ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Forward Keeghan Howdeshell (Brighton, Michigan) and defenseman Matthew Hellickson (Rogers, Minnesota) will join USA Hockey's National Team Development Program for the 2014-15 season it was announced today. The players, both from the 1998 birth year, will compete as members of the U.S. National Under-17 Team.

Howdeshell notched 11 goals and assisted on nine others in 50 games with the Detroit Compuware midget minor program last season. Howdeshell also added two power-play strikes while skating in the High Performance Hockey League.

Hellickson scored five times and collected 23 helpers for Rogers (Minnesota) High School during the 2013-14 season. The University of Notre Dame verbal commit was third on his team in assists (23) and seventh in points (28) and was the second-highest ranking Rogers defensemen in goals, assists and points. Hellickson also tallied two goals and recorded three assists on the power play.

The U.S. National Under-17 Team will play in the United States Hockey League, the top junior league in the United States. It will also compete in three international tournaments, including the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in November ... Previous commits to the NTDP for 2014-15 include forwards Joey Anderson (Roseville, Minnesota), Trent Frederic (St. Louis, Missouri), Max Jones (Rochester, Michigan), Clayton Keller (Swansea, Illinois), Patrick Khodorenko (Walnut Creek, California), William Lockwood (Bloomfield Hills, Michigan), Graham McPhee (Bethesda, Maryland), Nick Pastujov (Bradenton, Florida), James Sanchez (Northbrook, Illinois) and Zach Walker (Boise, Idaho) along with defensemen Michael Campoli (Point-Claire, Quebec), Adam Fox (Jericho, New York), James Greenway (Potsdam, New York), Chad Krys (Ridgefield, Connecticut), Ryan Lindgren (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Griffin Luce (Williamsville, New York) and Luke Martin (St. Louis, Missouri) and goaltenders Jake Oettinger (Lakeville, Minnesota) and Joseph Woll (Dardenne Prairie, Missouri) ... James Greenway is the brother of current U.S. National Under-17 Team forward Jordan Greenway ... William Lockwood is the son of former University of Michigan forward Joe Lockwood. The elder Lockwood played in 147 games for the Wolverines, scoring 36 goals and added 33 assists for 69 points. Lockwood also played in 49 games for the Kalamazoo Wings of the IHL, recording 14 goals and 10 assists ... Graham McPhee is the son of George McPhee, former general manager of the Washington Capitals. The elder McPhee was the recipient of the 1982 Hobey Baker Award while playing college hockey at Bowling Green State University. While at Bowling Green, he also won the CCHA Rookie of the Year Award in 1978-79 and was named CCHA Player of the Year in 1981-82, before playing seven seasons in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils.