I was pretty sure Heil was in at the end due to the shortness of his name and what I saw on the jersey.

 

[William H Bonney]

McLaughlin is really bad. Not that I watch this tournament thoroughly but he's one of the worst players I can remember ever suiting up for us in this tournament and yet the coaches keep throwing him out there. He's a liability every shift.