2025-26 NTDP U17 Team Selection

[Bonin21]

I realize where a play is listed as being born doesn’t equate to where they developed, so clearly grain of salt in some of these cases…but pretty cool to see the variety of birthplaces listed. Florida, Arizona, South Carolina, three from Texas.

It says hometown, not birthplace.

 

[bigdog16]

It says hometown, not birthplace.

Hometown and birthplace are synonymous with one another. google the definition of hometown

 

[BKarchitect]

It says hometown, not birthplace.

Hmmm good point, but still…all those Sun Belt guys match their birth place on EP except Daley who is listed born in Texas but clearly Florida-based now.

Still seems notable to point out the variety of geographical origins.

 

[IsThatSemin]

Hometown and birthplace are synonymous with one another. google the definition of hometown

Hometown and birthplace are semantically related and can sometimes be used interchangeably, though they have distinct meanings. A birthplace refers to the specific location where a person was born, while a hometown is generally the town or city where someone grew up or has their principal residence. In some contexts, if someone has lived most of their life in the same place where they were born, their birthplace and hometown could be the same location

 

[Bonin21]

In the hockey world and especially at that age, hometown is basically where the kids live primarily at time of making the team. Completely different than birth place. That's why NHL uses birthplace since the players' current hometown is wherever they're playing (and so a lot of MN grown kids show up elsewhere).

 

[NTDP]

Question for you guys - Hudson Salvador made the team. And I'm keeping track of where these guys get drafted in other junior leagues with the OHL priority coming this weekend. You'd think he's OHL territory being a kid from New Jersey and playing for the New Jersey Rockets.

I see he was drafted last year in the WHL Bantam draft by Edmonton? It even says New Jersey Rockets 14U and it wasn't even in the US Draft portion of the WHL Draft. I see other obvious ones from MN (Schneider), Texas (Gutierrez) drafted by WHL teams which makes sense. But Salvador? Did he play in WHL draft territory prior?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Question for you guys - Hudson Salvador made the team. And I'm keeping track of where these guys get drafted in other junior leagues with the OHL priority coming this weekend. You'd think he's OHL territory all the way being a kid from New Jersey and playing for the New Jersey Rockets.

I see he was drafted last year in the WHL Bantam draft by Edmonton? It even says New Jersey Rockets 14U and it wasn't even in the US Draft portion of the WHL Draft. I see other obvious ones from MN (Schneider), Texas (Gutierrez) drafted by WHL teams which makes sense. But Salvador? Can anyone explain that one to me? Did he play in WHL draft territory prior?

With the CHL if your father played in one league and now you live in another league’s territory they let you choose which league you get drafted into.

 

[NTDP]

With the CHL if your father played in one league and now you live in another league’s territory they let you choose which league you get drafted into.

Got it, did not know his dad played in the league.

EDIT: Duh his dad is Bryce Salvador

 

[Corso]

You for sure have seen and read more about these 09's than I have this year. But I'd add to your list Anthony Timmerman. He was very good at the couple Silverstick and OHL Cup games I watched. Only kid out of that Caesar's team that was invited to the eval camp. He could have been OHL all the way behind the scenes and I'd imagine a good chunk of that team will go in the OHL draft and won't be surprised if a number of them are on OHL rosters next September.

As you know, it's never been uncommon for Michigan area kids to go that route. A guy like Santa Maria reminds of an Antonio Stranges type. Overall skilled player that just screams OHL route.

OHL

Same with Tang who should have made the team based on his play during the camp. Another player who stood a good chance of making it was Jackman but he stated his desire to play in the O. Another D man who could have made the team was Aucoin but same reason, going to the O.

 

[bigdog16]

In the hockey world and especially at that age, hometown is basically where the kids live primarily at time of making the team. Completely different than birth place. That's why NHL uses birthplace since the players' current hometown is wherever they're playing (and so a lot of MN grown kids show up elsewhere).

Its not a “hockey world” thing. They are synonymous. NCAA rosters use hometown. They literally mean the same thing

 

[macbowes]

Its not a “hockey world” thing. They are synonymous. NCAA rosters use hometown. They literally mean the same thing

They are not being used synonymously by the NTDP. Will Moore was not born in Ithica, NY. Dayne Beuker was not born in Portland, OR. For the NTDP, it's usually the case that the town they list as the players hometown is also their birth place, but that is not necessarily the case. They do not allow Canadian players to list a Canadian home town.

 

[clevelandcane]

I have followed this age group best I could from my, ahem, hometown, and I agree with most of the choices.

Salvador is a shock to me. Didn't even notice him at camp and according to Elite Prospects, he's a F who doesn't score. You're telling me this kid is better than Scuderi? Not today he's not. Not by a long shot.

Easton Johnson wasn't noticable to me at the camp at all (2 game sample).

Pandolfo is the third kid who kind of surprised me. Each time I saw him, I thought he was good but not special. Big kid. I'm guessing he was picked on how he projects

Not picking Timmerman is a mistake. Not sure whose place he takes but he was the best D I saw.

Thrilled to see Kane Barch make the team. He brings some high end skill and snarl.

Pelosi is a favorite of mine but he didn't really look that great at camp. I think his two year body of work earned him a spot.

Love the Mount and SSM kids.

Favorite F to watch will be any of Barch, Pelosi, or Schneider

Most excited to follow Semetsis and Thoreson on D.

The goalies were a tossup to me. I love Chizik but Mount's other goalie Quinn Beumer is just as good or better.

 

[William H Bonney]

I have followed this age group best I could from my, ahem, hometown, and I agree with most of the choices.

Salvador is a shock to me. Didn't even notice him at camp and according to Elite Prospects, he's a F who doesn't score. You're telling me this kid is better than Scuderi? Not today he's not. Not by a long shot.

Easton Johnson wasn't noticable to me at the camp at all (2 game sample).

Pandolfo is the third kid who kind of surprised me. Each time I saw him, I thought he was good but not special. Big kid. I'm guessing he was picked on how he projects

Not picking Timmerman is a mistake. Not sure whose place he takes but he was the best D I saw.

Thrilled to see Kane Barch make the team. He brings some high end skill and snarl.

Pelosi is a favorite of mine but he didn't really look that great at camp. I think his two year body of work earned him a spot.

Love the Mount and SSM kids.

Favorite F to watch will be any of Barch, Pelosi, or Schneider

Most excited to follow Semetsis and Thoreson on D.

The goalies were a tossup to me. I love Chizik but Mount's other goalie Quinn Beumer is just as good or better.

The NTDP bias for the sons of former players is extreme. If your dad was a professional hockey player, the NTDP is probably going to select you. And while I don't have the data to prove it, anecdotally these guys often seem to be the biggest program busts.

 

[clevelandcane]

The NTDP bias for the sons of former players is extreme. If your dad was a professional hockey player, the NTDP is probably going to select you. And while I don't have the data to prove it, anecdotally these guys often seem to be the biggest program busts.

Why on earth that happens is beyond me. Not fair to kids who get left out and not fair to a kid who didn't earn his keep. That's just dumb. Gotta call it what it is.

 

[William H Bonney]

Why on earth that happens is beyond me. Not fair to kids who get left out and not fair to a kid who didn't earn his keep. That's just dumb. Gotta call it what it is.

Former players have a lot of influence in youth hockey and USAH is still an old boys club.

 

[Corso]

I have followed this age group best I could from my, ahem, hometown, and I agree with most of the choices.

Salvador is a shock to me. Didn't even notice him at camp and according to Elite Prospects, he's a F who doesn't score. You're telling me this kid is better than Scuderi? Not today he's not. Not by a long shot.

Easton Johnson wasn't noticable to me at the camp at all (2 game sample).

Pandolfo is the third kid who kind of surprised me. Each time I saw him, I thought he was good but not special. Big kid. I'm guessing he was picked on how he projects

Not picking Timmerman is a mistake. Not sure whose place he takes but he was the best D I saw.

Thrilled to see Kane Barch make the team. He brings some high end skill and snarl.

Pelosi is a favorite of mine but he didn't really look that great at camp. I think his two year body of work earned him a spot.

Love the Mount and SSM kids.

Favorite F to watch will be any of Barch, Pelosi, or Schneider

Most excited to follow Semetsis and Thoreson on D.

The goalies were a tossup to me. I love Chizik but Mount's other goalie Quinn Beumer is just as good or better.

Salvador is the biggest headscratcher and I agree, he should not have made the team. I believe the poster @Oak referred to this.

Timmerman was going to the O and may very well have declined the acceptance.

Not sure why you didn't like Johnson, was told he was very good throughout the entire camp.

For me, the best forwards on this team are going to be Meyer, Schnieder and Milojevic. The best D will be Thoreson, McArthur and Semetsis.

This is a very well balanced team. It's lacking in high end talent but it has much more depth than the last two NTDP classes.

 

[Trojans86]

Notable omissions and (perhaps) why

Ty Bergeron - Big, physical and high IQ with excellent puck skills. Issue - quite simply his skating (and his mechanics that are not easily fixable). His skating issues will really limit him at the next level. Tendered with Muskegon and a likely high OHL draft pick (hearing 2nd round).

Braiden Scuderi - drips skill, a water bug on the ice, exceptional IQ, a line driver and a fierce competitor. His exclusion really disappointed me, but I understand why. It all comes down to size (lack of) and strength. Doubtful he grows much more and is thus already physically developed and that really limits his pro upside. He was out muscled on more than a few occasions at camp. Tendered with Cedar Rapids in the USHL and he will do very well there.

Drew Roscoe - of all the players invited, he may have the best pro upside. An already massive 6'6 Dman with high end skills, many, a few years from now, will be asking WTH was the NTDP thinking in not keeping him?!? The issue - he's raw and needs to refine the way he plays the game. He needs time but with the proper coaching and development, this is a player that has the potential to be a first-round pick. Hear he is OHL bound.

Caleb Deanovich - from all accounts had a decent camp and is a good puck handler, has a good shot, is good on the PP, good on the PK; good at just about everything so why the omission? He's not really exceptional at anything and apparently that just isn't good enough to make the team over some of the other Dmen. Will be highly sought after by both USHL and OHL clubs, no idea which way he's leaning.


Oliver McKinney - See above, good at just about everything but wasn't able to separate himself from the pack. Has a firm commitment to Green Bay so I don't expect to see go that high in the OHL draft.

I haven’t seen Roscoe play in a few years but he used to be really low iq and weak defensively despite his size. Things may have changed and the size is obviously great but I was shocked to hear he was even considered.

 

[Trojans86]

I have followed this age group best I could from my, ahem, hometown, and I agree with most of the choices.

Salvador is a shock to me. Didn't even notice him at camp and according to Elite Prospects, he's a F who doesn't score. You're telling me this kid is better than Scuderi? Not today he's not. Not by a long shot.

Easton Johnson wasn't noticable to me at the camp at all (2 game sample).

Pandolfo is the third kid who kind of surprised me. Each time I saw him, I thought he was good but not special. Big kid. I'm guessing he was picked on how he projects

Not picking Timmerman is a mistake. Not sure whose place he takes but he was the best D I saw.

Thrilled to see Kane Barch make the team. He brings some high end skill and snarl.

Pelosi is a favorite of mine but he didn't really look that great at camp. I think his two year body of work earned him a spot.

Love the Mount and SSM kids.

Favorite F to watch will be any of Barch, Pelosi, or Schneider

Most excited to follow Semetsis and Thoreson on D.

The goalies were a tossup to me. I love Chizik but Mount's other goalie Quinn Beumer is just as good or better.

I know timmerman personally. He was a late bloomer physically. Trained a ton with Cullen Potter and his mom. Good iq. Great edges. Good upside to him.

 

[bigdog16]

Salvador is the biggest headscratcher and I agree, he should not have made the team. I believe the poster @Oak referred to this.

Timmerman was going to the O and may very well have declined the acceptance.

Not sure why you didn't like Johnson, was told he was very good throughout the entire camp.

For me, the best forwards on this team are going to be Meyer, Schnieder and Milojevic. The best D will be Thoreson, McArthur and Semetsis.

This is a very well balanced team. It's lacking in high end talent but it has much more depth than the last two NTDP classes.

Theres a ton of high end talent. Fitzhenry just led Shattuck u16 in scoring playing a year up

 

[Wildabeast]

Salvador is the biggest headscratcher and I agree, he should not have made the team. I believe the poster @Oak referred to this.

Timmerman was going to the O and may very well have declined the acceptance.

Not sure why you didn't like Johnson, was told he was very good throughout the entire camp.

For me, the best forwards on this team are going to be Meyer, Schnieder and Milojevic. The best D will be Thoreson, McArthur and Semetsis.

This is a very well balanced team. It's lacking in high end talent but it has much more depth than the last two NTDP classes.

Yes, Easton johnson was ranked top three by NZ after the evals were done. Schnieder is very good, imo a step above fitzhenry. If he would have been at Shattuck and not Edina i'm sure more would be aware outside of mn

 

[Hockeyville USA]

I realize where a play is listed as being born doesn’t equate to where they developed, so clearly grain of salt in some of these cases…but pretty cool to see the variety of birthplaces listed. Florida, Arizona, South Carolina, three from Texas.

Kane Barch and Cannon Thibodeau are (basically) Canadian. Both with Canadian dads who played pro in the States, that's where they were born, so they're using their birthplace as the loophole to be able to play for the NTDP. Barch and Thibodeau have played all of their minor hockey in Canada

 

[Lumber]

Kane Barch and Cannon Thibodeau are (basically) Canadian. Both with Canadian dads who played pro in the States, that's where they were born, so they're using their birthplace as the loophole to be able to play for the NTDP. Barch and Thibodeau have played all of their minor hockey in Canada

I count at least 7 duals on the U17 and U 18 teams at the moment. Pro hockey has brought this about, it's just the way it is.

 

[sigx15]

Pandolfo is the third kid who kind of surprised me. Each time I saw him, I thought he was good but not special. Big kid. I'm guessing he was picked on how he projects

I don't want to come off as overly harsh but if his name wasn't Pandolfo, he wouldn't be on this team. Ive watched a lot of this age group, I've seen him play a ton. He's a good player but there were a lot of kids out east who didnt even make camp who are better players. I was pretty disappointed in USAH to see him on the roster

 

[WarriorofTime]

The NTDP bias for the sons of former players is extreme. If your dad was a professional hockey player, the NTDP is probably going to select you. And while I don't have the data to prove it, anecdotally these guys often seem to be the biggest program busts.

By that logic, Scuderi’s kid should have made it. I think at end of the day, the second gen kids tend to just be further along with all the inherent advantages that come with it.

 

[Trojans86]

Kane Barch and Cannon Thibodeau are (basically) Canadian. Both with Canadian dads who played pro in the States, that's where they were born, so they're using their birthplace as the loophole to be able to play for the NTDP. Barch and Thibodeau have played all of their minor hockey in Canada

Let’s be honest, that’s always been most of the ntdp. Daley as well I believe