Neutral Zone – Men's
In-Depth Amateur Scouting Coverage and Rankings

Login/Logout

Articles

USHL Draft Phase I Top 200

The USHL Draft, similar to the OHL Draft, is what they call an “agents draft.” This means that it is not simply the best players who are selected in the early rounds. These players are chosen for a combination of factors including upside, willingness to attend camp, relationships with advisors and team management,etc.

U16 Tier 1 USA Nationals Recap

It felt strange getting out of the hotel room, stepping out to 85-degree weather, and passing palm trees on the way to the rink at the end of March. The tournament ran from March 31 through April 4, a five-day event that featured 32 of the best Tier 1 Midget AAA teams in the US. The event was held in San Jose at the Sharks practice facility, a four sheet complex with a restaurant upstairs that became a hangout for the NCAA/CHL/USHL/NAHL scouts putting in long hours in the rinks. The tournament was hosted by the San Jose Sharks youth program and they did a nice job keeping scouts fed, handing out programs, and printing shirts, hats, sweatshirts, etc.

NTDP U17 Roster Breakdown

After two years of scouting and evaluating the 2000 birth year class, USA Hockey’s National Development Program announced its U17 Team roster. This announcement came just a few short weeks after the NTDP Evaluation Camp which included the top 48 players in the US as determined by USA Hockey scouts and staff. We sat down with the Director of Player Personnel, Ryan Hardy, before the Evaluation Camp to ask about the program and the selection process.

USA Hockey U14 National Tournament

First, I would be remiss if I did not point out what a wonderful host city Anchorage, Alaska made for a tournament of this magnitude. From the facility, The Subway Sport Center, and volunteers, to the many local fans who came out to watch these impressive young hockey players compete. Around every corner was a friendly face looking to strike up a conversation about the sport of hockey and more specifically the national championships taking place in their backyard.

Scroll to top