PLYMOUTH, Mich. – USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program, which enters its 20th anniversary season in 2016-17, today announced the schedule for its U.S. National Under-17 Team. Tickets for all home games, to be played at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan, are available now through the box office.
The Under-17 Team will begin the 2016-17 campaign with a home-and-home preseason series against the United States Hockey League’s Muskegon Lumberjacks on Sept. 9-10. Team USA will host the Lumberjacks on Friday before traveling to Muskegon the following day. The U17s will play two games on the road against the Johnstown Tomahawks of the North American Hockey League on Sept. 17-18 before beginning USHL regular-season play on Sept. 23 at USA Hockey Arena against Muskegon.
“We are excited to get started on the 20th season of the NTDP,” said Danton Cole, head coach of the 2016 U.S. National Under-17 Team. “It will be great to celebrate the history of the NTDP and continue to build the future of USA Hockey. The NTDP U17 team will get going in September at USA Hockey Arena and will be prepared to face an outstanding USHL and international schedule as they embark on their first year.”
The U17s will compete internationally at the 2016 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge from Oct. 26 – Nov. 5 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario; the 2016 Four Nations Tournament from Dec. 11-18 in Switzerland; and the 2017 Five Nations Tournament from Feb. 6-13 in the Czech Republic.
NOTES: The U.S. National Under-17 and Under-18 Teams utilize The Hockey IntelliGym, a revolutionary software program that trains hockey sense. To learn more, visit USAHockeyIntelliGym.com … The U.S. National Under-18 Team’s schedule will be announced tomorrow (July 29).
ABOUT THE NTDP: In 1996, USA Hockey launched a new initiative called the National Team Development Program, originally based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In March of 2015 the USA Hockey Foundation purchased Compuware Arena (now USA Hockey Arena) in Plymouth, Michigan, which became the new home of the NTDP in 2015-16. The goal of this full-time development program is to prepare student-athletes under the age of 18 for participation on 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.
