US Developmental Teams to Join USHL

[mgoblue 0]

Sounds like a good plan to me, mutually beneficial. NTDP enters a higher level of play, USHL cements itself as one of the best routes to a college hockey scholarship.

http://www.mlive.com/sports/ann-arbor/inde...d_states_h.html

[epstud74 24]

I dont think the NAHL western teams played the USNDT too often if I remember correctly. I was also under the assumption that the USHL already was the #1 route to a college scholarship via the Junior A route. Will the USNDT be able to compete at the Tier I level?

[mxihockey 0]

Are you serious? They already compete in D1 hockey... I think they can handle the U.

[epstud74 24]

Ehhh they play exhibition games against some teams, but a full season is a long grind. Some of these kids are 16-17 yrs old, but I'm sure they're looking to accelerated their development a bit.

[Griff 2]

A few years ago the u-17 team played in the NA and the U-18's played in the ushl. The U-18's didn't fair so well so this will be interesting to see how it goes for them.

[Ahriman 1]

In Wisconsin's NCAA championship year I saw them play the U18 team while Wisconsin was top ranked and on a winning streak, watching the effort they put out there and the skill, full season or not those kids can outright play.

[mgoblue 0]

I didn't make it to the game this year (4-1 Michigan win), but the Michigan vs. U-18 exhibition last year was a laugher.

The 5-1 score didn't really portray how lopsided the game was. Obviously this is no discredit to these 16 and 17 year-old kids matched up against guys only months away from NHL careers, but they were just way outmatched; the size difference alone was significant.

Fortunately, however, the only U-18 goal was scored by a Michigan commit (Robbie Czarnik), and assisted by another (David Wohlberg). :D

In any case, I hope the boys in red, white, and blue do well!

[Dman33 0]

I wouldnt be so quick to say this is going to be a cake walk for the USNTDP. If you remember, a couple years ago the U18 team use to play in the USHL and i think they barely would break .500 so this will def be interesting to see how they fare nowadays.

As for them playing college teams, I know a lot D1 players how have played against U18 team they told me that a lot of times those colleges will use it to work their back up goalie, play a lot of their 4th line, and players who dont play a ton. These D1 schools have really nothing to gqain by playing them. I've also heard that a lot of the schools that are recruiting NTDP players will "ease up" against the national team players so they don't piss off their prized recruits, and they go else where. And the schools that actually do put up fight end up dominating, so I dont think it is a very accurate measuring stick.

[epstud74 24]

Sometimes I think these kids would be better off playing on junior teams than something like the USNDT. Sometimes I feel the USNDT is too political and the best American players arent always a part of the team.