Hughes headlines 2018 USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Jack Hughes, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, will headline a talented group of United States-born players participating in the 2018 USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game at Xcel Energy Center on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; HockeyTV.com).

The seventh annual game features 42 players eligible for the 2019 draft in Vancouver. All players were selected by USA Hockey in conjunction with NHL Central Scouting.
"This is shaping up to be a strong draft class for U.S.-born players and this game is going to highlight that fact," said Dan Marr, director of NHL Central Scouting. "USA Hockey's National Team Development Program is quite talented with a high number of projected A- and B-draft eligible candidates. There are a number of highly touted prospects that are playing at the high school and junior league level participating in this game whom we expect to continue to climb in the rankings during the 2018-19 season."
Hughes (5-foot-10, 168 pounds), a 17-year-old center who plays for NTDP under-18 team, is the brother of Vancouver Canucks defenseman prospect Quintin Hughes, the No. 7 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft.
"It would be the opinion of many hockey fans that Jack Hughes alone is worth the price of admission, but watching him utilize his elite skills, smarts and quickness to make plays with his teammates make for quite an exciting game," Marr said. "Jack is capable to change the outcome of a game every time he steps onto the ice. He truly is a special talent who lives and breathes the game of hockey."

Hughes, who will play for Team Jordan Leopold, had 116 points (40 goals, 76 assists) in 60 games with the NTDP U-17 and U-18 teams last season, one point shy of Auston Matthews' single-season program record set in 2014-15. Hughes had 68 points (27 goals, 41 assists) in 36 games for the U-18 team. He'll look to become the eighth U.S.-born player selected with the No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft, and the first since Matthews in 2016 (Toronto Maple Leafs).
Joining Hughes on Team Leopold will be defenseman Cameron York (5-11, 171 pounds), and right wing Cole Caufield (5-7, 155). Each play for the NTDP U-18 and are considered potential top-15 targets in the 2019 draft. York had 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) in 38 games for the NTDP U-17 team last season. Caufield, who had 63 points (44 goals, 19 assists) in 40 games for NTDP U-17 last season, is committed to the University of Wisconsin for 2019-20.
Center Alex Turcotte (5-11, 189), left wing Matthew Boldy (6-1, 187), and defenseman Alex Vlasic (6-6, 193), members of the NTDP U-18 and expected to be selected in the first round, will lead Team Jamie Langenbrunner. Turcotte had 47 points (15 goals, 32 assists) in 39 games with NTDP U-17 in 2017-18 and is committed to the University of Wisconsin for 2020-21. Boldy, who had 76 points (29 goals, 47 assists) in 61 games for NTDP U-17 last season, is committed to Boston College for 2019-20
Vlasic, compared by some to Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad, had 29 points (nine goals, 20 assists) in 60 games for NTDP U-17 and is committed to Boston University for 2019-20. His cousin is San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic.
Goaltender Spencer Knight (6-3, 197), who will play for Team Langenbrunner, also is a player to watch. He was 17-3-0 with a 2.55 goals-against average and .915 save percentage in 25 games for NTDP U-17 team, and 8-3-0 with a 2.58 GAA and .903 save percentage in 14 games for NTDP U-18 team last season. He'll play for the NTDP U-18 team this season, and is committed to Boston College for 2019-20.
There have been 155 players drafted into the NHL who have played in the All-American Prospects Game, including 36 first-round picks and 27 Minnesota-born players. The 2018 AAPG will have 10 players from Minnesota. NTDP U-18 associate coach Dan Hinote will be the assistant coach for Leopold; NTDP U-18 coach John Wroblewski will be the assistant for Langenbrunner.

USA HOCKEY ALL-AMERICAN PROSPECTS GAME ROSTERS

TEAM JAMIE LANGENBRUNNER

GOALIES:Isaiah Saville, Minnesota, NAHL; Spencer Knight, NTDP U-18, USHL
DEFENSEMEN: Zachary Jones, Tri-City, USHL; Michael Koster, Tri-City, USHL; John Prokop, Omaha, USHL; Jayden Struble, St. Sebatian's School, HIGH-MA; Case McCarthy, NTDP U-18, USHL; Alex Vlasic, NTDP U-18, USHL; Marshall Warren, NTDP U-18, USHL
FORWARDS:Matt Boldy, NTDP U-18, USHL; Garret Pinoniemi, Holy Family Catholic, HIGH-MN; Trevor Zegras, NTDP U-18, USHL; John Farinacci, Dexter School, HIGH-MA; Judd Caulfield, NTDP U-18, USHL; Arthur Kaliyev, Hamilton, OHL; Kaden Bohlsen, Des Moines, USHL; Aaron Huglen, Roseau, HIGH-MN; Alex Turcotte, NTDP U-18, USHL; Grant Silianoff, Cedar Rapids, USHL: Nicholas Robertson, Peterborough, OHL; Owen Lindmark, NTDP U18, USHL

TEAM JORDAN LEOPOLD

GOALIES:Cameron Rowe, NTDP U-18, USHL; Dustin Wolf, Everett, WHL
DEFENSEMEN: Cameron York, NTDP U-18, USHL; Henry Thrun, NTDP U-18, USHL; Drew Helleson, NTDP U-18, USHL; Benjamin Brinkman, University of Minnesota, Big Ten; Cade Webber, The Rivers School, HIGH-MA; Braden Doyle, Lawrence Academy, HIGH-MA; Ethan Frisch, Green Bay, USHL
FORWARDS: Michael Gildon, NTDP U-18, USHL; Ryder Donovan, Duluth East, HIGH-MN; Ryan Drkulec, Waterloo, USHL; Trevor Janicke, NTDP U-18, USHL; Cole Caufield, NTDP U-18, USHL; Shane Pinto, Lincoln, USHL; Robert Mastrosimone, Chicago, USHL; John Beecher, NTDP U-18, USHL; Austen Swankler, Waterloo, USHL; Luke Toporowski, Spokane, WHL; Jack Hughes, NTDP U-18, USHL; Danny Weight, NTDP U-18, USHL