Cole Eiserman of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program Under-18 Team is filing a draft diary for NHL.com this season leading up to the 2024 NHL Draft. The 17-year-old left wing (6-foot, 197 pounds) and native of Newburyport, Massachusetts, is No. 8 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters for the 2024 draft. He is second on the NTDP with 76 points (49 goals, 27 assists) in 49 games this season. He ranks second in team history with 118 career goals and is eight short of tying Cole Caufield (126 goals, 2017-19) for the all-time NTDP lead. The NTDP will next play in the 2024 IIHF World Under-18 Championship in Finland (April 25-May 5).
Hello hockey fans:
So, we're ramping up practices and going pretty hard in preparation for the IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship, and we'd have it no other way. We're trying to win another gold medal and looking forward to having that opportunity.
That said, we're always trying to keep it loose. We have a good schedule so after a day of on-ice, the gym, video sessions, school, we're hanging out together. We watched the Frozen Four semifinal-round games on Thursday and will watch the final on Saturday. We'll always do stuff like that.
On the day of the eclipse (April 8) we all put on our glasses after practice and went outside ... it was primetime viewing and we saw it. It was about 90 percent covered so it was cool. I don't think anyone on the team is heavy, heavy into astronomy, but it was different to do something like that and share the experience with your friends.
When I do get a chance, I always like to keep up with what's going on in the NHL and the race for the Art Ross Trophy (given annually to the League scoring leader) has been really good. It's great watching how much (Tampa Bay Lightning forward) Nikita Kucherov, (Colorado Avalanche center) Nathan MacKinnon and (Edmonton Oilers center) Connor McDavid have put up on a nightly basis. They're all obviously unreal players who are the best in the world for a reason. But I'd probably say MacKinnon has the biggest impact on the ice at all times, no matter if it's power play or 5-on-5, so I'd probably go with him down the stretch.
When it comes to the Calder Trophy (voted as NHL rookie of the year), there's no doubt (Chicago Blackhawks center) Connor Bedard, at least in my eyes, has been better than I think people would have expected this year. It's really cool to see him go with all the pressure he's had. I'm sure he's pretty fired up to be doing as well as he's doing, but it's also pretty cool to see defenseman Brock Faber playing his game with the Minnesota Wild. I mean, he's kind of a top defenseman already and it's pretty crazy to see the amount of points he's putting up. When he played at the University of Minnesota, I think he was a pretty stay-at-home defenseman and now he's in the NHL, putting up numbers, which is pretty cool.
I can't believe (Toronto Maple Leafs center) Auston Matthews has reached 68 goals at this point. I think he does a really good job with his hand positioning and how he really flicks that puck. He's also so good at kind of changing up his release. I think he scores a lot of goals that go five-hole on the goaltender; he scores to that spot more than he does to the top corners. It's all about looking up and having a release point being down. I think that's something I've tried to do a lot more.
Finally, I know that after the U18 Worlds, most of us will be preparing for the NHL Scouting Combine (June 3-8). I think it's just getting in as best shape as you can. Obviously, we know about all the tests, but being sharp with your interviews and being a good person is just as important.
Well, that's it for this month. Enjoy the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, everyone.
