yzerman19

For NTDP players from Minnesota this year, here's just some of the out of season teams they played on other than the District HP teams: Minnesota Blades AAA- Cullen, Stevens, Thompson Minnesota Fire AAA- Stevens, Thompson, McKinnon, Buttweiler SDP AAA- McKinnon, Stevens, Suter, Buttweiler Thompson, Cullen, Buttweiler, and Suter also spent time on season based AAA teams in the blue blood arena such as Honeybaked and Little Caesars

Blue Ox and Loons and such are part of the CCM HP program. This is not pay to play AAA in the typical sense, but you still pay lol. Those teams are district based and there is a process to making the teams. They are also adjacent to the USA Select process for national development camp.

its a great debate. Lots to consider in all of this. It depends on the team and the kid a lot too. It is telling that the best WHL eligible US players that were drafted in 2025 ALL chose NTDP over WHL when offered in April.

If you have to pay for an agent that is a HUGE tell. None of the top agencies charge for representing top youth players. They believe and are invested on the return when the kid gets paid to play hockey.

I wonder if the Nicol brothers are on Chyz's radar? Reid is excellent in his own right, but his little brother is a potential exceptional status player. They are from Brandon.

fair- a handful of kids have selected CHL over NTDP over the years. From a physical development perspective the NTDP cannot be beaten, kids come out of there strong and fast. Can argue about competitive development until everyone turns blue in the face. I guess my point is that you seldom see a top kid say CHL over NTDP. Does it happen? Sure, but its unusual. With that being said, that will limit US kids getting drafted high, because they are a riskier bet.

any American kid who is 100% committed to CHL either isn't on the NTDP radar or their agent has a bone to pick with NTDP

It will be interesting to see what happens in the WHL draft. Historically they had the separate US Draft, so they were used to taking flyers there. They picked up Thompson and Morris early last year, but Joey Cullen was picked up later because of the Force connection and the <1% chance he would report. In a unified draft they probably would've slipped a ways simply because US kids are harder to commit. I predict zero top dog american kids go in the first round of the WHL draft this year.

As was said...and...before the draft, teams talk to players and if they want the team and the team wants the player. boom. This year's draft really showed the CHL to NCAA influence. The USHL is scared of guys that also have CHL opportunities.

The 2 top of the list 2010 guys with local roots already made NTDP...unlikely Joey goes anywhere other than Gophers. Thompson is a possibility though.

Burris, Kunz yesterday and Bydal today so far. Kraft, Coulter, Korten, Grammar, Q Jackson, Hontvedt, Marvin from the area just to name a few. You can find whole lists on USHL draft board

A handful of talented local(ish) kids went in the USHL draft yesterday...Moorhead, Warroad, Grand Forks. Be fun to see their progress and interest in UND. Several guys that were previously selected by WHL teams but didn't sign were drafted, however it seemed quite clear to me that guys that had a high probability of going CHL were not picked up or picked up late as flyers. Seemed to me that the battle lines are really being drawn between USA Hockey and Hockey Canada...which is too bad, because it only hurts the kids. Another note is that the online rating and scouting services seem to be off in left field on a number of these guys. Not surprising. They get paid on clicks, not on wining games or getting guys to the next level.

I think there are going to be portal schools and overager schools and Elite 18 year old schools....

one more thing. If you are really good with a future beyond high school in hockey, you will know it by 2nd year PeeWee. be honest and don't get seduced by bs that just drains your bank account. Most important of all however is to listen to your kids. Do they love playing hockey or do they just love being with their friends? Do they hate to lose or is it just a game? Do they shoot pucks on their own without being asked? Do they talk hockey when nobody is around? Do they want to play hockey or be hockey players?

The label "AAA" is just that, a label. There are varying degrees within that label. I would break down the thinking in terms of competition, coaching, and exposure as the main goals of any spring hockey. If you are looking for what should truly be a top end experience against top end competition, there are only a handful of tournaments to play in: Brick and Brick Series for the Squirts, Clash and Triple Crown for the PeeWees, Triple Crown and then WSI 15 for the bantams. I think Toronto just started a 15 tourney as well last year (Kwench or something) that is also high end. The rest is just fun tourneys. If its coaching that you need, well you need to really take a long look at who is coaching and what they are coaching. If you are looking for development, save your money unless the team runs real practices a couple days/week. If your child is good not great, I would recommend saving the tourney expenses and investing in skating and skills instead. Remember the best players in the world have the puck on their stick maybe 2 minutes in a 60 minute game. At young ages you are far better practicing than you are playing organized games.