C Jack Hughes - USNTDP (2019 Draft)
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Juxtaposer
Outro: Divina Comedia
Clayton Keller never played center with the USNTDP. Marner never played center for an extended period in London (nor was it ever suggested by anyone sane that he could be one). Kane never played center for London. Stop saying Hughes can’t be a center and using these guys who never played center seriously into their late teens and their draft years as examples of why not.
Everyone dreams of a 6’2” 1C. I get it. But don’t disregard Hughes just because he doesn’t fit your ‘prototype’. He’s an extremely high IQ player.
Everyone dreams of a 6’2” 1C. I get it. But don’t disregard Hughes just because he doesn’t fit your ‘prototype’. He’s an extremely high IQ player.
This is just flat out incorrect. He centered Kieffer Bellows and Joey Anderson almost his entire U-18 year. Keller even played it a decent amount at BU, but also played the wing at times. So Keller absolutely is a relevant example.
Marner moved back and forth from Center as a 16 year old and played it at times at a 17 year old (most notably in the OHL playoffs when they put Dvorak and Domi together).
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LeafChief
Matthew Knies Enthusiast
Whalers Fan
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I watched almost all of Keller's home games in person during his U18 season, and I can confirm that he played center that season. He showed a lot of talent and intelligence in that season, so I wasn't surprised he went in the top 10 of his draft.
It will be interesting to see how Hughes compares to Keller in his U18 season, assuming Hughes comes back to the NTDP next season.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure he also played center with the U-17's, but when he was bumped up, he was put on the 2nd line wing with Bracco and Colin White (with Colin White the center). Matthews and Eichel, when bumped up were put at center to the best of my knowledge (Matthews centering Gerish and Kyle Connor at the U-18's). Eichel was pretty much bumped up to a top 6 center role on a not so great 1995 class. Matthews was the 3rd line center behind Eichel and Larkin on a fairly deep 1996 team.
It will be interesting to see how Hughes is used if he is bumped up this year (I'd be very surprised if he didn't). The first line center spot for the U-18's is wide open, no one is particularly impressive, although I would be a bit surprised to see a Farabee-Hughes-Wahlstrom line. Its possible they put him in a situation to drive scoring on the 2nd line, as the scoring depth for the 2000's isn't great, or they break up Farabee/Wahlstrom and put him with one of the two.
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This year's U18's could definitely use the help up front that Hughes would provide if he's moved up. Other than Farabee and Wahlstrom, there is not much offensive firepower in the forwards group. Most of the top end talent on this squad resides with the blue liners and goaltender Drew DeRidder -- they are struggling to score goals.
I'm just starting to understand hockey, so I hope my question doesn't sound too dumb: Why would they bump him up? I understand that he is a great player, but he is also a Junior in High School, so wouldn't he have to finish High Schoo earlier then? Or do the U18 team for a second year? Please, I'm honestly trying to understand.
He would most likely play the 2nd year like Matthews or Eichel. The reason they would do this is that the U-18 team plays tougher games (against NCAA teams in exhibitions). The USNTDP U-18 team consists of a majority of the team the United States takes to the U-18 world junior championships in April. So, bumping him up accomplishes two things. One, it gets Hughes tougher games to challenge him and secondly, it integrates him with the U-18's so he has chemistry with them for the U-18's.
There are also other examples of players like Hanifin who were bumped up a year, and then fast-tracked to play NCAA in their draft year. But, that is a rare scenario.
Thanks, I think I got it now. Just to have it correct: he would be on the USNTDP for two years, but only half a season on the U17 and one and a half seasons on U18?
Yes, most likely, they tend to promote mid-year and the kid spends his next year on the U-18 team. Recent examples of this would be Clayton Keller, Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Joel Farabee, and Oliver Wahlstrom.
There are rare cases like Hanifin who was bumped up to the U-18, while also accelerating his schooling to be eligible for college a year early. Zach Werenski also accelerated his schooling but was never bumped up. This scenario I've only seen happen to Hanifin and Werenski.
Late birthdays are a bit complex and it tends to be a mixed bag on what age they start school. Eichel was a late birthday who did 2 full years at USNTDP. Technically Matthews also fast-tracked (high school graduation was a requirement for him to get the import exemption). But, it is not really the same situation as Hanifin and Werenski who skipped a year of USNTDP to go to university a year later as early birthdays.
Just another quick question - mid-year means mid-season, right? So, sometime in January?
It varies, but enough time to get some games in with the U-18's before they go to the U-18 Worlds in April. My guess is sometime in January and February, but there is no set date they will do it on.
William H Bonney
Registered User
Fonzieleaf
Registered User
Is this an evaluation process to determine the team for April's tournament? Or is this just another game for the program?
I was about to ask why he is not in the line up for today`s U17s game against Muskegon. Guess that explains it...
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William H Bonney
Registered User
The evaluation process has already started. Nearly all of the IIHF U18 team will be the current members of the NTDP U18 team, although there's usually some shuffling - U17 players are called up, U18 players are demoted, and occasionally they go outside the NTDP as well.
Fonzieleaf
Registered User
I'll say this now. He's going to go number 1 in his draft. Unless something completely dramatic happens, then this is a fair bet.
I find it kind of interesting that they simply put his bio into the U18 roster without any further comment. Is that the usual procedure?
William H Bonney
Registered User
Yep, they never publicize it like they do when they call in players to temporarily fill in from outside the program.
Any guesses which position and line he will play tomorrow?
I bet the family already knew about the bump up before X-Mas...
Woodhouse
Registered User
Second-line center between Gruden and Wahlstrom according to tonight's projected lineup:
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