It’s never too early to learn about the upcoming draft crop and today Max from TPE Hockey has three profiles on a few lesser known prospects playing for the US National Development Program U18 team.
Trevor Zegras | Center | USNTDP Comparison: Patrick Kane | Rank: 15th
Trevor Zegras is the US National U18 Team’s third line center, but that does not do justice to Zegras’ ability. This because NTDP holds two top 5 centers for the 2019 NHL Draft in Jack Hughes and Alex Turcotte. Last year Zegras was held back for a long time because of this, but eventually, Hughes and Turcotte both earned promotions to the U18 team. Zegras then went on to play on the 1st line and dominated the USHL with 32 points in 31 games. This season Zegras has thrived on the 2nd line as Turcotte battles injury problems. He sits at 2 goals and 6 assists for 8 points in only 4 USHL competition games which is good enough to earn him USHL player of the week.
The Boston University commit is a playmaking center that plays a very similar game to Patrick Kane plus some two-way ability. Zegras is a phenomenal passer that can thread the needle through traffic and make perfect tape to tape passes. He is creative at setting up scoring opportunities on the powerplay. Passing is the most important quality in his game, and it’s complemented very well by his vision of the ice. He is so often able to make a pinpoint pass because of how well he can spot open ice and his teammate moving into it. Zegras also has some very Kane like stick handling abilities. He never has to look down at the puck and can pull off some crazy moves with no problems. Puck handling comes naturally to him, he can do it without thinking.
Zegras’ hands, plus his skating prowess, also allows him to be a great puck carrier. Much like Kane, he is a zone entry/exit machine and is great at setting up plays off the rush. Also like Kane, he succeeds at finding teammates coming into the zone and setting them up after a zone entry. Patrick Kane had a league-leading 904 controlled zone exits in the 17-18 season. I wouldn’t expect those kinds of totals from Zegras, but his approach to these types of plays are very similar to Kane. Zegras’ aforementioned skating prowess is another notable quality. With great north-south speed combined with excellent agility, Zegras is a nightmare to defend one on one. He is great at catching defenders flat footed and blazing past them with his lightning-quick feet. He often gets up to top speed before his defender can even get his feet going.
Not only is Zegras an offensive dynamo, but he allows exhibits excellent two-way skill. Due to his high hockey IQ he knows how to defend. He can cut off passing lanes and cover for defensemen very well. What holds him back from being a contender for one of the best two-way centers in the draft class is his physicality. Zegras shows little physical ability and lacks aggressiveness on the puck.
That said, Zegras’ overall ability shows prowess in all three zones. He’s an entertaining offensive threat, and impossible to look away from.
Talk about picking corners…. 👀Trevor Zegras from the goal line 🦓@USAHockeyNTDP wins 8-3 #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/1bGwJFJE8Z
— USHL (@USHL) October 28, 2018
Cam York | Defense | USNTDP Comparison: Zach Werenski | Rank: 17th
The California native is the key piece on the blue line for the elite NTDP squad. The team relies heavily on his contributions in both zones as their top two-way defender.
In his play last season he split time with the U17 and U18 squads. At the end of the season, he was able to go to the U18 World Junior Championships with the 2018 draft eligibles and he was easily the team’s best defender.
So far this season York has been scoring at a point per game pace in the USHL and in other competitions with the NTDP, like NCAA bouts. Speaking of his NCCA games, York has undoubtedly been a dominant force in those games. He’s easily held is own against players four years his senior.
York is most easily defined as a mobile two-way defender. He is a very slick skater that is good at dodging defenders with quick feet and agility. His feet are always moving, so he doesn’t struggle to get going when the direction of play shifts. York doesn’t have a dynamic top speed, but he really doesn’t need it. He’s a smart enough player to make the right decision as to where he doesn’t need to use his top speed to get out of a tricky situation or create a play. He knows when to rush the puck or to try to make one of his electric stretch passes across the neutral zone. York is so good on the breakout because he can make that quick decision to rush the puck or try to create a play. He also has some silky mitts on him that help him out in transition.
Defensively, York thrives due to his smart approach to defense. He covers his own zone very well and shuts down the opposing team’s attempts to set up on a powerplay.
The problem with York’s defensive play is his physical capabilities. He’s another small defender that has trouble playing the body. York has struggled a good bit when paired up with high-level power forwards. He has issues containing larger players with speed but his superb stick-checking can help him out with that.
Generally, York is still a very good defender but he would benefit a lot from some time playing college hockey, which is known for being good for physically needy prospects.
York is currently not committed to any college as he de-commited from Boston College. York could head to the WHL where the Red Deer Rebels holds his rights, but college is the best path for him.
Overall, Cam York has been for two years one of the best, and now the best, defensemen in the NTDP system.
Spencer Knight | Goaltender | USNTDP Comparison: Frederik Andersen | Rank: 27th
Spencer Knight is one of the most touted players let alone goaltenders by the NTDP.
For a long time, the program has had some goaltending troubles with the occasional gem in Jake Oettinger or Thatcher Demko. But Knight has become a potential star in the making. He’s ranked very highly by various scouts and scouting services. Some who have him as high as 15. Knight has recently gone on a tear against multiple NCAA teams who he repeatedly shut down in games that the NTDP would’ve gotten killed as recently as last year. Knight is doing things we haven’t seen from an NTDP goaltender since, well, ever.
The Boston College commit shows a lot of the qualities we commonly see in top goaltenders nowadays. Knight is a 191cm tall monster. He takes up a lot of room from body size alone but also loves to challenge shooters far past the top of his crease. Sometimes he gives up too much space for a backdoor pass through.
All of his movements are very quick and he is good at sealing the ice and closing holes while moving. He’s very explosive too, which we rarely see from such a well-composed goaltender. He’s very much like the Maple Leafs’ Frederik Andersen in that regard. Knight tends to favor the butterfly, as he should with all these qualities.
Knight is pretty much an impossible goalie to beat with a straight up shot, and he’s quick enough to recover for a passing play. It takes a very crafty player to get one past the NTDP’s star in net.
You can connect with Max on Twitter @TPEHockey if you have any questions or comments.
