American Prospect Update Thread

[William H Bonney]

AAPG was fun. No player evaluations off of a exhibition but it was enjoyable, especially since they went away from the terrible NTDP vs Everyone Else setup.

 

[NTDP]

AAPG was fun. No player evaluations off of a exhibition but it was enjoyable, especially since they went away from the terrible NTDP vs Everyone Else setup.

I also think that was starting to be a bad look for the USHL "Prospect All Star Team" made of USHL club players. I'm sure if the games were more competitive they would have stayed with it, but as you know this '04 group would have probably won handedly playing as the NTDP vs USHL.

I like a game like this to see if anyone that I don't see regularly has a few moments that make me say "Nice play, who was that?" Like Hunter McDonald last night had a few shifts where he showed his stride, a good stick, and got a few good shots off on net. Plus he has some size, when I looked and saw he was an RPI commit I was pleasantly surprised (as I watch them play semi often - used to go to games with my uncle up there) as you don't see many kids from that program playing in a game like this.

 

[Oak]

What month do they usually announce the next crop of NTDP u17 selections?

 

[Oak]

Watched some of the 17's, and this is what I think. Think I've seen enough of every player, except Augustine, to opine. If I need to mention him at some point, I'll come back to this.

I think it's a bad crop without doubt. I don't see a top 10 pick caliber of player in this crop. I don't even know who has the skillset for that type of rise. I've been following since the 2000's. Now followed the 2000's, 2001's, 2002's, 2003's, 2004's, and 2005's. This is the worst year.

Not that many first round types either. The goalies aren't bad. Don't see anyone like a Knight, but the goaltending isn't a weakness. The defense is weak. Really hard to sugar-coat it. There's almost no offense from the defensemen, and a few of them can't defend. Forwards are pretty deep. Don't initially see a player I'd worry won't be drafted. Like always though, the 11th and 12th guys will be on the bubble. Forwards do lack those top end types though that we normally have.

You make a really nice post defending Chesley earlier, and then you make this hysterical post? In your Chesley post you actually sounded like a guy that has played high level hockey.

Not sure how you can get so emo about this group of kids, I guarantee you some of them will have successful careers in the NHL. Think you need to step away from the computer for a little while and stop "scouting."

 

[Bonin21]

Oliver Moore committed to Minnesota. Joins other Minnesotan potential 1st-3rd rounders in the pipeline: Cruz Lucius, Snuggerud, Chesley, and Rinzel

 

[everything]

I always wondered if someone can tell me ... Why don't don't have more than one under 18 or 17 team. How do they distribute ice time too all these players. Young players need time on ice in order to develop...

 

[William H Bonney]

I always wondered if someone can tell me ... Why don't don't have more than one under 18 or 17 team. How do they distribute ice time too all these players. Young players need time on ice in order to develop...

Because there are other teams players can join to develop. Not all players need to go through the NTDP. There's ice time and development available in the USHL, NAHL, CHL, Prep, High School, etc.

 

[everything]

I hear you Bro..make sense what you are saying. I personally think the NTDP is flawed and overall a good idea but might be stunting player growth and USHL should be looking at tweaking it for the sake of development of overall USA players. Alot, of star guys are initially happy to get on this prestigious team but once they get there are very frustrated. Players would probably be better off starring and developing on a lesser team rather than sitting on the bench on this team... No all players should want to join this team.

 

[William H Bonney]

I hear you Bro..make sense what you are saying. I personally think the NTDP is flawed and overall a good idea but might be stunting player growth and USHL should be looking at tweaking it for the sake of development of overall USA players. Alot, of star guys are initially happy to get on this prestigious team but once they get there are very frustrated. Players would probably be better off starring and developing on a lesser team rather than sitting on the bench on this team... No all players should want to join this team.

I think it would be cool to only have 1 NTDP team that's split 50/50 between U17s and U18s. The most talented U17s would still get prominent roles and the others would have a season to grow into bigger roles once half the team graduates.

 

[Herby]

I hear you Bro..make sense what you are saying. I personally think the NTDP is flawed and overall a good idea but might be stunting player growth and USHL should be looking at tweaking it for the sake of development of overall USA players. Alot, of star guys are initially happy to get on this prestigious team but once they get there are very frustrated. Players would probably be better off starring and developing on a lesser team rather than sitting on the bench on this team... No all players should want to join this team.

I think many players over the years have certainly stunted their development from coming to the NTDP due to ice time issues, but as you said its definitely a prestige thing for a lot of guys, making the NTDP is seen as a huge badge of honor, even if you might get more icetime playing elsewhere. And also players worry if they turn down USA Hockey that it may limit their chances down the road to making tournaments such as the WJC and U-18's. I know the perception back in the day when I lived in Ann Arbor was some of the Minnesota players who chose not to come and instead play HS hockey back home were at a disadvantage in making those tourney teams.

 

[Baaaaaaaaaaaaah]

Sawchyn-I think he's probably the best NHL prospect on the team, although I could make an argument for the next player. Plays center, great skater, great puck skills, can pass, can shoot. For some reason and I can't figure out why yet, he doesn't score as many points as his talent indicates he should. He also holds onto the puck for way too long and loses it a lot. I don't think he's selfish or has bad sense, but its a possibility. He's also only about 5'10 and very thin. Compete isn't bad. May not be a center. I'd say he's like a mid-first on first thought. Could see him as a late first instead.

Thanks for the thoughts on Sawchyn. I saw him play a few times when he was much younger living in Canada. Not Bedard level at the same age, but looked special.

Any player/style he reminds you of?

 

[Favin]

I didn't see a page for Matt Brown (Junior forward from New Jersey play at BU), but wanted to post this beauty. Enjoy!

 

[everything]

I think even if you might get more icetime playing elsewhere. And also players worry if they turn down USA Hockey that it may limit their chances down the road to making tournaments such as the WJC and U-18.

 

[everything]

I think even if you might get more icetime playing elsewhere. And also players worry if they turn down USA Hockey that it may limit their chances down the road to making tournaments such as the WJC and U-18's.

Politics will be the evil destructiveness that is killing and will eventually destroy American society... I remember a great player like Kyle Connor either he did not play for the NTDP or for some other reason he was not in good with them . He was banished from the team that lost out on the gold medal. Now he is one of the best players in hockey, and I am sure there are more examples.

 

[William H Bonney]

Politics will be the evil destructiveness that is killing and will eventually destroy American society... I remember a great player like Kyle Connor either he did not play for the NTDP or for some other reason he was not in good with them . He was banished from the team that lost out on the gold medal. Now he is one of the best players in hockey, and I am sure there are more examples.

USAH does a lot of stupid things but Connor wasn't subject to politics, just the realities of player evaluation - you don't always get it right. In hindsight of course he would have been a well deserved NTDP team member, and his WJC snub in his last year was horribly egregious, but don't confuse incompetence with politics - they can be mutually exclusive.

 

[Herby]

USAH does a lot of stupid things but Connor wasn't subject to politics, just the realities of player evaluation - you don't always get it right. In hindsight of course he would have been a well deserved NTDP team member, and his WJC snub in his last year was horribly egregious, but don't confuse incompetence with politics - they can be mutually exclusive.

Ehh, not sure about the last part.

There is no logical reason whatsoever that a 1st round pick who was leading the nation in scoring as a freshman for a major program was not chosen for the WJC, so of course it's fair to look at politics. There is absolutely 0% chance that had Connor been an NTDP alum that he wouldn't have been chosen for that team.

 

[William H Bonney]

Ehh, not sure about the last part.

There is no logical reason whatsoever that a 1st round pick who was leading the nation in scoring as a freshman for a major program was not chosen for the WJC, so of course it's fair to look at politics. There is absolutely 0% chance that had Connor been an NTDP alum that he wouldn't have been chosen for that team.

It's incompetence. If politics was in play, USAH wouldn't have chosen Connor to displace an NTDP player for the U18 IIHF Championship or to have him play in the World Championship months after his WJC snub. His WJC snub was inexcusable but the default idea that it's always nefarious politics is wrong, and there's no evidence to support it in this case. Sometimes roster building decisions are bad, see almost every USAH roster ever.

 

[Bonin21]

Oliver Moore committed to Minnesota. Joins other Minnesotan potential 1st-3rd rounders in the pipeline: Cruz Lucius, Snuggerud, Chesley, and Rinzel

Add Logan Cooley to the list of Minnesota commits.

 

[BKarchitect]

What’s going on with Notre Dame - they are bleeding blue chip commits lately…

 

[Bonin21]

What’s going on with Notre Dame - they are bleeding blue chip commits lately…

They play boring ass hockey.

 

[William H Bonney]

Add Logan Cooley to the list of Minnesota commits.

What a huge coup for the Gophers. I'm not surprised Cooley bailed on Notre Dame, though. Their track record of keeping their top recruits is really poor.

 

[William H Bonney]

It looks like Kaden Muir is the first NTDP U18 player to be fully demoted to the U17 team. He's been with them for a bunch of consecutive games now.

 

[Saxon Eric]

Watched in person the U18s vs Providence College last night, very physical game
The usual suspects(Cooley, Howard etc)played well but I was blown away by Charlie Stramel, next to Cutter Gauthier he was the best player on the ice, shame he's a 2023
Other 2022 draft eligible players that impressed were Devin Kaplan and Cole Spicer
Terrific game overall

 

[BeersHockey]

What is Cole Spicer's projection? Came out of nowhere to put up video game numbers playing next to Nazar at Honeybaked and then I think he's been dealing with injuries at NTDP. Seems to be producing OK this year.

 

[William H Bonney]

Names for the '06 NTDP Camp are slowly starting to leak.