"This event provides 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 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."
Hughes, Tkachuk and Wahlstrom were among the participants in the 2017 World Junior Summer Showcase in Plymouth, Michigan, earlier this month. The camp serves as the first step in selecting the team that will play for the United States at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo.
Tkachuk (6-foot-2, 194 pounds), the son of U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member Keith Tkachuk and brother of Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk, will be a freshman at Boston University. He had five points (one goal, four assists) in five games at the Summer Showcase, and 54 points (25 goals, 29 assists) in 61 games for USA Hockey's National Team Development Program Under-18 team last season.
"He plays the game at an extreme high level with energy," U.S. National Junior Team coach Bob Motzko said. "You can see as he gets stronger he's going to be a player that's not very fun to play against. He's rugged, he's going to bang around, he's got hockey sense. He's going to get better and better. He's the type of player you want to have around."
Wahlstrom (6-1, 198), who will play for the NTDP U-18 this season and is committed to Harvard University for the 2018-19 season, was one of 10 cuts by USA Hockey five days into the Summer Showcase but still made a major impression with his strong skating and tremendous shot.
"He's strong, doesn't get tossed around, sticks his nose in there and when he skates he looks like Jack Eichel," Motzko said. "He's effortless up and down the rink and he can really shoot a puck."
Hughes (5-9, 167) is a freshman at the University of Michigan. In five games at the Summer Showcase he had five points (two goals, three assists). The left-handed shot is an exceptional skater with good vision and skill. He had 53 points (10 goals, 43 assists) in 65 games for the NTDP U-18 team last season.
Also selected for the game were defensemen Mattias Samuelsson (6-3, 205), the son of former NHL defenseman Kjell Samuelsson, and Adam Samuelsson (6-5, 230), the son of former NHL defenseman Ulf Samuelsson. Each will play for the NTDP U-18 team this season. Also selected was forward Jack Drury (5-11, 175) of Waterloo of the United States Hockey League. He is the nephew of U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer and 12-year NHL veteran Chris Drury.
Hockey Hall of Famers
Chris Chelios and Brian Leetch will serve as coaches
.
USA HOCKEY ALL-AMERICAN PROSPECTS GAME ROSTER
GOALTENDERS: Drew DeRidder, USA U-18, USHL; Ben Kraws, Buffalo Jr. Sabres U18, USMAAAE; Jacob Kucharski, Des Moines, USHL; Jon Mor, USA U-18, USHL
DEFENSEMEN: Michael Callahan, Bloomington, USHL; Stanislav Demin, Wenatchee, BCHL; Ty Emberson, USA U-18, USHL; Jordan Harris, Kimball Union, HIGH-NH; Quinton Hughes, University of Michigan, BIG10; Christian Krygier, Lincoln, USHL; Cole Krygier, Lincoln, USHL; K'Andre Miller, USA U-18, USHL; Alec Regula, Chicago, USHL; Adam Samuelsson, USA U-18, USHL; Mattias Samuelsson, USA U-18, USHL; Jacob Semik, Dubuque, USHL; Spencer Stastney, USA U-18, USHL; Bode Wilde, USA U-18, USHL
FORWARDS: Braden Costello, Des Moines, USHL; Paul Cotter, Lincoln, USHL; Jack Drury, Waterloo, USHL; Joel Farabee, USA U-18, USHL; Jake Gricius, Portland, WHL; Jonathan Gruden, USA U-18, USHL; Gavin Hain, USA U-18, USHL; Curtis Hall, Youngstown, USHL; Jack Jensen, Eden Prairie, HIGH-MN; Philippe Lapointe, Lincoln, USHL; Blake McLaughlin, Chicago, USHL; Jaxon Nelson, Sioux Falls, USHL; Jay O'Brien, Thayer Academy, HIGH-MA; Ryan O'Reilly, Madison, USHL; Jackson Perbix, Elk River, HIGH-MN; Jacob Pivonka, USA U-18, USHL; Noah Prokop, Green Bay, USHL; Jack Randl, Omaha, USHL; Ryan Savage, Fargo, USHL; Colin Schmidt, Wayzata, HIGH-MN; Brady Tkachuk, Boston University, H-EAST; Oliver Wahlstrom, USA U-18, USHL; Tyler Weiss, USA U-18, USHL; Jake Wise, USA U-18, USHL
