Preview: USA Hockey Select 17 Player Development Camp

Gavin Fitzpatrick of Thayer Academy will attend the 2019 USA Hockey Select 17 Player Development Camp. (Dave Arnold)

The 2019 USA Hockey Select 17 Player Development Camp will take June 26-July 1 at the Northtown Center in Amherst, N.Y.

The week-long event showcases the top 2002-born players in the United States, sans those who are playing for USA Hockey’s NTDP. It’s an important year for many ‘02s who are entering their draft season.

The camp is used to select players for the U.S. Under-18 Select Team that will compete in the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup in August. That event is one of the first major international showcases of talent for the 2020 NHL Draft.

In addition to USA Hockey personnel that will evaluate players and choose the roster for the team that will represent the United States at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, many college coaches, NHL scouts, junior scouts, and NHLPA agents will be on hand to watch the proceedings.