LAST TIME OUT: Despite outshooting the Buccaneers, 55-12, the U.S. National Under-18 Team fell, 4-2, to the  Des Moines Buccaneers in Urbandale, Iowa last Friday (Oct. 30). Dylan Duke (Strongsville, Ohio) and Sasha Pastujov (Bradenton, Fla.) tallied goals for the U.S.  The U.S. National Under-17 Team earned another series  sweep, this time against the Shreveport Mudbugs (NAHL), skating to a pair of 6-2, and 6-1 victories, last Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 31, Nov. 1).

GONE STREAKING: Cutter Gauthier (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Ryan Chesley (Mahtomedi, Minn.) have recorded points in every game they've played this season. Gauthier, who has five goals and 13 points in six games, tallied two goals in the U17s' 6-1 win over the Mudbugs last Sunday (Nov. 1). Chesley, who leads all U.S. blueliners in scoring with three goals and 12 points, tallied three points over the weekend. 

POINTS, POINTS, POINTS: Eleven U17 skaters are recording at least a point per game so far this season. Cutter Gauthier averages a team-high 2.17 points, while Rutger McGroarty (Lincoln, Neb.) is averaging 2.14 points per game. In addition, all 21 skaters have recorded at least a point this season, and five players, including Ryan Chesley, Maddox Fleming (Rochester, Minn.), Gauthier, Isaac Howard (Hudson, Wis.) and McGroarty, who paces the team in scoring with five goals and 15 points, have points in the double digits. 

SUCCESS IN THE SECOND: The U17s continue to produce stellar scoring stats in the second periods of their games, outscoring opponents 27-4 in the frame throughout their first seven contests of the season. The U17s also outscore opponents, 12-9 and 11-4 in the second and third periods, respectively. 

DUKE OF YORK: Under-18 forward Dylan Duke  continued his tremendous start to the season as he produced three points in last weekend's (Oct. 29, 30) pair of games, including his second power-play tally of the year. Duke has recorded a point in every game this year and carries a nine-game point streak into the weekend and has scored all four of his goals over the past four contests. The University of Michigan commit finished second on the U17 team in goals scored last season when he finished the year with 29. 

PASTA PARTY: U18 forward Sasha Pastujov  has matched Duke with 14 points (8g-6a) through nine games after his three-point weekend in Iowa. The 6-foot tall forward now has three multi-point efforts on the season including a four-point outburst (2g-2a) in the U18s 8-2 win over Concordia University (Wis.) on October 23.

POINTS IN BUNCHES: Forward Jack Devine (Glencoe, Ill.) recorded a pair of goals Thursday night (Oct. 29) in Waterloo to give him six markers on the season, tied for second-most on the U18 team. Devine has yet to record a single point in a game on the year, instead putting up multiple points in every game he's hit the scoresheet. The future Denver Pioneer put up four points in the season opener in St. Cloud and has followed with two points apiece in Austin, Muskegon and Waterloo.

GASSING UP: Former Shattuck St. Mary's standout and U18 newcomer Andre Gasseau (Garden Grove, Calif.) resumed his quick start to the year with a power play and shorthanded tally on the weekend. Gasseau now averages over a point-per-game with 10 (6g-4a) through the team's first nine games, including seven points over the last quartet of matchups. 

TERRIFIC 23: Twenty members of the 2020-21 U.S. National Under-18 Team and three former NTDP players were named to the National Hockey League Central Scouting's first rankings ahead of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. All 20 age-eligible U18 skaters for the draft were rated on the opening list.

FAMILY AFFAIR: Two sets of siblings are currently skating for the NTDP. Newcomers Cruz Lucius (Grant, Minn.) and  Tyler Duke (Strongsville, Ohio) each join their brothers, Chaz Lucius and Dylan Duke.  The Lucius brothers will also suit up for the same college program when the pair joins the University of Minnesota after their NTDP years.  In total, 17 sets of siblings  have come through the NTDP since the program's inception. 

THE NEXT GENERATION: The 2020 NHL Entry Draft took place early last month, held virtually from the NHL Network Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey.  Thirteen players were selected directly from USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, while two alumni were taken on Day 2 of the draft. Defenseman Jake Sanderson (Whitefish, Mont.) led the way for the NTDP, going fifth overall to the Ottawa Senators. Sanderson is the 81st NTDP alum to be selected in the first round of the draft. 

In addition, Brett Berard (East Greenwich, R.I.), Thomas Bordeleau (Houston, Texas), Drew Commesso (Norwell, Mass.) Brock Faber (Maple Grove, Minn.) Tyler Kleven (Fargo, N.D.), Dylan Peterson (Roseville, Calif.), Eamon Powell (Marcellus, N.Y.), Landon Slaggert (South Bend, Ind.), Ty Smilanic (Denver, Colo.), Jacob Truscott (Port Huron, Mich.), Luke Tuch (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) and Chase Yoder (Fairview, Texas) each heard their names called.

The NTDP now boasts 343 players from the program drafted in the NHL. Of the 343 players, 81 were selected in the first round, 74 were chosen in the second round and 42 were taken in the third round.

COACHING CHANGE: The beginning of 2020-21 season marks the debut of Dan Muse (Canton, Mass.) and Adam Nightingale (Cheyboygan, Mich.) as the 14th and 15th head coaches of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. Muse brings 15 years of coaching experience to the NTDP and was an assistant coach for the Nashville Predators for the past three seasons. Nightingale has spent the last three years with the Detroit Red Wings, serving most recently as an assistant coach for the 2019-20 campaign. Muse will coach the U.S. National Under-18 Team in 2020-21 while Nightingale will lead the U.S. National Under-17 Team. The hirings fill the vacancies left by former NTDP head coaches Seth Appert and John Wroblewski, who both accepted head coaching positions in the AHL.

WORLD UNDER-18 CHAMPIONSHIP:  The 2021 IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship will take place in Plymouth and Ann Arbor, Michigan from April 15-25, 2021. USA Hockey Arena will host the games in Plymouth while the Ann Arbor Ice Cube will play host in Ann Arbor. Team USA will be one of 10 countries represented in the tournament. The group starting play in Plymouth will feature the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Russia and the United States.