USA Hockey NTDP expected to make big impact on 2023 NHL Draft 1st round

The 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be held June 28-29 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The first round will be June 28 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS) and rounds 2-7 are June 29 (11 a.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVAS). NHL.com is counting down to the draft with in-depth profiles on top prospects, podcasts and other features. Today, a closer 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 again make headlines in the first round for the third time in five years at the 2023 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. There were six NTDP forwards selected in the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft, three picked in the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft and one chosen in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft.

The program has had a top-five selection in the draft each of the past four years, which is the longest stretch by any team in NHL Draft history.

"A very strong, deep team," NHL Central Scouting director David Gregory said. "It's packed with skill and speed, and they were tough to contain for any opponent. It's the kind of team that just rolls lines at you one after another, never giving you a break when you're playing against them."

RELATED: [Complete 2023 NHL Draft coverage]

It was also a team that established record-setting performances on many fronts.

The NTDP (50-13-0) set a program record for wins (16-5-1) against NCAA competition, as well as wins (15-3-1) against Division I programs.

The crowning achievement was celebrating the program's first gold medal at the 2023 IIHF World Under-18 Championship since 2017 (the tournament was canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus), winning 3-2 in overtime against Sweden in the championship game for the country's 11th gold medal in tournament history. The U.S lost 6-4 to Sweden in the gold medal game at the 2022 U-18 Worlds.

The United States proved dominant this time, however, tying Canada's record for most goals in the tournament (51 in 2001) while setting a standard for best goal differential (plus-41; 51-10).

"It's a group that I was really proud to be a part of, and what we were able to accomplish," NTDP U-18 coach Dan Muse said. "This group of players are leaving better than when they arrived and that's what you want to do at a place like this in that two-year process that you go through.

"There's been so many great groups that have come through, so many great players that have come through, but let's keep building the standard. Let's keep building how we do things every day. It takes a group of players to be able to do that and I think they did."

Leading the way was center William Smith (6-foot, 180 pounds), No. 3 in Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters presented by BioSteel. The 18-year-old was second on the NTDP with 127 points (51 goals, 76 assists) in 60 games. He had 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) in seven games at the U-18 Worlds and was named the tournament's top forward and most valuable player.

His 20 points matched a U.S. tournament record set in 2019 by New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes.

"I think it's pretty cool to be in the same conversation with those guys, especially at the tournament," Smith said. "But none of the records would've mattered to me unless we won, and we won, so I think we have to celebrate everything."

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 2023 NHL Scouting Combine presented by adidas, which was held in Buffalo earlier this month.

"The program always has some of the top American-born prospects and for 2023 there is depth with elite forwards such as William Smith, Ryan Leonard, Oliver Moore, Gabriel Perreault and goaltender Trey Augustine," Central Scouting vice president Dan Marr said. "The defensive core is a solid group that should be selected by the mid-rounds. There could be 12-13 players drafted."

The current group has had plenty of individual success during its two-season NTDP stint. After Smith, there's right wing Ryan Leonard (No. 5), center Oliver Moore (No. 8), right wing Gabriel Perreault (No. 10), center Danny Nelson (No. 22) and goalie Trey Augustine (No. 3 in Central Scouting's final ranking of North American goalies).

Leonard (6-0, 190) had 94 points (51 goals, 43 assists), led the NTDP with 15 power-play goals in 57 games, and had 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in seven games at the U-18 Worlds. He scored the game-winning goal against Sweden at the U-18's on a wrist shot from the slot 2:20 into overtime.

"It wasn't a long overtime, but Ryan Leonard was on the second shift ... he blocks a huge shot, comes back to the bench, basically only has enough time to just catch his breath, shake off the block, and goes out there and scores a game winning goal," Muse said. "So it's not only the goal, you have to look at Leonard's entire overtime. He plays playoff hockey every single day. That's how I describe him to everybody."

Moore (5-11, 195) had 75 points (31 goals, 44 assists) and nine power-play goals in 61 games, and nine points (four goals, five assists) in seven games at the U-18 Worlds.

Perreault (5-11, 163), the son of former NHL forward Yanic Perreault, led the NTDP in goals (53), assists (79), points (132) and game-winning goals (nine). He also had 42 points (21 goals, 21 assists) in 22 games against NCAA competition, and 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in seven games at the U-18 Worlds.

Nelson (6-3, 212) had 47 points (21 goals, 26 assists) in 62 games and seven points (four goals, three assists) in seven games at the U-18 Worlds.

Augustine came up big when his team needed him most, making 30 saves against Sweden in the gold-medal game. He finished the tournament with six wins, a 1.61 goals-against average and .933 save percentage. The 18-year-old (6-1, 183) went 29-1-2 with a 2.13 GAA and .926 save percentage in 33 games with the NTDP this season.

Photos: Rena Laverty, NTDP

Listen: Video: NHL Draft: Best of Oliver Moore