More than 30 players from New England competed in the United States Hockey League this past season, not including the U.S. National Team Development Program. About the same number of prospects who aren’t natives but developed in New England prep school and other AAA hockey programs in region also were rostered on one of the Tier 1 league’s 15 teams in 2020-21.
That is clear evidence that more regional players are leveraging the junior hockey path to prepare for the NCAA and beyond.
Luke Curadi is the league’s director of player personnel, overseeing myriad showcases and developmental events that help raise player profiles and identify candidates to eventually play in the USHL. This past spring, 30 players from around the U.S. and Canada who attended the ’05 USHL combine were chosen in the league’s futures draft on May 26. That averaged out to about 2.5 players drafted per team, according to Curadi.
