2024-25 USNTDP U18 Discussion
- Thread starter Pavel Buchnevich
- Start date
MichaelFarrell
Registered User
I’m glad I took a break from watching the USNTDP for a while. I think I was almost over-analyzing.
This CHL vs USNTDP series has definitely confirmed my initial thoughts about the program. Cole McKinney is the best player on this team for me. Jack Murtagh, Cole McKinney, Carter Amico, and Conrad Fondrk are really the only players I have any interest in at all. Will Belle, Andrew Neil, and Mace’o Phillips are players I’d consider taking late.
Will Moore, Charlie Trethaway, and LJ Mooney should probably not be on anyone’s ranking list for the first round. Those aren’t first round players for me. I personally would not draft Mooney until very late in the draft.
This CHL vs USNTDP series has definitely confirmed my initial thoughts about the program. Cole McKinney is the best player on this team for me. Jack Murtagh, Cole McKinney, Carter Amico, and Conrad Fondrk are really the only players I have any interest in at all. Will Belle, Andrew Neil, and Mace’o Phillips are players I’d consider taking late.
Will Moore, Charlie Trethaway, and LJ Mooney should probably not be on anyone’s ranking list for the first round. Those aren’t first round players for me. I personally would not draft Mooney until very late in the draft.
I wonder every year when the NTDP pip squeak fascination will finally come to an end.
MichaelFarrell
Registered User
I’m not against small players. I love Cam Schmidt and I have Potter ranked high. But, Mooney isn’t fast, doesn’t have a great shot, and certainly doesn’t avoid contact.
I’m from Pittsburgh and wanted Mooney to be great, but I don’t see a player there at all.
Mathieukferland
Registered User
He’s the one that’s didsapointed me the most on that team so far. When I saw him at U18 I thought he was a buzz saw and made up for his size with pace and competitiveness. He’s been relatively anonymous through these two games
To be fair these are his first two games after a mildly serious knee injury
I didn't realize Schmidt is that small but I agree he has been very good and definitely plays bigger than he is. I never looked at Potter as a very small guy though.
MichaelFarrell
Registered User
I don’t think anybody should judge him for his two games in the prospect challenge. Although, he got absolutely lit up again in the first game.
He’s capable of making quick skilled plays, but at his size, it’s really hard to see any professional success with his skillset.
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Mooney just came back from missing like 7 weeks.
I would give him a few weeks to get going.
I don't think he's anything special for a smaller player. Likely wouldn't take him first round (unless he absolutely goes off this season), but I think he's a good player.
I would give him a few weeks to get going.
I don't think he's anything special for a smaller player. Likely wouldn't take him first round (unless he absolutely goes off this season), but I think he's a good player.
murtaugh and mckinney are late first round picks -thats it . button and everybody will keep pumping moore but i dont see it all . trethaway is a stretch for the second round in my view . just because you got picked go to ntdp shouldnt guarantee top three rounds for lazy scouts lol
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Between Moore and Treth, two players I’ve always thought were overrated, I’ll take Treth. A 6’2 right shot that doesn’t have a huge hole in his game isn’t a bad prospect. Think he has a high floor. That floor might not even be an NHL player, but seems very hard to believe he’s not at least like a good AHL’er.
Juxtaposer
Outro: Divina Comedia
While I certainly wouldn't advocate taking him with a 1st round pick, I'm starting to come around on Trethewey just a smidge.
He's super young for the class and it definitely looks like he's grown some since I watched him last season. Very raw, but the desire to be physical is there and he doesn't have any truly problematic weaknesses. I feel like if a really good developmental team got their hands on him, they could turn him into a very good top-4 D.
He's super young for the class and it definitely looks like he's grown some since I watched him last season. Very raw, but the desire to be physical is there and he doesn't have any truly problematic weaknesses. I feel like if a really good developmental team got their hands on him, they could turn him into a very good top-4 D.
I dont mind him but only reason he is first round is your reaching for a pick because its ntdp . minnitian and fortescue look lot more solid and they went in third round . its a weak ntdp group right across the board .
MichaelFarrell
Registered User
One thing I should’ve mentioned after the game is I’m really proud of how hard the US player played. I’ve been hard on them all year and pretty disappointed by their play. But, they really wanted to win. They gave it everything they had. Rich Gallant was going up against guys way bigger than him with zero fear. Game two was one of the best hockey games I’ve seen in a while.
I see where you are coming from with Charlie. I could see him maybe playing in the NHL, but he needs to improve his decision-making. He has good enough mobility and physicality, but I’m not sure if he’s a good enough puck distributor to play meaningful minutes in the NHL. He doesn’t impact the game enough for a guy you’d consider taking high.
Looks like Fiddler made the USA tryout camp coming up which has zero shot of making it but looks like USA hockey is pumping him for the draft over trethaway .
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
If you think it’s even close, you take the player that has previously been undecided on who he was going to play for. It’s another lottery ticket of a player who could pan out.
I don’t think Fiddler is good enough to make the team, but if he makes it over Adam Kleber and that locks him in for USA I’m certainly not going to complain.
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Won three in a row now against three USHL teams. McKinney had three points last night.
Hockeyville USA
Registered User
McKinney has the potential to really pick it up in the 2nd half of the season.
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
All of us seem to like Murtagh as the top forward on the team. Simple enough.
What caught my attention is that McKinney now has more points than Moore in three less games. McKinney has a seven game point streak. His numbers are not even that good (23 in 26), but how can you justify Moore above McKinney if McKinney is outscoring Moore? McKinney is an infinitely better defensive player.
What caught my attention is that McKinney now has more points than Moore in three less games. McKinney has a seven game point streak. His numbers are not even that good (23 in 26), but how can you justify Moore above McKinney if McKinney is outscoring Moore? McKinney is an infinitely better defensive player.
By far the worst USNTDP program I've seen since getting into prospects 10 years ago.
2014 team had Eichel, Tuch
2015 team had Matthews, Tkachuk, Mcavoy
2016 team had Keller, Fox
2017 team had Q. Hughes, Tkachuk
2018 team has Farabee, Miller, Samuelsson
2019 team Hughes, Caulfield, Boldy, York
2020 team had Beniers and Sanderson
2021 team atleast had Luke Hughes
2022 had Cooley, Gauthier
2023 Smith, Leonard, GP
2024 Hagens, Eiserman
At the very least NHL top 6 NHL forwards/ top 4 nhl dman.
Besides Murtagh (who projects as a second liner to me) this team has not much going for it
2014 team had Eichel, Tuch
2015 team had Matthews, Tkachuk, Mcavoy
2016 team had Keller, Fox
2017 team had Q. Hughes, Tkachuk
2018 team has Farabee, Miller, Samuelsson
2019 team Hughes, Caulfield, Boldy, York
2020 team had Beniers and Sanderson
2021 team atleast had Luke Hughes
2022 had Cooley, Gauthier
2023 Smith, Leonard, GP
2024 Hagens, Eiserman
At the very least NHL top 6 NHL forwards/ top 4 nhl dman.
Besides Murtagh (who projects as a second liner to me) this team has not much going for it
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
I think they'll have a few. They have a lot of big and athletic and physical and good skating players. A few of these players are likely to end up better NHL players than juniors. For instance, Amico is out for the season, but projects as top 4.
Trethewey could definitely be that. Phillips is very raw, but could end up that. I think it's a possibility. Likely one or two of the forwards hits on their potential (there are at least 4 or 5 with potential top 6 if all goes right), and then you have Potter who is part of this team. It would be unfair to forget him just because he decided to ditch them for NCAA this year. He might have the best chance of the forwards to be top 6.
They have two goaltenders that could be good with Quinlan and Boettiger.
So I think they'll end up with 2-3 at least that are respectable in that same sense you mention, maybe 1 or 2 hit big, and they'll probably at least equal the level of 2020 and 2021.
