Three Massachusetts residents have made USA Hockey’s NTDP U-17 team for the 2021-22 season, according to multiple sources.
St. Sebastian’s and Junior Eagles 16-U center Will Smith, Dexter Southfield and Junior Eagles 16-U right wing Will Vote, and Pope Francis and Springfield Rifles 15 Only right wing Ryan Leonard will all wear the red, white and blue with the NTDP for the next two seasons.
Smith, from Lexington, Mass., is considered one of the top forwards in the country at the ’05 age group. He’s been a longtime member of the Junior Eagles. A big power forward, Smith also has a finesse part of his game. His stick is elite, which allows him to finish and thread the needle to set up teammates. His habits away from the puck have gotten much better over the last year, making him a more complete player. Smith is committed to Northeastern for the 2023-24 season.
Vote made the team, despite suffering a broken foot during camp. His body of work over the past two years more than earned him a spot with the NTDP. The Arlington, Mass., native is on the smaller side and isn’t as gifted physically as Smith. However, Vote’s hockey sense and compete level are as good as it gets in this birth year. He played right wing for the Junior Eagles, but he played center for Danny Donato at Dexter Southfield. Vote has college interest from schools across the country, including Hockey East, ECAC Hockey and Big Ten.
Leonard made the NTDP after a stellar season for Pope Francis and Springfield Rifles. He took over games and singlehandedly carried his team to victory on multiple occasions. The Amherst, Mass., native is an elite goal scorer, but his offensive instincts and ability to make plays goes under the radar at times. He’s not as complete of a player as the other two at the moment, but he has some jam and is getting better in that regard. Numerous top programs will be interested in Leonard, but most insiders expect UMass to land the homegrown talent. His older brother, John, played three seasons for the Minutemen before signing with the San Jose Sharks.
The three forwards were among a contingent of six players from the region who attended last week’s NTDP Evaluation Camp in Plymouth, Mich. Boston Advantage 16-U right wing Will McDonough, Belmont Hill and Junior Eagles 16-U goaltender Sam Scopa, and Mid Fairfield 15 Only defenseman Lucas St. Louis did not make the final cut after being invited to the four-day camp at USA Hockey Arena.
The full roster is expected to be out soon. The 2021 USHL draft takes place May 26 and 27. The ‘05s who were not selected for the NTDP will be among the close to 150 prospects picked in the USHL Futures Draft.
Former Cushing forward makes college choice
Forward Cam Recchi, who played two seasons at Cushing Academy, has committed to St. Thomas, a fledgling Division 1 program located in Minneapolis.
Recchi, an ’01, has spent the past three seasons jumping around the junior circuit. He’s laced up the skates in the SJHL, USHL, NAHL and BCHL. In 20 games this season for Salmon Arm Silverbacks in the BCHL, he scored five goals and dished out seven helpers.
His father, Mark Recchi, played 22 NHL seasons, including two in Boston. He wore the ‘A’ while helping the Bruins to the 2011 Stanley Cup championship. He’s now an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils.
