| Record-Breaking 17 Players Selected Directly from NTDP in 2019 NHL Draft |
| Twenty-four players with NTDP ties picked throughout weekend |
| VANCOUVER, B.C. – USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program set a new NHL and program record by having 17 overall players selected directly from the NTDP at the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia.The NTDP was home to eight first-round picks on Friday night. The New Jersey Devils selected Jack Hughes (Orlando, Fla.), making him the NTDP’s fifth number one pick in program history and the eighth American to be selected first overall. Alex Turcotte (Island Lake, Ill.) went fifth overall to the Los Angeles Kings and Trevor Zegras (Bedford, N.Y.) was taken ninth by the Anaheim Ducks. The NTDP then had four consecutive players taken with picks 12-15. Forward Matthew Boldy (Millis, Mass.) started the run when he was chosen by the Minnesota Wild and goaltender Spencer Knight(Darien, Conn.) followed at pick 13 to the Florida Panthers.Defenseman Cam York (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) was the third consecutive player taken from the NTDP when the Philadelphia Flyers selected him 14th overall. The Montreal Canadiens then selected Cole Caufield (Stevens Point, Wis.) with the 15th pick of the night, the fourth consecutive selection from the NTDP. Forward John Beecher (Elmira, N.Y.) rounded out the NTDP skaters taken in the draft’s opening round when he was chosen by the Boston Bruins with the 30th overall pick. Forward Bobby Brink (Minnetonka, Minn.) was the first player with NTDP ties off the board Saturday afternoon when he went 34th overall to the Philadelphia Flyers. Brink skated in 13 NTDP games over the past two seasons and finished with eight total points (3G, 5A).The first full-time NTDP selection of the day was defenseman Alex Vlasic (Wilmette, Ill.) to the Chicago Blackhawks at pick 43. Vlasic accumulated 27 points (4G, 23A) this season to give him 56 total points in his NTDP career. Drew Helleson (Farmington, Minn.) followed shortly after at pick 47 to the Colorado Avalanche. The defenseman recorded 40 points (5G, 35A) in his U17 year and followed that up with 23 points (5G, 18A) this past season.Robert Mastrosimone (East Islip, N.Y.) and John Farinacci (Chatham, N.J.) were the fourth and fifth players with NTDP ties selected Saturday afternoon. Mastrosimone appeared in four games with the U18’s this year where he collected an assist. Farinacci skated in seven games with the NTDP over the past two seasons and scored two goals while adding an assist. Defenseman Domenick Fensore (Thornwood, N.Y.) was chosen late in the third round when the Carolina Hurricanes selected him with the 90th overall pick. Fensore skated in 55 games with the U18 squad this season and registered 42 points (6G, 36A). The total scoring output was an 11-point jump from his previous season while playing in six fewer games.The Hurricanes then selected defenseman Cade Webber (Meadville, Penn.) with the 99th pick of the draft. Webber appeared in seven games for the U18 team this season. Defenseman Henry Thrun (Southborough, Mass.) went off the board next to the Anaheim Ducks with the 101st selection in the fourth round. Thrun finished this past season with 37 points (8G, 29A) in 64 games and finished with a +28 rating in 28 USHL games. With the 110th overall pick, the Vegas Golden Knights selected Ryder Donovan (Duluth, Minn.), who appeared in five games with the NTDP during the 2017-18 season. Forward Owen Lindmark (Naperville, Ill.) was selected with the 137th overall pick by the Florida Panthers to become the 14th player taken directly from the NTDP, a new program record for a single draft. Lindmark and eight of his teammates were drafted on Saturday afternoon to join the eight NTDP first-round picks to conclude the 2019 Draft with 17 players chosen directly from the NTDP. In total, 24 picks had connections to the NTDP.Defenseman Case McCarthy (Clarence, N.Y.) was the next NTDP player off the board when the Devils selected him in the fourth round with the 188th overall pick. McCarthy collected 29 points (5G, 24A) in 62 games with the U18 team this year. Former NTDP forward Trevor Janicke (Maple Grove, Minn., 2016-18) was taken 132nd overall by the Anaheim Ducks. During his two years with the NTDP, Janicke scored 11 goals and added 13 helpers for 24 total points. Lindmark’s selection followed to set the record for most players drafted directly from the NTDP in one draft. The University of Wisconsin commit gathered 25 points (11G, 14A) in 56 games during the 2018-19 campaign. Judd Caulfield (Grand Forks, N.D.) was the next NTDP player to be drafted when the Pittsburgh Penguins selected him in the fifth round, 145th overall. Caulfield was credited with 36 points (12G, 24A) in 64 games this season. Josh Nodler (Oak Park, Mich.), who appeared in two games with the NTDP during the 2017-18 season was selected by the Calgary Flames with the 150th overall pick. Shortly after, the Devils took its third player from the NTDP when Patrick Moynihan (Millis, Mass.) came off the board in the sixth round at pick 158. Moynihan collected 78 points (35G, 43A) in 125 career games and will join Hughes and McCarthy in New Jersey. Marshall Warren (Laurel Hollow, N.Y.) rounded out the NTDP selections when the Wild selected him in the sixth round with the 166th pick. Warren, who put up 34 points (8G, 26A) in 58 games with the U18 group this season, will join Boldy in the Wild organization. ABOUT THE NTDP: USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program is in its 22nd season of competition and is based at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan. The goal of the 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. |
