Playing in the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game is an honor for any player. Yet for U.S. National Under-18 Team  defenseman Griffin Luce, the game last September in Buffalo was particularly emotional.

“It was really special for me,” recalled Luce, who grew up in nearby Williamsville, New York. “My grandpa Don played in Buffalo [for the Sabres], so it was actually a fun experience.”

Some fans in the crowd even chanted his last name.

“It was a great group of guys, and we went out and had fun,” he said. “It was an excellent experience in Buffalo.”

The 6-foot-3, 214-pound defenseman played for coach Jeremy Roenick. 

“He told us to stick to who you are as a player and not something you are not,” Luce recalled. “You need to be true to you if you want to go to the next level.”

Luce, who has one goal and eight points in 47 games this season, said his game has grown tremendously since his first year with the National Team Development Program. He credits the practices and film sessions with the coaching staff as major reasons for his success.

“It really helps, in practice, when you are battling the top guys in the country every day,” he said. “You can actually go watch video and see what you are doing right and wrong in a game, and then, you get pointers and can work on it in practice.

“I can see myself making the plays. Then I can focus on it in practice. It has been a big help for me.”

A major emphasis for Luce this season has been improving in his own zone, which in turn has helped him all around.

“I know it’s the D-zone first, and that has really helped me,” he said. “I am becoming more of a two-way guy and can jump into the rush. That really helps in the offensive game. You want to make the game as simple as possible.”

Luce and his U18 teammates are still looking to improve as they get ready for a two-game road series with the Bloomington Thunder this weekend.

“We need to work on improving every aspect of our game, whether it is the defensive zone or the offensive zone or neutral ice play,” he said. “It won’t be an issue at all. We know how hard we need to work both on and off the ice. We are willing to go that extra mile.

“It’s two years with one goal — the U18 Worlds. It will be a grind, but we know just how hard we have to work as a team to be successful.”

That hard work takes on added importance when playing for Team USA.

“It’s an honor every day to got to the rink and put on the jersey,” he said. “It’s an obligation for sure, and it’s been an amazing experience, both on and off the ice. It’s been so incredible to represent the U.S.”

Luce, who will continue his hockey career at the University of Michigan after his NTDP days are over, already lined up against his future team on Jan. 21, when the U18s dropped a 5-2 decision at Yost Ice Arena.

“It was a unique experience,” he said. “I started the game, so to stand on the blue line and hear the national anthem, it was an amazing experience. I can’t believe I get to spend the next four years there. It is going to be really fun. It got me excited.

“The game was chippy. We came out to play and we battled, even though we didn’t get the result we wanted.”

It was an easy decision for Luce to go to Michigan, and it was solidified even more from a short conversation he had with some fans prior to the game.

“Before the game, when I was working on my pregame routine, some of the fans came up to me and started talking,” he said. “They said this is a great place to play and they can’t wait to see me here next year. It was great to see that type of support.

“The program has a great history. Coach Red Berenson is one of the college greats. From the start, I liked it. It just felt right and was a good fit for me, both with academics and athletics.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.

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