USA Hockey National Team Development Program explained

The United States National Team Development Program (NTDP) was started in 1996 by USA Hockey as a way to identify elite ice hockey players under the age of 18, and centralize their training.^[1] There are two teams in the program: under-17 and under-18. Both teams are based in Plymouth, Michigan.

History

The stated goal of the NTDP is "to prepare student-athletes under the age of 18 for participation on the U.S. National Teams and success in their future hockey careers. Its efforts focus not only on high-caliber participation on the ice, but creating well-rounded individuals off the ice". While enrolled in the NTDP, players stay with billet families.

From its founding until 2014–15, the program was based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, playing games at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube. However, following that season, the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL relocated, freeing up the what was then known as the Compuware Arena. USA Hockey purchased the facility from Peter Karmanos, renamed it the USA Hockey Arena and moved the NTDP to Plymouth.^[2]

The under-17 and under-18 teams play games domestically against opponents in the United States Hockey League (under-17 and under-18 teams) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (under-18 team), as well as three international tournaments for each team plus occasional friendlies. The NTDP teams previously competed in the North American Hockey League until 2009.^[3]

Competitive record

IIHF U18 World Championship

The United States has won 11 gold medals in IIHF World U18 Championship they have participated in since 1999.^[4]

Year	Result	Rank
	First round	7th place	7	4	0	0	3	38	17	8
	Preliminary round	8th place	5	2	0	0	3	22	14	4
	Quarterfinals	6th place	6	3	0	1	2	28	14	6
	Champions		8	7	0	0	1	46	10	14
	Semi finals	4th place	6[5]	3	0	0	2	12	9	7
	Runner-up		6	5	0	0	1	27	10	10
	Champions		6	6	0	0	0	28	8	12
	Champions		6	5	1	0	0	37	7	11
	Runner-up		7	3	1	1	2	38	20	12
	Third place		7	5	0	0	2	31	19	15
	Champions		7	6	0	0	1	42	12	18
	Champions		7	6	0	0	1	33	7	18
	Champions		6	4	2	0	0	30	15	16
	Champions		6	6	0	0	0	27	4	18
	Runner-up		7	3	1	0	3	25	16	11
	Champions		7	6	0	0	1	31	12	18
	Champions		7	5	1	0	1	46	13	17
	Third place		7	6	0	0	1	50	11	18
	Champions		7	6	1	0	0	34	14	20
	Runner-up		7	4	0	0	3	32	19	12
	Third place		7	6	0	1	0	44	15	19
	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[6]
	Quarterfinals	5th place	5	1	2	1	1	20	20	8
	Runner-up		6	5	0	0	1	47	17	15
	Champions		7	6	1	0	0	51	10	20
	Runner-up		7	6	0	0	1	48	15	18
	To be determined
Total	11 Titles	25/27	164	119	10	4	30	867	328	345

Hlinka Gretzky Cup

USA Hockey does not send players in the program to this event anymore. The U.S. has been represented by non-NTDP players at this tournament.^[7]

Year	Result	Rank
1991	Third place
	Semi finals	4th place	3	0	0	0	3	6	18	0
1993	Runner-up
1994	Runner-up
1995	Third place
1996	Runner-up
1997	Did not participate
1998
1999	Runner-up
2000	Runner-up
2001	Did not participate
/ 2002	Preliminary round	5th place
	Champions		5	4	1	0	0	20	10	9
	Semi finals	4th place	5	2	0	0	3	7	15	6
	Preliminary round	5th place	3	1	0	0	1	11	11	4
	Runner-up		4	2	1	0	1	11	11	8
	Preliminary round	5th place	4	2	0	0	2	17	18	6
	Preliminary round	7th place	4	1	0	0	3	14	21	3
	Semi finals	4th place	4	2	0	0	2	15	21	6
	Runner-up		5	2	1	1	1	18	15	9
	Preliminary round	5th place	4	1	2	0	1	16	16	7
	Preliminary round	7th place	4	1	0	1	2	14	18	4
	Runner-up		5	3	0	1	1	16	14	10
	Third place		5	2	1	0	2	28	27	8
	Preliminary round	5th place	4	2	0	0	2	14	16	6
	Runner-up		5	2	2	0	1	19	15	10
	Preliminary round	5th place	4	1	1	0	2	10	17	5
	Semi finals	4th place	5	2	0	1	2	24	21	7
	Preliminary round	6th place	4	0	1	2	1	13	18	4
2020	Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.[8]
	Preliminary round	5th place	4	2	0	0	2	21	14	6
	Preliminary round	5th place	4	2	0	0	2	14	10	6
	Third place		5	3	0	0	2	23	18	9
	Semi finals	4th place	5	2	0	0	3	20	17	6
	To be determined
Total	1 Title	30/35

Record book

Single season^[9]

• Most goals: Cole Caufield, 72 (2018–19)
• Most assists: Jack Hughes, 78 (2018–19)
• Most points: Gabe Perreault, 132 (2022–23)

Career

• Most goals: Cole Caufield, 126 (2017–19)
• Most assists: Jack Hughes, 154 (2017–19)
• Most points: Jack Hughes, 228 (2017–19)

Notable alumni

As of the 2018–19 season, more than 310 NTDP alumni were drafted in the National Hockey League.^[10] This includes Rick DiPietro, Erik Johnson, Patrick Kane, Auston Matthews, and Jack Hughes, all of whom were drafted first overall in the NHL Entry Draft. At the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, NTDP alumni Patrick Kane and James van Riemsdyk were selected 1st and 2nd overall respectively, being the first American-born players selected with the top two picks. A record 17 players were selected directly from the NTDP in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.^[11]

Notes and References

1. Web site: USA Hockey National Team Development Program 2009–10 Media Guide. PDF. 2010-04-09. 2009. USA Hockey. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110720134236/http://usahockey.cachefly.net/NTDP/NTDPGuide0910WEB.pdf. 2011-07-20.
2. Web site: USA Hockey's move to Plymouth won't sink Ann Arbor Ice Cube, management says. 2015-04-22. 2015-04-22. MLive. Hicks, Justin P..
3. Web site: NTDP's move to USHL has worked perfectly. 2010-04-09. 2010-03-31. National Hockey League. Morreale, Mike G..
4. Web site: IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship . .
5. One game for Drawn
6. IIHF cancels U18 Worlds . . . Adam Steiss . March 13, 2020.
7. Web site: Hlinka Gretzky Cup History. teamusa.usahockey.com.
8. Web site: Hockey Canada statement on 2020 Hlinka Gretzky Cup . Hockey Canada.
9. Web site: All-Time NTDP Record Book. USA Hockey. April 30, 2019.
10. Web site: National Team Development Program Draft Picks by Round. USA Hockey. June 30, 2019.
11. Web site: Record-Breaking 17 Players Selected Directly from NTDP in 2019 NHL Draft. USA Hockey. June 30, 2019.