MILITARY APPRECIATION WEEKEND: Team USA, USA Hockey Arena and sponsors are teaming up with the Michigan Veterans Region 9 VCAT for a weekend (Mar. 23-24) dedicated to supporting and celebrating our veterans, active military and first-responders.

On Friday (Mar. 23), USA Hockey Arena will host USA Military Appreciation and Family Night. We continue a very special tradition as we host a completely cost-free military appreciation night for local military and their families including a reception, fun activities for the kids and hockey game tickets. Over 500 veterans and military family members attended last year.

Saturday, March 24 is USA Salute To Heroes Night. We’ll celebrate veterans from all eras and honor hard-working local first responders to help provide the recognition they deserve.

WISE NAMED USHL FORWARD OF THE WEEK: U.S. National Under-18 Team forward Jake Wise (Reading, Mass.) was named the USHL Forward of the Week this week. It’s Wise’s first honor of the season. Wise stared the weekend off on Thursday night (March 15) helping Team USA to a 10-3 win against the Madison Capitols with two assists.

He followed that up on Friday (March 16) with a natural hat trick and another assist to propel the U18s 6-4 comeback victory against the Capitols. Wise now has seven goals and 17 assists for 24 points in 15 USHL games played this season.

Others Team USA players to earn USHL Honors this season include Jack Hughes (Forward of the Week, March 12 and Jan. 22), Oliver Wahlstrom (Forward of the Week, March 5 and Oct. 16), K’Andre Miller (Defenseman of the Week, Dec. 11 and Nov. 20) and Jonathan Mor (Goaltender of the Week, Nov. 20).

JACK HUGHES APPROACHING MILESTONES: U.S. National Under-18 Team forward Jack Hughes broke the scoring record during the under-17 season on March 2nd. He surpassed Clayton Keller (2015-16/Arizona Coyotes) and Phil Kessel (2003-05/Pittsburgh Penguins) who each had 82 points during their under-17 seasons. Hughes accomplished this feat in 15 fewer games than Keller and 16 fewer games than Kessel.

Hughes now has 94 points in 49 games; this places him in a tie for sixth place all-time for single-season scoring with Jeremy Bracco (2013-14/ Toronto Marlies). He surpassed Jack Eichel (2012-14/Buffalo Sabres) and Sonny Milano (2012-14/Columbus Blue Jackets) who each recorded 87 points during their under-18 seasons and Andy Hilbert (1998-99/New York Islanders) who recorded 89 points. Auston Matthews (2013-15/Toronto Maple Leafs) holds the record with 117 points followed by  Clayton Keller (107) Patrick Kane (102), Kessel (98) and Matthew Tkachuk (95). All of those records occurring during the player’s under-18 season.

After tallying two assists this past weekend, Hughes moved into third place for single-season assists with 63 passing Matthews who recorded 62 assists during his Under-18 season. Keller is atop the list with 70 assists during his under-18 season.

PLAYOFFS CLINCHED: Team USA clinched its spot in the USHL playoffs following a 10-3 win by the U.S. National Under-18 Team against the Madison Capitols at USA Hockey Arena on March 15. Team USA is heading to the playoffs for the first time since the 2011-12 season. This marks the third time the combined Team USA will compete in the Clark Cup Playoffs.

28 NTDP ALUMNI PLAYING FOR NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP: A whole host of NTDP alumni will be featured in the 2018 NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship.

University of Minnesota Duluth: Joey Anderson (2014-16)

Penn State University: Evan Barratt (2015-17), Trevor Hamilton (2011-13)

University of Denver: Troy Terry (2014-15)

Cornell University: Ryan Bliss (2012-14), Jared Fiegl (2012-14)

Boston University: Nikolas Olsson (2010-12), John Macleod (2012-14), Jordan Greenway (2013-15), Chad Krys (2014-16), Jake Oettinger (2014-16), Logan Cockerill (2015-17), David Farrance (2015-17), Brady Tkachuk (2015-17)

University of Michigan: Nicholas Boka (2013-15), Brendan Warren (2013-15), Will Lockwood (2014-16), Griffin Luce (2014-16), Luke Martin (2014-16), Nick Pastujov (2014-16), James Sanchez (2014-16), Quinn Hughes (2015-17), Josh Norris (2015-17), Michael Pastujov (2015-17)

Northeastern University: Nolan Stevens (2012-14)

University of Notre Dame: Dawson Cook (2011-13), Dylan St. Cyr (2015-17), Joe Wegwerth (2012-14)

TWO-WAY GAME: Team USA boasts five of the top-ten, including the top four, plus-minus leaders in the USHL. Oliver Wahlstrom (Quincy, Mass.) and USHL rookie Jack Hughes lead the league with both registering +26. Jonathan Gruden is third with +25 and Joel Farabee is fourth with +23. Mattias Samuelsson (+17) is eighth with +20.

ESPECIALLY SPECIAL TEAMS: Team USA has made its special teams truly special this season though its first 49 USHL games. With the man advantage, the combined U17s and U18s have the top power play percentage (23.8% on 210 opportunities) and most power play goals (50). They have also been deadly on the penalty kill, recording 11 goals while short handed (second best in the league).

GETTING OFFENSIVE: The offense has flowed for the NTDP this season. The combined Team USA teams currently lead the USHL in goals with 240 through 49 games. That’s an average of 4.90 goals per game. By comparison, the Chicago Steel have the second ranked offense with 176 goals through 51 games which averages out to 3.45 goals per game. Team USA is on pace to score more than 293 goals this season; in the USHL last season, only two teams eclipsed 200 goals.

1+ POINTS PER GAME PLAYERS: A quartet of Team USA players are at the top of the USHL rankings in points per game. In his rookie season in the USHL, Jack Hughes is averaging over two points per game (2.04). Oliver Wahlstrom is second with 1.74 points per game. Joel Farabee is third with 1.61 PPG, and Jake Wise is fourth with 1.60 PPG.

Other Team USA players averaging at least a point per game in USHL play include Jonathan Gruden (1.23), Cole Caufield (1.07), and Alex Turcotte (1.04).

COLLEGE CHAMPIONS: With the college hockey regular season completed, several alumni are on their respective regular season conference championship teams.

Big Ten: Notre Dame: Dylan St. Cyr (2015-17), Joe Wegwerth (2012-14), Dawson Cook (2011-13)

Hockey East: Boston College: Casey Fitzgerald (2013-15), Logan Hutsko (2015-17), Zach Walker (2014-16), Jacob Tortora (2015-17), Graham McPhee (2014-16), Joseph Woll (2014-16)

ECAC: Cornell: Jared Fiegl (2012-14) & Ryan Bliss (2012-14)

WCHA: Minnesota State: Clint Lewis (2011-13)

COLLEGE AWARDS:

Big Ten: NTDP alum Trevor Hamilton (Penn State University/2011-13) was named the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year the league announced Tuesday (March 13). He was also named to the league’s All-Big Ten First Team.

Quinn Hughes (University of Michigan/2015-17) was named to the Second Team as well as the All-Freshman Team.

Trent Frederic (University of Wisconsin/2014-16) and Ryan Lindgren (University of Minnesota/2014-16) received honorable mention.

Hockey East:

Brady Tkachuk (2015-17/Boston University), and the lone unanimous selection in Boston College’s Logan Hutsko (2015-17/Boston College) were both named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team the league announced.

Casey Fitzgerald (2013-15/Boston College) was named the ‘47 Brand Best Defensive Defenseman.

Fitzgerald and Nolan Stevens (2012-14/Northeastern University) were named to the All-Star Second Team.

Joseph Woll (2014-16/Boston College) and Jordan Greenway (2013-15/Boston University) were named to the All-Star Third Team.

ECAC:

Adam Fox (Harvard University/2014-16) was named to the ECAC Conference First Team.  

NTDP IN THE NHL POSTER SERIES: Team USA will feature several of its high-profile alumni in its new NTDP in the NHL poster series giveaway. There will be seven nights throughout the rest of the NTDP home schedule where fans can win Pepsi and Team USA prizes, collect an NTDP alumni poster, and have the chance to win a signed jersey. The first 500 fans at each of the games will receive a NTDP in the NHL alumni poster.

The final night of the series will be Friday, March 30. 2010 World Junior gold medalist and 2009 World Under-18 Championship gold medalist, Cam Fowler (2007-09/Anaheim Ducks) will be the highlighted alumni.

CAUFIELD MOVING UP NTDP ALL-TIME RECORD BOOK: U.S National Under-18 Team forward Cole Caufield scored one goal this past weekend. Caufield is currently tied with Jeremy Morin (2007-09/SC Bern) for sixth on the all-time single-season goals list with 48. He’s already passed notable NTDP alumni: Matthew Tkachuk (2013-15/Calgary Flames), Jack Eichel (2012-14/Buffalo Sabres), and James van Riemsdyk (2005-07/Toronto Maple Leafs).

At the top of the list is Auston Matthews (2013-15/Toronto Maples Leafs) with 55 goals, followed by Patrick Kane (2005-06/Chicago Blackhawks) and Phil Kessel (2003-05/Pittsburgh Penguins) with 52 goals. Kieffer Bellows (2015-16/Portland Winterhawks) is fifth with 50 goals.

KELLER BREAKS COYOTES ROOKIE RECORDS: Clayton Keller (2014-16) broke two Arizona Coyotes’ rookie records with two assists in their 4-1 win against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday (March 21). The assists gave Keller 35 assists and 55 points on the season, breaking both  records previously set by Peter Mueller in 2007-08.

NTDP ALUMNI SHINE IN NHL ROOKIE SEASONS: Clayton Keller (2014-16/Arizona Coyotes) is tied for third  place among rookies in points with 55. He is second in assists with 35.  Keller was named NHL Rookie of the Month for October after posting 9 goals and 15 points in 13 games.

Will Butcher (2011-13/New Jersey Devils) is third among rookies, and first among rookie defensemen,  in assists with 33. He is tied for first in points among rookie defensemen with 35.

Charlie McAvoy (2013-15/Boston Bruins) is third in points among rookie defensemen with 32. He is second in plus/minus among rookies with plus-26 and first  overall among rookie defensemen. He is averaging over 22 minutes per game as part of Boston’s top defensive pairing. On February 27, he became the youngest Bruins player to score an overtime game-winning goal.