USNTDP predictions: Who makes the 2025-26 team?

PLYMOUTH, Mich. — That's a wrap on the U.S. National Team Development Program's Evaluation Camp.

Now comes the big question: Who made it?

While offers were sent out to certain players, nothing is official yet. Last year, it wasn't made public until April 10 after the camp was March 19-23. I'd expect a similar timeline this season.

What should make this year interesting is the CHL ruling. CHL scouts were in attendance at the evaluation camp, along with numerous USHL scouts. Now that OHL, QMJHL and WHL teams can try and sign these players and have them still play Division 1 college hockey down the road, it could complicate things for prospects.

On March 12, Two Rivers High (Mendota Heights, Minn.) defenseman Luke Christopherson declined an invitation to evaluation camp to sign with the WHL's Portland Winterhawks.

Could more turn down invitations to join the team in favor of signing with junior teams? We shall see.

Nevertheless, here are my picks for the next team with 13 forwards, seven defensemen and two goalies. I can't stress this enough — this is my opinion after having watched games on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

FORWARDS

Carter Meyer

Rivers, 4/10/2009, F, left shot, 6-1/170
Hometown: Winchester, Mass. 

Meyer made a statement at camp, showcasing himself as the group's top dog—at least for now. Multiple Division 1 assistants agreed. He controlled the pace, wanted the puck, and always produced. It's super early, but he looks like a future NHL first-round pick.

Alexander Milojevic

Chicago Mission, 9/5/2009, F, left shot, 6-0/180
Hometown: Chicago, Ill. 

Milojevic dazzled with his speed and phenomenal skating. He was able to toast defenders by using quick bursts to create separation. He also had great hands and showcased a quick, accurate shot. He drove play down the middle and supported away from the puck in all three zones. He was a blast to watch at camp.

Trevor Daley Jr.

Florida Alliance, 7/11/2009, F, left shot, 5-10/170
Hometown: Dallas, Texas 

Daley's playmaking abilities and puck protection made him a force in the offensive zone. He showcased patience both on the rush and in the cycle, waiting for passing lanes to open. He played like a potent, future top-six fixture for the NTDP.

Finn Sears

Rivers, 5/4/2009, F, left shot, 6-1/175
Hometown: Medford, Mass. 

From what I saw, Sears was at his best on Thursday, but he was still impactful on Friday and Saturday (I wasn't there on Sunday). He showcased his hard shot, scoring on a quick missile from the slot in Saturday's second game. His passing in transition and confidence to hold onto pucks made him stand out and should make him potent with the NTDP next season if he makes it.

Cannon Thibodeau

Toronto Marlboros, 12/10/2009, F, right shot, 5-8/149
Hometown: Charleston, S.C. 

When watching Thibodeau zip through the defense to get a breakaway, one Division 1 assistant remarked to me, "He skates better than he walks." Translation: he's a freaking great skater. His shiftiness combined with his great hands made him a consistent driver of play. He could fit down the middle or on the wing with his play style.

Kane Barch

Huron-Perth Lakers, 3/13/2009, F, left shot, 5-10/170
Hometown: Plano, Texas 

While Barch wasn't on the ice Thursday, he was impossible to miss on Friday and Saturday. His mix of grit and playing on the edge combined with his high-end offensive skill makes him such an intriguing player to watch if he's to make the team. It's still so early with these players, but Barch reminded me a little bit of Matthew Tkachuk.

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Nolan Fitzhenry

Shattuck-St. Mary’s, 2/10/2009, F, left shot, 5-9/156
Hometown: Andover, Minn. 

Fitzhenry's offensive abilities are outstanding. His awareness on the wing was obvious, as he knew how to get open in the offensive zone to put himself in optimal scoring positions. He had great hands and his shot allowed him to score from anywhere. He would make a lot of sense as a top-six wing for the NTDP.

Brayden Willis

Mount St. Charles, 9/16/2009, F, right shot, 5-8/159
Hometown: Gilbert, Ariz. 

Willis' stock rose throughout the season, culminating in being invited to camp. The Mount product thrived, always finding open teammates in transition. His vision was consistently on display over the games on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and he has a wicked shot. He'd be on my team.

Rocco Pelosi

Mount St. Charles, 1/28/2009, F, left shot, 5-9/164
Hometown: Sewell, N.J. 

This wasn't Pelosi's best showing. He had some spurts throughout the camp but struggled to stand out. Still, it's impossible to ignore just how good he's been as a 14U and a 15O player at Mount St. Charles. One average camp shouldn't negate all of that. I'd take him for his compete, his ability and his leadership. He's a gamer.

Sam Pandolfo

Rivers, 7/2/2009, F, left shot, 6-3/185
Hometown: Winchester, Mass. 

Pandolfo's game was different from most other players at the camp. He did the little things well and was consistently making plays with his passing. He was physical, finishing every hit and taking intelligent routes to limit options for defensemen looking to make a breakout pass. His ability to thrive anywhere in the lineup, along with what he can be at his size, should get him on the team. And, most importantly, he had a very good camp.

Gunnar Conboy

Lakeville North HS, 4/2/2009, F, left shot, 6-2/174
Hometown: Lakeville, Minn. 

The NTDP needs bigger players in the lineup, too. They will face USHL teams next season. Many of these players have only ever played against their own age group. Conboy has the size, the physicality, the strength and the experience from playing against older, stronger players in Minnesota high school hockey. In every game, Conboy showed relentless compete and high-end physicality. He also was able to make things happen in the offensive zone.

Braden Horton

Shattuck-St. Mary's, 4/17/2009, F, right shot, 6-0/178
Hometown: Souderton, Penn. 

Horton falls into the same category as Conboy, except his offensive ceiling looked a bit higher. Horton has size and finished clean, hard checks. He was able to use his frame to get to high-danger areas and showcased a lethal shot. I could see him fitting anywhere in the NTDP lineup.

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Gavin Burcar

Chicago Mission, 1/8/2009, F, right shot, 6-2/165
Hometown: Villa Park, Calif. 

Burcar was a nice presence down the middle. He wasn't the best skater at the event, but he showed good hockey sense and an ability to be a playmaker. His size is also intriguing, as 6-foot-2 centers are always in demand at the next level.

DEFENSEMEN

Easton Johnson

Sioux Falls Power, 7/30/2009, D, left shot, 5-11/165
Hometown: Luverne, Minn. 

I didn't feel there was a far-and-away best defenseman at the camp — but Johnson was the closest thing to it. His skating, edgework and puck-moving abilities made him a treat to watch and someone who could run a top power-play unit. His offensive upside is very high. He made good reads and showcased a smart stick on defense, too.

Christian Semetsis

Mount St. Charles, 10/14/2009, D, left shot, 5-9/147
Hometown: Smithtown, N.Y. 

When talking to a handful of people around the rinks on Thursday, they didn't seem optimistic about Semetsis' chances to make the team. But Semetsis was outstanding over the four games I watched. He made calm, confident decisions with the puck. He knew when to rush it and join the offense. He was physical and had smart gaps in his own zone. His all-around game is why I have him as the No. 2 defenseman.

Diego Gutierrez

Shattuck-St. Mary’s, 5/13/2009, D, right shot, 6-1/176
Hometown: McAllen, Texas 

As I wrote after Saturday's two games, Gutierrez got better and more comfortable with each game. He showed himself as a two-way force, defending his own zone hard and intelligently moving pucks on breakouts with confidence. He showed great mobility at the offensive blue line, using his great skating to get lanes to the net or for open passes.

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Jake Boguniecki

Mid Fairfield, 4/22/2009, D, right shot, 6-0/153
Hometown: Orange, Conn. 

Boguniecki had a fine camp. He was consistently jumping into the rush and trying to score around the opposing net. But how his game really projects is as a reliable, shutdown defenseman — and there weren't a lot of those at camp who weren't projects. He has good size and showed his ability to be physical. Several of the Division 1 assistants I chatted with over the camp liked his game, too.

Drew Roscoe

Shattuck-St. Mary's, 3/5/2009, D, right shot, 6-5/177
Hometown: St. Louis, Mo. 

Speaking of projects, Roscoe, at 6-foot-5, is probably one. Two things work in his favor. The first is that the NTDP has a history of taking big defensemen and molding them into NHL Draft picks over two years. The other is that he's a solid skater and plays tough in front of his own net.

Broden McArthur

Dallas Stars Elite, 2/24/2009, D, right shot, 5-10/165
Hometown: San Antonio, Texas

McArthur is a good skater who showed strong two-way abilities. In Saturday's second game, he flew down the ice and earned a 2-on-1. He picked the perfect time to pass it across to New Jersey Rockets forward Hudson Salvador for a goal. McArthur also has a very good shot. It's early, but he feels like someone the NTDP could develop into almost any defenseman.

Carson Scott

Hill-Murray High School, 4/2/2009, D, left shot, 6-2/196
Hometown: Dayton, Minn. 

Scott showed an ability to break up opposing rushes with good gaps and an active stick. He was tough on the other team's forwards in the corners, too. He was reliable moving pucks in all three zones and with his size, and he projects as someone who would fit in well with the NTDP.

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GOALIES

Nathaniel Chizik

Mount St. Charles, 2/15/2009, G, catches left, 6-2/204
Hometown: Warrington, Pa. 

Sometimes, you know it when you see it. And with Chizik, you just knew it when you saw it. He had a brutal day on Saturday but was lights-out in Thursday's second game. He was positionally sound in the net and was outstanding on lower shots, getting his pads down to make hard saves look easy. He looked like the best goalie at camp.

Lucas Johnson

Chicago Reapers, 4/16/2009, G, catches left, 6-0/161
Hometown: Chicago, Ill. 

What was most apparent about Johnson was his athleticism. The Reapers goalie was able to sprawl out and negate numerous chances. I also liked his positioning. Being a goalie for the NTDP's U17 team is very hard given that they're always going against older, stronger teams. But Chizik and Johnson looked most up to the challenge at camp.

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