The United States National Team Development Program (NTDP) represents the United States in the IIHF World U18 Championship. Additionally the team plays domestically against opponents in the United States Hockey League (under-17 and under-18 teams), the National Collegiate Athletic Association (under-18 team), and other international tournaments. The program was started in 1996 by USA Hockey as a way to identify elite ice hockey players under the age of 18, and centralize their training.[1] There are two teams in the program: under-17 and under-18. Both teams are based in Plymouth, Michigan.
 | |
| Nickname | Team USA |
|---|---|
| Association | USA Hockey |
| Head coach | Nick Fohr Kevin Porter |
| Home stadium | USA Hockey Arena |
| Team colors | |
| IIHF code | USA |
 | |
| IIHF World U18 Championship | |
| Appearances | 27 (first in 1999) |
| Best result |  Gold: (2002, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2023) |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| IIHF U18 World Championship | ||
 | 2002 Slovakia | Team |
| 2005 Czech Republic | Team |
| 2006 Sweden | Team |
| 2009 United States | Team |
| 2010 Belarus | Team |
| 2011 Germany | Team |
| 2012 Czech Republic | Team |
| 2014 Finland | Team |
| 2015 Switzerland | Team |
| 2017 Slovakia | Team |
| 2023 Switzerland | Team |
 | 2004 Belarus | Team |
| 2007 Finland | Team |
| 2013 Russia | Team |
| 2018 Russia | Team |
| 2022 Germany | Team |
| 2024 Finland | Team |
 | 2008 Russia | Team |
| 2016 United States | Team |
| 2019 Sweden | Team |
| 2025 United States | Team |
| Hlinka Gretzky Cup | ||
| 2003 Czech Republic / Slovakia | Team |
| 2025 Czech Republic / Slovakia | Team |
| 1993 Japan | Team |
| 1994 Mexico | Team |
| 1996 Canada | Team |
| 1999 Czech Republic | Team |
| 2000 Slovakia | Team |
| 2006 Czech Republic / Slovakia | Team |
| 2010 Slovakia / Czech Republic | Team |
| 2013 Slovakia / Czech Republic | Team |
| 2016 Czech Republic / Slovakia | Team |
| 1991 Japan | Team |
| 1995 Japan | Team |
| 2014 Czech Republic / Slovakia | Team |
| 2023 Czech Republic / Slovakia | Team |
History
editThe stated goal of the NTDP is "to prepare student-athletes under the age of 18 for participation on the U.S. National Teams and success in their future hockey careers. Its efforts focus not only on high-caliber participation on the ice, but creating well-rounded individuals off the ice".[1] While enrolled in the NTDP, players stay with billet families.[citation needed]
From its founding until 2014–15, the program was based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, playing games at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube. However, following that season, the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL relocated, freeing up the what was then known as the Compuware Arena. USA Hockey purchased the facility from Peter Karmanos, renamed it the USA Hockey Arena and moved the NTDP to Plymouth.[2]
The under-17 and under-18 teams play games domestically against opponents in the United States Hockey League (under-17 and under-18 teams) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (under-18 team), as well as three international tournaments for each team plus occasional friendlies. The NTDP teams previously competed in the North American Hockey League until 2009.[3]
The NTDP became part of the annual CHL/USA Prospects Challenge in 2024, a two-game series versus the Canadian Hockey League to showcase the talents of top prospects for the upcoming entry draft of the National Hockey League.[4][5]
Competitive record
editIIHF U18 World Championship
edit
The United States has won 11 gold medals in IIHF World U18 Championship.[6]
| Year | Result | Rank | GP | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 1999 | First round | 7th place | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 38 | 17 | 8 |
 2000 | Preliminary round | 8th place | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 14 | 4 |
 2001 | Quarterfinals | 6th place | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 28 | 14 | 6 |
 2002 | Champions |  | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 46 | 10 | 14 |
 2003 | Semi finals | 4th place | 6[7] | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 9 | 7 |
 2004 | Runner-up |  | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 10 | 10 |
 2005 | Champions | | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 8 | 12 |
 2006 | Champions | | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 7 | 11 |
| 2007 | Runner-up | | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 38 | 20 | 12 |
| 2008 | Third place |  | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 31 | 19 | 15 |
 2009 | Champions | | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 42 | 12 | 18 |
| 2010 | Champions | | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 33 | 7 | 18 |
| 2011 | Champions | | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 15 | 16 |
| 2012 | Champions | | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 4 | 18 |
| 2013 | Runner-up | | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 16 | 11 |
| 2014 | Champions | | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 31 | 12 | 18 |
| 2015 | Champions | | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 46 | 13 | 17 |
| 2016 | Third place | | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 50 | 11 | 18 |
| 2017 | Champions | | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 14 | 20 |
| 2018 | Runner-up | | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 32 | 19 | 12 |
| 2019 | Third place | | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 15 | 19 |
 2020 | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[8] | |||||||||
| 2021 | Quarterfinals | 5th place | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 20 | 8 |
| 2022 | Runner-up | | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 47 | 17 | 15 |
| 2023 | Champions | | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 10 | 20 |
| 2024 | Runner-up | | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 48 | 15 | 18 |
| 2025 | Third place | | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 38 | 18 | 17 |
| 2026 | Quarterfinals | 5th place | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 26 | 11 | 10 |
| Total | 11 Titles | 27/28 | 176[7] | 127 | 11 | 5 | 32 | 931 | 357 | 372 |
Hlinka Gretzky Cup
editTeam USA most recently won the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2025, its second championship.[9]
| Year | Result | Rank | GP | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 1991 | Third place | | ||||||||
| 1992 | Semifinals | 4th place | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 18 | 0 |
| 1993 | Runner-up | | ||||||||
 1994 | Runner-up | | ||||||||
| 1995 | Third place | | ||||||||
 1996 | Runner-up | | ||||||||
| 1997 | Did not participate | |||||||||
| 1998 | ||||||||||
| 1999 | Runner-up | | ||||||||
| 2000 | Runner-up | | ||||||||
| 2001 | Did not participate | |||||||||
| / 2002 | Preliminary round | 5th place | ||||||||
| / 2003 | Champions | | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 10 | 9 |
| / 2004 | Semifinals | 4th place | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 15 | 6 |
| / 2005 | Preliminary round | 5th place | 3[7] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 4 |
| / 2006 | Runner-up | | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 8 |
| / 2007 | Preliminary round | 5th place | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 18 | 6 |
| / 2008 | Preliminary round | 7th place | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 21 | 3 |
| / 2009 | Semifinals | 4th place | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 21 | 6 |
| / 2010 | Runner-up | | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 15 | 9 |
| / 2011 | Preliminary round | 5th place | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 16 | 7 |
| / 2012 | Preliminary round | 7th place | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 18 | 4 |
| / 2013 | Runner-up | | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 14 | 10 |
| / 2014 | Third place | | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 28 | 27 | 8 |
| / 2015 | Preliminary round | 5th place | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 6 |
| / 2016 | Runner-up | | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 15 | 10 |
| / 2017 | Preliminary round | 5th place | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 17 | 5 |
| 2018 | Semifinals | 4th place | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 24 | 21 | 7 |
| / 2019 | Preliminary round | 6th place | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 18 | 4 |
| 2020 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.[10] | |||||||||
| / 2021 | Preliminary round | 5th place | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 21 | 14 | 6 |
| 2022 | Preliminary round | 5th place | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 10 | 6 |
| / 2023 | Third place | | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 23 | 18 | 9 |
| 2024 | Semifinals | 4th place | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 17 | 6 |
| / 2025 | Champions | | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 15 | 11 |
| Total | 2 Titles | 31/35 | N/a | |||||||
Notable alumni
editSince 1999, and through the 2025 NHL draft, 432 NTDP alumni have been drafted by the National Hockey League (NHL) including 103 first round picks.[11] This includes Rick DiPietro, Erik Johnson, Patrick Kane, Auston Matthews, and Jack Hughes, all of whom were drafted first overall in the NHL entry draft. At the 2007 NHL entry draft, NTDP alumni Patrick Kane and James van Riemsdyk were selected first and second overall respectively, the first American-born players selected with the top two picks. Seventeen players were selected from the NTDP in the 2019 NHL entry draft.[12]
At the 2026 Winter Olympics, 17 of the 25 players on the United States men's roster were NTDP alumni.[13][14] The team defeated Canada 2–1 in overtime to win the program's first Olympic gold medal since the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" team, with the game winning overtime goal from NTDP alumnus Jack Hughes.
References
edit- 1 2 "USA Hockey National Team Development Program 2009–10 Media Guide" (PDF). USA Hockey. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 20, 2011. Retrieved April 9, 2010.
- ↑ Hicks, Justin P. (April 22, 2015). "USA Hockey's move to Plymouth won't sink Ann Arbor Ice Cube, management says". MLive. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
- ↑ Morreale, Mike G. (March 31, 2010). "NTDP's move to USHL has worked perfectly". National Hockey League. Retrieved April 9, 2010.
- ↑ Morreale, Mike G. (November 25, 2024). "Top 2025 NHL Draft prospects from CHL, U.S. NTDP ready to go head-to-head". National Hockey League. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
- ↑ "CHL & USA Hockey announce CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Kubota". Western Hockey League. June 26, 2024. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
- ↑ "IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship". USA Hockey National Team Development Program.
- 1 2 3 One game for Drawn
- ↑ Adam Steiss (March 13, 2020). "IIHF cancels U18 Worlds" (Press release). Plymouth Charter Township, Michigan & Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States: International Ice Hockey Federation.
- ↑ "Hlinka Gretzky Cup History". teamusa.usahockey.com.
- ↑ "Hockey Canada statement on 2020 Hlinka Gretzky Cup". Hockey Canada.
- ↑ "NTDP NHL Draft Picks by Round". USA Hockey. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
- ↑ "Record-Breaking 17 Players Selected Directly from NTDP in 2019 NHL Draft". USA Hockey. Retrieved June 30, 2019.
- ↑ "USA Hockey NTDP Olympics Alumni". USA Hockey. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
- ↑ "Team Roster: United States". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved February 23, 2026.