WORLD UNDER-17 CHALLENGE: Twenty members of the U.S. National Under-17 Team players will be traveling to Saint John, New Brunswick to compete in the World Under-17 Challenge, their first international tournament play with the NTDP. The U17s will compete with international contenders again during the U17 Four Nations tournament in December at USA Hockey Arena.

Seth Appert (Cottage Grove, Minn.) will lead the U.S. National Under-17 Team along with associate coach Nick Fohr (Grand Forks, N.D.), intern assistant coach Jared Nightingale(Jackson, Mich.) and goaltending coach Thomas Speer (Janesville, Wis.).

The U17s have won the World Under-17 Challenge five times since 2001, last winning victory coming in 2017. During that tournament, the U.S. Under-17 Team went 7-0-0-0 in Dawson Creek, British Columbia. The U17s finished in seventh place in its last tournament held in New Brunswick in 1995 with a 2-2-1 overall record. Team USA has finished in the top three 15 times; first place in November 2017, 2014, 2010, 2002 and 2001; second place in November 2014, 2012, 2011, 2008, 2006, 1998 and 1996. Last year the U.S. finished in first place.

The U17s are coming off of two USHL losses to Dubuque and Muskegon as it enters the U17 Challenge. Team USA’s first preliminary matchup of the tournament is slated for Nov. 4 at the Harbour Center against the Czech Republic at 12 p.m. ET.

UNDER-18 FIVE NATIONS: The U.S. National Under-18 Team will travel to Buly Aréna in Hlučínská, Kravaře, Czech Republic for the Fall 2018 Under-18 Five Nations Tournament. The U18s enter the tournament with a perfect 14-0 record in international play and look to defend its status as undefeated in international play. Last season, the team took home first place wins at the World Under-17 Challenge in 2017, Four Nations, and Five Nations tournaments.

The U18s will be joined by its current coaching staff on the trip to the Czech Republic: Head Coach John Wroblewski, associate coach Dan Hinote, and intern coach Kevin Lind.

The Fall 2017 Under-18 Five Nations Tournament was played in Hämeenlinna, Finland from Wednesday, Nov. 8 through Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017. All games were played at Ritarihalli Arena. The U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team finished tied for first place in the tournament after finishing with a record of (1-0-2-1) (W-OTW-OTL-L).

The U18s are entering the tournament with a 10-2-1-0 record and remain undefeated in USHL play. The U18’s first game of the tournament is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 7, at 9 a.m. ET against Sweden.

FORWARD OF THE WEEK: Trevor Zegras earned USHL Player of the Week for his performance in the past weekend, tallying a total of seven points (2G, 5A) in two games of USHL play. Read the full report on Zegras here.

COLLEGE CATCH-UP:  Scott Reedy, NTDP alum and San Jose prospect, is thriving with University of Minnesota. Read the full article here.