5 things learned from 2022 BioSteel All-American Game

Rutger McGroarty of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team was named Most Valuable Player at the BioSteel All-American Game at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan, on Monday.

McGroarty, No. 18 on
NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking
of North American skaters for the 2022 NHL Draft, had a goal and an assist for Team Blue in a 4-3 overtime win against Team White.
"Winning MVP is definitely up there with my best memories," McGroarty said. "I feel like it was a great game all around, very competitive. I'm a skilled power forward but am still working on my stride and explosiveness."
McGroarty (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) tied it 3-3 at 17:23 of the third period on a wrist shot skating down the slot.
"He's competitive and he's smart and I think that's a real good combination for a guy that plays a power game," NTDP coach Adam Nightingale said.
Damien Carfagna, a defenseman with Green Bay of the United States Hockey League, scored on a wrist shot from the left face-off circle at 2:30 of overtime. NTDP forward Cutter Gauthier, No. 6 on the North American skater list, had two assists for Team Blue.
Tyler Muszelik (NTDP), No. 5 on Central Scouting's midterm rankings of North American goalies, started for Team White and made 13 saves on 13 shots in 30:10. Paxton Geisel (Dubuque, USHL), No. 28, made 17 saves on 18 shots for Blue in 32:20.
Here are five things learned from the game:

Continuing tradition of excellence

Logan Cooley, No. 2 on Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters, is one of nine players from the NTDP that could hear his name called in the first round of the 2022 draft.
Cooley had one assist and two shots on goal for Team White.
"I think we have a lot of good players that are [really] skilled, players that like to get better each day," Cooley said. "The coaching staff really pushes us to get better each day and we have the right guys in the locker room who like to compete each day and that's showing how good the team is."
The left-shot center and three other NTDP teammates are projected to be selected among the top 15 of the 2022 draft. The list includes left wing Gauthier, right wing Jimmy Snuggerud (No. 8) and left wing Isaac Howard (No. 12).
A record eight NTDP players, including seven in the top 15, were selected in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena in Vancouver. There were three NTDP players selected in the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft and one chosen in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft.

Like father, like son

Five players who participated in the All-American Game have fathers who played in the NHL.
Snuggerud, the son of former NHL forward Dave Snuggerud and a University of Minnesota commit, had a game-high seven shots on goal and scored on a snap shot from the high slot to pull Blue within 2-1 at 12:43 of the second period.
He is tied for second on the NTDP with 38 points (16 goals, 22 assists) and ranks first with five power-play goals in 33 games.
"My dad always told me to shoot pucks as hard as I could every time, so I have to give him credit," Snuggerud said. "There's a lot of guys who have a shot like that in the NHL; Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser [of the Vancouver Canucks]. I try to model my shot after those guys."
Chicago forward Zam Plante (father is Derek Plante), committed to the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2022-23, is No. 40, and Fargo forward Cole Knuble (Mike Knuble), who'll attend Notre Dame, is No. 118. Knuble scored Blue's second goal on a backhand from the slot at 8:30 of the third period.
Sioux City defenseman Garrett Brown (Curtis Brown), committed to Denver, is No. 185, and NTDP forward Marek Hejduk (Milan Hejduk), who will attend Harvard, is No. 110.

Dubuque special delivery

Stephen Halliday, Connor Kurth and Kenny Connors of Dubuque in the United States Hockey League combined for 11 shots on goal as linemates for Team White.
Halliday, No. 108 in NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters, played center and had a goal and four shots on goal.
"It's really special [to score], especially with guys I've played with the whole season," Halliday said. "It's great that Coach Brock Sheahan (Chicago, USHL) put us together. It was pretty special. I had a good offseason and worked a lot on my quick starts."
Halliday leads Dubuque with 49 points (18 goals, 31 assists) in 30 games this season. Kurth (one assist, four shots on goal) is second with 43 points (19 goals, 24 assists) and Connors (one assist) is fifth with 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists).

Raised on Red Wings

NTDP center Frank Nazar considers himself lucky that his father was a parking attendant across from Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.
"He owned a parking garage across the street, and he'd park all the people that would come watch the games and, through that, he kind of became a fan," Nazar said. "He'd park the cars and go watch the games, and then when people come out they'd be like, 'What a game.' That kind of got him into hockey.
"When I was 5, I remember walking into his room and he was watching a game and asked me if I wanted to play. I was like, 'Yeah, it looks like fun.' I was raised on Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg."
Nazar, No. 17 in Central Scouting's midterm rankings of North American skaters, is tied for second on the NTDP with 38 points (15 goals, 23 assists). The right-handed shot will attend the University of Michigan next season.
"[Nazar] has elite speed and competes for the puck," Nightingale said. "I think he's at his best when he's hunting pucks and using his speed with and without the puck."

Garden State goodness

Muszelik was one of four players who were born or raised in New Jersey, marking a record number representing the state in the event's history.
Muszelik, born in Long Valley, became the sixth goalie to not allow a goal (stopped all 13 shots faced) in the All-American Game. He will attend the University of New Hampshire in 2022-23.
"Muszelik**