American high schoolers are facing a tough decision whether to join a club or play for their country.
SIOUX CITY, IA -- While they don't receive the same attention as the U.S. Olympic basketball team, the United States National Team Development Program is the dream team for National Hockey League scouts.
The USNTDP team is one of 14 teams competing in the United States Hockey League's Fall Classic and represents the majority of the highly-touted prospects for the 2010 NHL draft at this tournament. Fourteen of the players donning their nation's colours are eligible this year on a stacked team of talented 1992-born American players.
Their inclusion in the USHL's tournament in Sioux City, Iowa has the scouting community buzzing.
"It's one of the better team's I've seen and I've been doing this for 13 years," said Darryl Plandowski, head amateur scout of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The USNTDP fields two teams of 16- and 17-year-old players who play in various tournaments. At the conclusion of their two years with the program, the majority of their players join the NCAA while some opt to join the Canadian Hockey League.
The pinnacle of the program comes in April of each year where they're always considered the frontrunners for the gold medal of the under-18 tournament. The USNTDP has the advantage of playing and practicing together all season whereas other countries field teams consisting of the players available, which doesn't always translate into the same chemistry or talent level as the USNTDP.
The Americans were the darlings of the last under-18 tournament in Fargo, N.D. where they captured the gold on home soil over the favoured Russians.
Goaltender Jack Campbell, who's back as this year's starter, emerged as one of the top prospects in their program at that tournament. The underage Campbell shut out the Russians en route to a gold-medal, which served as his coming out party to the scouting community.
"I didn't know about him until last year at the under-18 tournament and he was very good and probably the reason the U.S. won gold," Plandowski said. "Jack's big and he kind of grew on everybody at the under-18s last year in Fargo. If he has a good year there's no reason somebody's not going to take a look at him."
Campbell remains committed to the University of Michigan next season despite being wooed by the Ontario Hockey League's Windsor Spitfires, who own his OHL rights. Growing up in nearby Port Huron, Mi., Campbell said it hadn't always been his dream to play for Red Berenson's Wolverines but there's no doubt where he wants to play next season.
"For all my friends and family… to be able to come to a Michigan game means a lot to me," said Campbell, who also referred to the Spitfires as a first-class organization. "I'm excited to play for Michigan and hopefully win a few National championships along the way.
"I've been going to Yost Ice Arena since I was a little kid and it's just an unbelievable atmosphere and I can't wait to play my first game."
Campbell could have been at odds with one of his highly-touted USNTDP teammates, had both decided to play junior in Canada. Forward Luke Moffatt was the second-overall pick by the Kelowna Rockets in the 2007 Western Hockey League bantam draft.
The Rockets took a gamble on Moffatt in the draft. His father was born in Vancouver but had relocated and raised his family in Phoenix. For Moffatt, the decision to play for Team USA was simple, in spite of the temptation to join an elite WHL team in Kelowna.
"Kelowna's a great program and everything but just the chance to play for my country day in and day out and wear the emblem of U.S.A. on my chest - it's such a good program," he said. "It's hard to turn something like that down."
Moffatt and Campbell's decision to stay with the USNTDP, rather than joining their CHL teams, retains their NCAA eligibility. The duo will be teammates again next season in Michigan and possibly on future American teams in international play.
As USNTDP director of operations Scott Monaghan says, the program intends to build stronger players but also to make their players proud to represent their country and compete against other nations, such as Canada.
"It's an opportunity to grow as a player but it's also an honour to put the jersey on every night and that's part of the experience for the kids," he said. "(The rivalry with Canada is) like the (New York) Yankees and the (Boston) Red Sox in baseball or Ohio State and Michigan (in the NCAA). We're neighbours and it's hard and friendly competition for sure. We want to emulate Canada and be able to stand on the stage right next to them, not behind them."
The USNTDP produced eight first-round NHL picks in the last five drafts, including the first overall pick in 2006 when St. Louis drafted towering defenceman Erik Johnson. Three players were chosen in the first round in 2007, headlined by James van Riemsdyk second overall to the Philadelphia Flyers.
This year's crop has the potential to beat 2007's total of first round NHL picks.
"I'd be shocked if NHL teams don't see this team play 10 to 20 times," Plandowski said. "We catch them at a lot of tournaments so it's a big windfall for them to be in the USHL. It really is a good comparison and a good way to evaluate the other kids."
