USA Hockey National Team Development Program

"United States men's national under-18 ice hockey team" redirects here. For women's u-18 team, see United States women's national under-18 ice hockey team.

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.

USA Hockey NTDP

Nickname(s)	Team USA
Association	USA Hockey
Head coach	Nick Fohr Greg Moore
Home stadium	USA Hockey Arena
Team colors
IIHF code	USA
IIHF World U18 Championship
Appearances	25 (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
	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

The 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

IIHF U18 World Championship

USA U18 Ice Hockey Team in 2011

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
Total	11 Titles	25/27	171[7]	124	11	4	31	905	346	362

Hlinka Gretzky Cup

USA Hockey does not send players in the program to this event anymore. The U.S. has been represented by non-NTDP players at this tournament.^[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	To be determined
Total	1 Title	30/35

Record book

Single season^[11]

• Most goals: Cole Caufield, 72 (2018–19)
• Most assists: Jack Hughes, 78 (2018–19)
• Most points: Gabe Perreault, 132 (2022–23)

Career^[11]

• Most goals: Cole Caufield, 126 (2017–19)
• Most assists: Jack Hughes, 154 (2017–19)
• Most points: Jack Hughes, 228 (2017–19)

Notable alumni

As of the 2024-25 season, 408 NTDP alumni were drafted in the National Hockey League.^[12] 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 1st and 2nd overall respectively, being the first American-born players selected with the top two picks. A record 17 players were selected directly from the NTDP in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.^[13]