USA Hockey NTDP continues trend with big impact on 2023 NHL Draft

NASHVILLE --The USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team continued its trend of sprinkling a little Star-Spangled magic in the first round at the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft.

It began when William Smith (6-foot, 180 pounds), a right-shot center, became the first of four players from the NTDP U-18 to be selected in the first round when he was picked No. 4 by the San Jose Sharks.

Joining Smith in the first round were right wing Ryan Leonard (No. 8, Washington Capitals), center Oliver Moore (No. 19, Chicago Blackhawks), and right wing Gabriel Perreault (No. 23, New York Rangers). Perreault, Smith and Leonard played on the top line and will each attend Boston College next season. Moore will attend the University of Minnesota.

"Off the ice, we all loved each other ... everyone hung out with everyone and that helped us with the on-ice," Smith said. "When we got to the game, because we had so much trust with each other, that's what helped us win."

It was the fifth consecutive year at least one member of the program was chosen among the top five, marking the longest such stretch by any team in NHL Draft history.

The program had 13 players chosen over seven rounds.

"I think it's a testament to the program and the work that everybody does there," USA Hockey assistant executive director of hockey operations John Vanbiesbrouck said. "(USA Hockey assistant executive director) Scott Monaghan runs a great program for us and (USA Hockey director of sports science) Brian Galivan is now helping us develop off the ice as well as on the ice. I think the commitment to U.S.-born players is at an all-time high.

"We see a growth and when you run teams like myself, you're the benefactor of having some really good hockey players. We're setting the bar high, and I think that our challenge now is to keep it going, but we're getting some extraordinarily good athletes and we're very proud of that."

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A record eight NTDP players, including seven in the top 15, were selected in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft. There were six NTDP forwards selected in the first round and 14 overall in the 2022 NHL Draft.

Five players from this year's team selected at the 2023 draft will be attending Boston College in 2023-24, including the program's top line of Smith centering right wing Leonard and left wing Perreault.

"I thought we all brought something different to the table [as a line]," Perreault said. "I think Will is probably the most skilled guy in the draft and there's not another guy who brings as much to the table as Ryan so playing with those guys was definitely pretty easy.

"We'll see what next year brings."

In addition to Smith, Perreault and Leonard, defensemen Drew Fortescue (Rangers, No. 90) and Aram Minnetian (Dallas Stars, No. 125) and forward William Vote are the other players headed to Boston College in the Hockey East.

"I don't know what (Boston College coach) Greg Brown has done over there ... he's got a big hook out," Vanbiesbrouck said, tongue in cheek. "I think they have a great program and they're really committed and focused on our group. The one line is obviously a top line and we're going to see them this summer at the USA Hockey World Junior Summer Showcase (in August) playing together again.

"Chemistry and cohesion in the game is something that's a huge factor. The Boston College part of it is very unusual but they want to play together and, fortunately, Boston College invested and invested wisely."

This year's program established record-setting performances on many fronts.

The NTDP (50-13-0) set a program record for wins (16-5-1) against NCAA competition, as well as wins (15-3-1) against Division I programs.

The crowning achievement was celebrating its first gold medal at the 2023 IIHF World Under-18 Championship since 2017, winning 3-2 in overtime against Sweden in the championship game for the country's 11th gold medal in tournament history. The U.S lost 6-4 to Sweden in the gold medal game of the 2022 U-18 Worlds.

The United States proved dominant this time, tying Canada's record for most goals in the tournament (51 in 2001) while setting a standard for best goal differential (51-10).

NTDP goalies Trey Augustine (Detroit Red Wings, No. 41) and Carson Musser (Arizona Coyotes, No. 166) were each chosen in the 2023 draft.

"It's a group that I was really proud to be a part of, and what we were able to accomplish," said Dan Muse, who served as NTDP U-18 coach last season. "This group of players are leaving better than when they arrived and that's what you want to do at a place like this in that two-year process that you go through.

"There's been so many great groups that have come through, so many great players that have come through, but let's keep building the standard. Let's keep building how we do things every day. It takes a group of players to be able to do that and I think they did."