USA Hockey development team could have big first round at 2022 NHL Draft

The 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be held July 7-8 at Bell Centre in Montreal. The first round will be July 7 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS) and rounds 2-7 are July 8 (11 a.m. ET; NHLN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS). NHL.com is counting down to the draft with in-depth profiles on top prospects, podcasts and other features. Today, a look at the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 Team. NHL.com's full draft coverage can be found here.

The USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team could very well headline the first round for the second time in four years at the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft.
A record eight NTDP players, including seven in the top 15, were selected in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena in Vancouver. There were three NTDP players selected in the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft and one chosen in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft.
"It's a deep team that has a lot of players that are obviously going to be drafted, but also are going to be very attractive to NHL clubs just because they're skilled, they're talented, and they're competitive," NHL Central Scouting senior manager David Gregory said. "Most of them are excellent skaters and that's what teams are looking for."
Leading the way is center Logan Cooley (5-foot-10, 180 pounds), No. 2 in Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters. The 18-year-old was second on the NTDP with 75 points (27 goals, 48 assists) in 51 games. He scored 10 points (three goals, seven assists) and had 23 shots on goal in six games to help the United States finish second at the 2022 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.
"We're a real competitive bunch and I think it's a group of guys that truly enjoys competing and that's their best quality," said Adam Nightingale, who coached the NTDP U-18 team this season prior to taking the coaching job at Michigan State University. "I think it's a group of guys who put the team first and it's not about them. That's the challenging thing when you have a lot of talent; these guys have really done a good job of parking their egos and making it about the team."
Tweet from @mikemorrealeNHL: NHL Draft Class: Coach Adam Nightingale joined myself and @NHLAdamK to discuss many of his players from the @USAHockeyNTDP, including Cooley, Gauthier, Snuggerud, McGroarty, Hutson.Apple: https://t.co/lWy0f2GOakSpotify: https://t.co/MNmRrI3b4y pic.twitter.com/En1J3DdGBj
There are 19 players on the U-18 roster listed in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters and goalies eligible for the draft. There were 13 players from the program who attended the 2022 NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo in June.
"The similarity with the 2019 NTDP draft class is the depth of quality NHL prospects available but this 2022 NTDP draft class sets itself apart from any other team that I can recall based purely on the speed in which they play," said Dan Marr, director of NHL Central Scouting. "The combination of speed and quickness made it difficult to check this team and almost impossible to keep up or maintain pace over the course of a game.
"When you add in the skill component and play execution at top speed, they are a very entertaining group to watch, and many will have a bright future in the NHL."
Each of the NTDP players listed among the top 32 on Central Scouting's final ranking represented the United States at the U-18 Worlds.
Its top-three finish marked the 17th time in the past 18 tournaments that the U.S. won a medal, which is the most by any country. The U.S. run includes nine championships, five second-place finishes and three third-place finishes. The event began in 1999.
The current group has had plenty of individual success during its two-year NTDP stint. After Cooley, there's left wing Cutter Gauthier (No. 3), center Isaac Howard (No. 9), right wing Jimmy Snuggerud (No. 11), defenseman Ryan Chesley (No. 18), center Frank Nazar (No. 21), right wing Rutger McGroarty (No. 22), defenseman Lane Hutson (No. 25) and defenseman Seamus Casey (No. 29).
"It just shows that we're an extremely special group," Gauthier said. "I think every one of us come to the rink every single day with a mentality to get better. I feel that with that mentality, it just gets us closer to our dreams of playing in the National Hockey League. I think that kind of environment, that competitive mentality, is what makes us super special."
Gauthier (6-2, 200) climbed three spots in the final ranking after being No. 6 in the midterm rankings in January. The 18-year-old scored 65 points (34 goals, 31 assists) and five power-play goals in 54 games, and scored nine points (three goals, six assists) in six games for the U.S. at the World U-18s.
Hutson received the E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence, given to the 2022 draft-eligible prospect who best exemplifies commitment to excellence through strength of character, competitiveness and athleticism.
"I think we have a lot of good players that are really] skilled, players that wanted to get better each day," Cooley said. "The coaching staff really pushes us to get better each day and we have the right guys in the locker room who like to compete each day and that's showing how good the team is."
[Tweet from @mikemorrealeNHL: NHL Draft Class: Al Jensen of @NHLCentralScout joined to talk 2022 @NHL Draft-eligible goalies. Among the topics, we discussed differences b/w @USAHockeyNTDP keepers Dylan Silverstein & Tyler Muszelik. -Apple: https://t.co/HplJPg30PWSpotify: https://t.co/efvtkXOiv1 pic.twitter.com/ZUWvGycaYO
"It's funny ... I handed over a boy to the NTDP and I got a man back," said Cathy Cooley, Logan's mother. "How they've prepared him is truly amazing. I think to myself, 'What happened to that little shy boy?' "
Additionally, goalie Dylan Silverstein (6-0, 179) is No. 3 in Central Scouting's ranking of North American goalies and Tyler Muszelik (6-2, 195) is No. 4.
"Two totally different-style goaltenders," said Al Jensen of Central Scouting. "Silverstein is quick, athletic, and very intense. He's got that compete in him, balance, strength in the net. Muszelik is more positional. He's calm in there, using his big body to cover up the holes more than Silverstein because Silverstein is a little bit smaller.
"They both have good potential with good skills, but they're different-style goaltenders. You have to appreciate them for what they do."
Photos: Rena Laverty, USA Hockey NTDP
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