There were some surprising omissions from the 2019 U.S. Under-18 Men's Select Team that will represent USA Hockey at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Breclav, Czech Republic, and Piestany, Slovakia, from August 5-11.
Players were invited to compete for the U.S. Under-18 Men’s Select Team following the conclusion of the USA Hockey Select 17 Player Development Camp that took place the past week at the Northtown Center in Amherst, N.Y.
Players born in 2002 are eligible to compete in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, the first major international scouting event ahead of the 2020 NHL Draft. It’s a significant tournament as it’s a key chance for first-year eligible players to get in front of NHL scouts.
The team is chosen by a group of USA Hockey personnel, including the team’s head coach, Pat Ferschweiler. Binghamton Devils head coach Mark Dennehy (Dorchester, Mass.), Kenny Rausch (Danbury, Conn.) and a few others within USA Hockey’s ADM program play a significant role in selecting the team.
Going forward, it would be nice if USA Hockey incorporated a few other evaluators outside its organization. The group who oversees the selection of the team hasn’t watched this age group as closely as USHL general managers, college coaches, or even some NHL scouts. I'd like to see two NHL scouts, two college coaches, and two junior coaches or general managers be tasked with selecting the team.
Kudos to the group of USA Hockey personnel who picked the team for selecting a couple of players that were pleasant surprises. Little Caesars 16U forward Mark Estapa had a nice week at camp, but more importantly, he’s versatile and can be best described as a winning hockey player. Another under-the-radar pick was Donald Kempf, a Cornell commit, who just plays a steady game on defense.
It’s unfortunate that deserving players were left off the 2019 U.S. Under-18 Men’s Select Team roster for one reason or another. The USA Hockey Select 17 Player Development Camp is akin to shinny hockey and shouldn’t be used as the sole indicator of whether or not a player deserves to be in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
I picked my team heading into camp. Seven of the forwards and one defenseman came from the group I picked. Some of the players I had on my roster heading into the camp underperformed, while others I had on the bubble exceeded expectations. The camp was far deeper at the forward position, so there were quite a few forwards who could have been deserving.
Here are the surprising omissions from the U.S. roster for the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup:
Antonio Stranges
The London Knights left wing signed his contract with USA Hockey’s NTDP before reneging and heading to the OHL. However, it would have been nice to see one of the country’s most talented players at this age group. The Plymouth, Mich., native had an inconsistent camp, but he exploded in the third game. Nonetheless, it’s unfortunate a top two round pick is not heading to the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Aidan Campbell and Grant Riley
In addition to leaving the most skilled forward behind, USA Hockey opted to leave two extremely talented goaltenders off the roster. Campbell, who back-boned Pittsburgh Penguins Elite 16U to a USA Hockey National Championship in April, is heading to the OHL’s Erie Otters for the 2019-20 season. Riley, meanwhile, is the best uncommitted goaltending prospect in this age group. He’s likely going to play for the NAHL’s Janesville Jets this upcoming season.
Carter Mazur
Mazur had an up-and-down week at Select 17s, but he still finished with five points in five games. The Michigan State commit and Little Caesars product has always been considered a top talent among this age group. It seems harsh to leave him off this team.
Michael Cameron
The Berwyn, Pa., native and UMass commit had a goal and three assists during the five-game camp. Most importantly, his speed, overall skating ability, and 200-foot game would have been a welcome sight for the the U.S. team. Especially on the Olympic sheet, Cameron would have been a big asset. Instead, USA Hockey personnel opted to take a couple of players whose skating will not hold up on the big sheet.
Wyatt Schingoethe
Surprisingly, the Waterloo Black Hawks forward didn’t register a single point in the camp. However, the Notre Dame commit is a player who excels more in a structured environment than he does in a setting like Select 17s that can best be described as glorified pond hockey.
Cameron Berg
The Nebraska-Omaha commit had eight points, and perhaps more importantly, is a reliable two-way forward with junior hockey experience.
Tristan Broz
The Bloomington, Minn., native had three goals in camp and is a very good hockey player. Committed to the University of Minnesota, Broz had four points in six USHL games last winter for the Fargo Force.
