GONE STREAKING: Frank Nazar III (Mount Clemens, Mich.) has racked up 21 points in 10 of his last 14 NTDP appearances, both with the U17 and U18 squads. Across the 14-game stretch dating back to Feb. 21, Nazar has notched 13 goals and seven assists. The 5-9 forward is second in scoring for the U17s, and has 28 goals and 55 points in 45 contests this season, averaging over a point per game.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK: In addition to goaltender Cameron Korpi (South Lyon, Mich.), eight skaters have joined the U.S. National Under-17 Team for the remainder of the season, including forwards Brennan Ali (Glencoe, Ill.), Jimmy Clark (Edina, Minn.), Mikey DeAngelo (Itasca, Ill.), Luke Levandowski (Rosemount, Minn.) and Daniel Sambuco (Springfield, Pa.), and defensemen Trey Ausmus (East Grand Forks, Minn.), Anthony Dowd (Point Pleasant Beach, N.J.) and Nathan McBrayer (Dublin, Ohio). 

TURNING PRO: Following the conclusion of the Wisconsin men's hockey season, NTDP alum Cole Caufield (2017-19) signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Montreal Canadiens. The standout forward and 2021 Hobey Baker Award finalist was selected 15th overall by the Canadiens in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft. 

Additionally, former NTDP defenseman David Farrance (NTDP 2015-17) signed a two-year contract with the Nashville Predators, who drafted the Boston University product 92nd overall in the third round of the 2017  NHL Draft. NTDP alums Cam York (NTDP 2017-19) and Spencer Knight (NTDP 2017-19) also signed with their respective clubs, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Florida Panthers.

HOBEY BAKER WATCH: Former NTDP forward Cole Caufield (University of Wisconsin /NTDP 2017-19) was named one of three finalists for the 2021 Hobey Baker Memorial Award. Caufield boasts 30 goals and 52 points in 31 games played. He leads the nation's second-highest scoring skater by 11 goals and holds a five-point lead on the next closest scorer. His 1.68 points per game are tops in the country. The winner will be announced on Friday, April 9, 2021. 

NCAA PLAYER  AWARDS: More than 20 different NTDP skaters earned conference awards for the 2020-21 season. Notably, forward Cole Caufield and goalatender Spencer Knight picked up Player of the Year nods from the Big Ten Conference and Hockey  East Association, respectively, and forwards Thomas Bordeleau (University of Michigan/ NTDP 2018-20) and Ty Smilanic (Quinnipiac University/ NTDP 2018-20) both won Rookie of the Year awards. In addition, twenty-one players landed on All-Conference teams. 

HEAD COACH GRANATO: Former NTDP coach Don Granato was named interim head coach of the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday. Before being named head coach, Granato, who coached at the NTDP from 2011 to 2016, served as an assistant coach with the Sabres for both the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. 

Granato is the fourth former NTDP coach to serve as head coach for an NHL club, joining current New York Rangers head coach David Quinn (NTDP 2002-04), Nashville Predators head coach John Hynes (NTDP 2003-09), and former Sabres head coach Ron Rolston (NTDP 2004-11) in earning the distinction.

U18 MEN'S WORLDS: The 2021 IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship is scheduled to take place in Frisco and Plano, Texas from April 26-May 26, 2021.

The primary venue for the tournament will be Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas. It will host Group B for preliminary round play, which includes the U.S., Russia, Czech Republic, Finland and Germany. Comerica Center will also host two quarterfinal games, both semifinal contests, along with the bronze and gold-medal games.