U.S. NTDP predictions: Who makes the 2026-27 team?

PLYMOUTH, Mich. — The 2026 U.S. National Team Development Program Evaluation Camp is complete.

Now we wait to see who made the team.

Certain players have received offers, but nothing is official. The program announced this season's U17 team on April 10 of last year. One thing to remember is that last season's camp was held later in March, so I wouldn't be stunned if we get the full team before April 10.

This year's camp was full of players with high-end speed and skill up front, and there were a lot of right-shot defensemen in back. Of the 16 defensemen at camp, only five were left shots.

Before the official teams come out, here are my picks with 13 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders. This is solely based on my opinion from being at camp. Players are listed in the order in which I would rank them.

Let's dive in.

FORWARDS

Joey Cullen

Moorhead High, 4/17/2010, F, left shot, 5-11/161
Hometown: Moorhead, Minn. 

I try not to look too much into the non-New Englanders so I can go into camp without any bias, but it was impossible not to hear the hype about Cullen — and he lived up to it. He was the best player in camp. His assertiveness, play-driving, vision, shot and compete were high-end. There weren't many weaknesses, and he was just so damn fun to watch. He should be a star for the NTDP if he makes it.

Maverick McKinnon

St. Thomas Academy High, 9/14/2010, F, right shot, 5-9/170
Hometown: Forest Lake, Minn. 

McKinnon was someone I liked at USA Hockey's Select 15 Camp last summer, and he maintained that high level at camp. His play-driving and vision made him such a force every shift. Even when he was on the wing in Friday's game, he still made a similar impact.

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Carter Morris

Shattuck-St. Mary’s 16U, 1/22/2010, F, left shot, 5-10/165
Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska 

Morris can straight up fly. He's an elite skater whose puck skills and IQ made him a constant threat to create offense. He hustled back to cut down space on opposing players in the neutral and defensive zones, too.

Will LoSauro

North Jersey Avalanche, 7/14/2010, F, left shot, 5-10/154
Hometown: Ridgewood, N.J. 

LoSauro was dominant down the middle. What made him such a standout, however, was his edge and ability to win puck battles and be physically imposing, which would come in handy against USHL teams next season if he makes the NTDP.

Dylan Delgado

Honeybaked 15O, 7/20/2010, F, left shot, 5-10/161
Hometown: Weston, Fla. 

If you're a play-driving center, Delgado is the exact kind of wing you want on your left flank. The Florida native has incredible hands and made such subtle, effective puck plays. Even in small areas with bigger defensemen all over him, he kept his composure and made fantastic decisions. He also showcased some speed, too.

Jack Queally

St. Sebastian's, 7/27/2010, F, left shot, 5-11/181
Hometown: Norwood, Mass. 

As I wrote on Thursday, Queally was different from most players at camp. He was effective with the puck on his stick and creating offense, but he was also effective in his own end and was smart on the forecheck. He should be an effective do-it-all center for the NTDP if he makes it.

Dean Stevens

Minnetonka Bantam AA, 9/18/2010, F, right shot, 5-8/141
Hometown: Excelsior, Minn. 

Stevens has an electrifying blend of speed and skill that makes him a force on the right wing. Defenders have to respect his speed and give him some time and space, which is when Stevens was often able to deploy a wicked wrister.

Sam Lee

Belmont Hill, 9/29/2010, F, left shot, 5-11/161
Hometown: Woburn, Mass. 

Entering camp, Lee had to prove that he was one of the better top-six forwards at camp, and he did. Lee was one of the most productive players in camp with a multi-point game on Wednesday and multiple points across both Thursday games. That same ability to be unafraid to stick-handle through traffic and pressure that we saw during the prep season was on display at camp. He should make the team.

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Jack Riehl

Pittsburgh Pens Elite, 1/20/2010, F, right shot, 6-1/157
Hometown: Mars, Pa. 

Riehl was highly productive throughout camp, finding scoring areas and exploiting holes in the defense. He has a wicked shot, and with his size and compete, he makes a lot of sense as someone who can play anywhere in the lineup for the NTDP if he makes it.

RJ Thompson

Eden Prairie High School, 8/11/2010, F, right shot, 5-11/161
Hometown: Eden Prairie, Minn. 

Thompson is a great complementary right winger for a play-driving center. He's a very good skater with a low center of gravity, making him difficult to knock off pucks. He often used his frame to fend off defenders. He also has high-end patience with possession.

Cameron Evans

Shattuck-St. Mary's, 4/3/2010, F, left shot, 5-7/150
Hometown: Cranberry Township, Pa. 

Evans might have been the fastest player at camp. When he got the puck on his stick in the neutral zone, it didn't take long for him to reach full speed and burn a defender. He's a speedy option at left wing that I'd want on my team.

Ben Slavick

Little Caesars, 2/26/2010, F, right shot, 6-1/157
Hometown: Westland, Mich. 

Slavick provides a heavy dose of size and physicality, willing to rough it up with anyone in the corners and low in the zone, creating space and more time in the cycle game. He has great offensive abilities, but it's his effectiveness using his size that would put him on my team.

Jack Trupiano

Little Caesars, 6/11/2010, F, right shot, 6-0/174
Hometown: St. Clair Shores, Mich. 

Trupiano's frame and powerful skating allowed him to zip around (and through) defensemen and get to high-danger areas. That will come in handy against bigger, older players in the USHL next season if he's to make the team.

DEFENSEMAN

Chase Schulberger

Woodbridge Wolfpack 15O, 11/9/2010, D, right shot, 6-2/190
Hometown: Quakertown, Pa. 

I thought Schulberger was the best defender at camp. A two-way force, he was able to play intelligent, physical hockey against opposing forwards in his own zone. He actually got into a scrum at one point that the referees struggled to break up. He has an active stick that cuts off passing lanes and breaks up plays. He's also not afraid to jump into the offense, making smart reads and good puck decisions.

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Drew Daley

Shattuck-St. Mary's, 2/16/2010, D, right shot, 5-11/154
Hometown: Lake Valley, N.Y. 

Daley was the best puck-moving defenseman at camp. He's calm with possession and is a good enough skater to take it himself, often waiting for the right passing lane to open to deliver to a teammate. He's reliable in his own zone, too, using smart gap control off the rush.

Mason Schemenauer

Minnetonka High School, 6/23/2010, D, right shot, 6-1/170
Hometown: Minnetrista, Minn. 

Schemenauer was just super reliable. The big righty shuts down plays with his reads and physicality. He's also good at making first passes on breakouts, usually making the simple play.

Nikolai Zhukov

Hermantown High, 8/30/2010, D, right shot, 6-0/172
Hometown: Proctor, Minn. 

One of the biggest things with Zhukov was his play with the puck. He was calm and creative on breakouts with a strong ability to sense pressure and use his good skating to get away from forecheckers. He also has a heavy shot that he can deploy from the point.

Will Johnston

Shattuck-St. Mary's, 3/29/2010, D, left shot, 6-0/161
Hometown: Libertyville, Ill. 

There weren't many left-shot defensemen at camp, but Johnston stood out as the top one. He was impactful in his own zone with smart reads and a willingness to take the body. When the opposition was cycling and moving throughout the zone, he consistently covered someone in front. He has an active stick, especially when defending the rush. He scored in Thursday morning's game and made a slick pass across the zone for a Ryan Teuscher goal.

Aiden Ali

Little Caesars, 2/28/2010, D, left shot, 6-1/185
Hometown: Vernon Hills, Ill. 

Ali showed himself as a tough, hard-nosed defenseman throughout camp. He wasn't afraid to mix it up and make life difficult for opponents. He was also a reliable puck mover.

Griffin Carver

Little Caesars, 7/7/2010, D, right shot, 5-11/185
Hometown: Flat Rock, Mich. 

Carver had a solid camp. His shot in Thursday morning's game produced a rebound that Colin Kennedy scored on. Carver had no problem getting physical either. After neither of Thursday's games featured much hitting, Carver stepped up for a big hit off of Friday's opening draw, setting a tone.

GOALIES

Colby Arnold

St. Louis AAA Blues 15O, 3/19/2010, G, catches left, 5-10/163
Hometown: O’Fallon, Mo. 

Arnold was outstanding at camp. In Thursday's second game, he was less than a minute away from a shutout when he allowed his first goal. Despite being smaller for a goalie, his ability to cut down angles, be square to shots and not give up rebounds made him highly effective.

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Luke Lawson

Reps Hockey Club, 7/31/2010, G, catches left, 6-4/194
Hometown: Manhattan Beach, Calif. 

Lawson's size and athleticism would make him my second goalie. There is no harder position for a 17-year-old than being a goalie on the U17 NTDP team, but that size would go a long way in helping him adjust to the higher level.

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