COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Hockey announced today the 42 players who will compete in the sixth annual CCM/USAHockey All-American Prospects Game set for Sept. 21 at KeyBank Center, home of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres and site of the 2018 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship.
“This event allows some of the best U.S. players eligible for next year’s NHL Draft the chance to showcase their talent on a national stage,” said Jim Johannson, USA Hockey’s assistant executive director of hockey operations. “With input from NHL Central Scouting, this game will feature future stars of the NHL, as over 120 alumni of the event have already been selected, including Buffalo’s recent first-round selections in Jack Eichel and Casey Mittelstadt. Fans may also get a chance to see some players who could very well be back here in Buffalo representing the U.S. in the World Juniors this December.”
Each year the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game assembles the top U.S. players who are eligible for the upcoming NHL Draft. Following last year’s game, 24 players that participated in the contest went on to be chosen in the 2017 NHL Draft, including Casey Mittelstadt, the most valuable player in last year’s CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game who was the first American chosen when the Buffalo Sabres selected him eighth overall.
Among the 42 skaters are 17 players who have represented the United States internationally. Last April, defenseman Quinn Hughes (Orlando, Fla.) and forwards Joel Farabee (Cicero, N.Y.), Brady Tkachuk (St. Louis, Mo.), and Oliver Wahlstrom (Quincy, Mass.) helped the U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team capture the gold medal at the 2017 International Ice Hockey Federation Under-18 Men’s World Championship in Poprad and Spisska Nova Ves, Slovakia.
In addition, 13 players skated on the U.S. Under-18 Men’s Select Team at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup in Breclav, Czech Republic, and Bratislava, Slovakia, last August, including goaltender Ben Kraws (Cranbury, N.J.); defensemen Slava Demin (Cypress, Calif.), Christian Krygier (Novi, Mich.), Cole Krygier (Novi, Mich.) and Adam Samuelsson (Carlsbad, Calif.); and forwards Jack Drury (Winnetka, Ill.), Gavin Hain (Grand Rapids, Minn.), Curtis Hall (Chagrin Falls, Ohio), Jack Jensen (Eden Prairie, Minn.) Philippe Lapointe (Burr Ridge, Ill.), Blake McLaughlin (Grand Rapids, Minn.), Jack Randl (Carpentersville, Ill.) and Ryan Savage (Troy, Mich.).
NOTES: Collectively, 16 states are represented on the roster, including California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin. Michigan leads all states with nine players while Minnesota ranks second with seven … Thirty-four players have ties to the United States Hockey League, the top junior league in the U.S., including 17 players associated with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program in Plymouth, Michigan … Players selected to compete in the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game were chosen by USA Hockey in conjunction with NHL Central Scouting … Forwards Brady Tkachuk and Oliver Wahlstrom and defenseman Quinn Hughes played in the 2017 World Junior Summer Showcase at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan, in early August … U.S. Hockey Hall of Famers Chris Chelios and Brian Leetch were named head coaches for the 2017 CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game on Aug. 14, 2017 … USA Hockey will unveil the CCM-designed uniforms for the game in September … To date, 127 alumni of the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game have been drafted in the NHL, highlighted by 30 first-round selections … Previous host sites for the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game include Buffalo (2012, 2014, 2015), Pittsburgh (2013) and Philadelphia (2016) .
NAME
HT (CM)
WT (KG)
DOB
S/C
HOMETOWN
2017-18 TEAM
COLLEGE COMMITTED
Drew DeRidder 5-10 (179) 165 (75) 2000-05-01 L Fenton, Mich. U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) Michigan State University (Big Ten)
Ben Kraws 6-1 (185) 153 (69) 2000-08-02 L Cranbury, N.J. Buffalo Jr. Sabres (TIEHL) Miami University (NCHC)
Jake Kucharski 6-3 (190) 203 (92) 1999-09-25 L Erie, Penn. Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL) Providence College (Hockey East)
Jon Mor 6-1 (185) 197 (90) 2000-07-20 L Highland Park, Ill. U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) Uncommitted
Defensemen (14)
NAME
HT (CM)
WT (KG)
DOB
S/C
HOMETOWN
2017-18 TEAM
COLLEGE COMMITTED
Michael Callahan 6-1 (185) 185 (84) 1999-09-23 L Franklin, Mass. Bloomington Thunder (USHL) Providence College (Hockey East)
Slava Demin 6-1 (185) 188 (85) 2000-04-04 L Cypress, Calif. Wenatchee Wild (BCHL) University of Denver (NCHC)
Ty Emberson 6-0 (183) 195 (88) 2000-05-23 R Eau Claire, Wis. U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) University of Wisconsin (Big Ten)
Jordan Harris 5-11 (180) 174 (79) 2000-07-07 L Haverhill, Mass. Kimball Union Academcy (USHS) Northeastern University (Hockey East)
Quinn Hughes 5-9 (176) 168 (76) 1999-10-14 L Orlando, Fla. University of Michigan (Big Ten) –
Christian Krygier 6-1 (185) 185 (84) 2000-05-05 L Novi, Mich. Lincoln Stars (USHL) University of Wisconsin (Big Ten)
Cole Krygier 6-2 (188) 190 (86) 2000-05-05 L Novi, Mich. Lincoln Stars (USHL) University of Wisconsin (Big Ten)
K’Andre Miller 6-3 (191) 194 (88) 2000-01-21 L Hopkins, Minn. U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) University of Wisconsin (Big Ten)
Alec Regula 6-3 (191) 184 (84) 2000-08-06 R West Bloomfield, Mich. Chicago Steel (USHL) University of Michigan (Big Ten)
Adam Samuelsson 6-4 (193) 245 (111) 2000-06-21 L Carlsbad, Calif. U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) Boston College (Hockey East)
Mattias Samuelsson 6-3 (190) 209 (94) 2000-03-14 L Voorhees, N.J. U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) University of Michigan (Big Ten)
Jacob Semik 5-11 (180) 171 (77) 2000-03-10 L Canton, Mich. Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL) University of Michigan (Big Ten)
Spencer Stastney 5-9 (175) 166 (75) 2000-01-04 L Mequon, Wis. U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) University of Notre Dame (Big Ten)
Bode Wilde 6-2 (188) 197 (90) 2000-01-24 R Birmingham, Mich. U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) Harvard University (ECAC Hockey)
Forwards (24)
NAME
HT (CM)
WT (KG)
DOB
S/C
HOMETOWN
2017-18 TEAM
COLLEGE COMMITTED
Braden Costello 6-1 (185) 201 (91) 2000-04-21 L Grand Forks, N.D. Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL) University of North Dakota (NCHC)
Paul Cotter 5-11 (180) 171 (77) 1999-11-16 L Canton, Mich. Lincoln Stars (USHL) Western Michigan University (NCHC)
Jack Drury 5-11 (180) 175 (80) 2000-02-03 L Winnetka, Ill. Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL) Harvard University (ECAC Hockey)
Joel Farabee 5-11 (180) 152 (69) 2000-02-25 L Cicero, N.Y. U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) Boston University (Hockey East)
Jake Gricius 6-3 (191) 183 (83) 1999-10-13 L Colorado Springs, Colo. Portland Winter Hawks (WHL) –
John Gruden 5-10 (179) 162 (73) 2000-05-04 L Rochester, Mich. U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) Miami University (NCHC)
Gavin Hain 5-11 (180) 190 (86) 2000-04-03 L Grand Rapids, Minn. U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) University of North Dakota (NCHC)
Curtis Hall 6-2 (188) 194 (88) 2000-04-26 R Chagrin Falls, Ohio Youngstown Phantoms (USHL) Yale University (ECAC Hockey)
Jack Jensen 6-0 (183) 189 (86) 2000-08-31 L Eden Prairie, Minn. Eden Prairie High School (USHS) University of Minnesota (Big Ten)
Philippe Lapointe 5-10 (179) 193 (88) 2000-02-29 R Burr Ridge, Ill. Lincoln Stars (USHL) University of Michigan (Big Ten)
Blake McLaughlin 5-11 (180) 156 (70) 2000-02-14 L Grand Rapids, Minn. Chicago Steel (USHL)/Grand Rapids (USHS) University of Minnesota (Big Ten)
Jaxon Nelson 6-4 (193) 207 (94) 2000-03-30 R Magnolia, Minn. Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL) University of Minnesota (Big Ten)
Jay O’Brien 5-11 (180) 170 (77) 1999-11-04 R Hingham, Mass. Thayer Academy (USHS) Providence College (Hockey East)
Ryan O’Reilly 6-0 (183) 183 (83) 2000-03-21 R Southlake, Texas Madison Capitols (USHL) University of Denver (NCHC)
Jack Perbix 6-0 (183) 174 (80) 2000-09-13 R Elk River, Minn. Elk River High School (USHS) University of Notre Dame (Big Ten)
Jake Pivonka 5-11 (180) 192 (87) 2000-02-28 L Woodridge, Ill. U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) University of Notre Dame (Big Ten)
Noah Prokop 6-0 (183) 183 (83) 2000-01-15 R Highlands Ranch, Colo. Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) University of Nebraska-Omaha (NCHC)
Jack Randl 5-11 (180) 179 (81) 2000-05-07 L Carpentersville, Ill. Omaha Lancers (USHL) University of Michigan (Big Ten)
Ryan Savage 5-10 (179) 187 (85) 2000-03-31 R Troy, Mich. Fargo Force (USHL) Miami University (NCHC)
Colin Schmidt 6-4 (193) 225 (102) 2000-01-06 R Maple Grove, Minn. Wayzata High (USHS) University of Minnesota (Big Ten)
Brady Tkachuk 6-3 (191) 194 (88) 1999-09-16 L St. Louis, Mo. Boston University (Hockey East) –
Oliver Wahlstrom 6-1 (185) 198 (90) 2000-06-13 R Quincy, Mass. U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) Harvard University (ECAC Hockey)
Tyler Weiss 5-10 (177) 143 (65) 2000-01-03 L Raleigh, N.C. U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) Boston University (Hockey East)
Jake Wise 5-9 (176) 185 (84) 2000-02-28 L Reading, Mass. U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) Boston University (Hockey East)
