What to Expect from the U.S. NTDP: Eiserman and Hagens Lead the Way

The USA Hockey National Team Development Program has been one of the most impressive pipelines in hockey in recent years. From Auston Matthews and Jack Hughes to Charlie McAvoy and Adam Fox, the NTDP has produced an insane amount of high-end NHL players over the years. This year’s group is incredibly interesting with a mix of top talent eligible for the 2024 and 2025 NHL drafts.

There is a very real chance that this team has the first overall pick in each of those two drafts. We will have to see how the next year (or two) play out but the talent on this year’s U-18 NTDP squad is undeniable. Let’s dive into some of the top players and what to expect from them this year.

Cole Eiserman, LW, 2024 NHL Draft

It’s long been rumored that Cole Eiserman was putting some thought into decommitting from the University of Minnesota and as first reported by New England Hockey Journal’s Evan Marinofsky, it finally happened. The reason given was that he wanted to play closer to home. The Newburyport, Mass. native will be taking his talents to Boston University to join a program that already boasts superstar defenseman Lane Hutson and the player he might be competing with for the first overall pick in the 2024 NHL draft – Macklin Celebrini.

Last season, Eiserman took the hockey world by storm, scoring a combined 69 goals with the Under-17 and Under-18 teams last season, setting a record for NTDP players in his age group. He was just three goals shy of the NTDP’s single-season goal-scoring record held by Cole Caufield. Eiserman will likely look to take that record down this season with the U-18 squad.

Eiserman is a goal-scoring machine who has one of the best pure releases we’ve seen come through the draft in the last few seasons. What has scouts salivating over his potential is the physicality that he can bring to the game when he wants to. He is a big-bodied winger who can score. What team wouldn’t want that?

James Hagens, C, 2025 NHL Draft

Although Eiserman is the biggest name for the 2024 NHL draft from this year’s version of the NTDP, James Hagens may ultimately be the best player on the roster. He is the youngest player on the roster, but he plays with a maturity well beyond his years.

His ability to drive play and create offense for everyone else on the ice is simply fantastic. Hagens is a fast-paced center that blends creativity and tactical precision. Hagens is known as a playmaker primarily, but he routinely reminds those watching that he can find the back of the net as well with a wicked wrister. Hagens has a quick release with pinpoint accuracy.

The Boston College commit isn’t just an offensive dynamo as his defensive game is stronger than most players his age. He understands how to support teammates in his own zone and does an excellent job of filling a hole for a defender pinching at the blueline. Hagens understands how to turn a smart play in the defensive zone into a dangerous play in the attacking zone.

Hagens may not be eligible for this year’s draft, but he heads into his DY-1 season as the favorite to go first overall next year. He has torn up every level of hockey that he’s played at and that shouldn’t stop this year as he takes a run at the USHL circuit for a second year before heading to college. Hagens is the total package, and he will be one of the biggest reasons to watch the NTDP.

Max Plante, RW, 2024 NHL Draft

Sometimes a player is more than the sum of their parts because of their brain and their understanding for the development of play. Max Plante is that player for the NTDP. He has been playing alongside Hagens to start the season and he has been an excellent complementary piece for the play-driving pivot.

Plante stands just 5-foot-10 but he is an energetic player who works hard on every shift. He’s matured a bit physically this year and his shot looks more dangerous because of it, but his passing and play-connecting ability is going to be the calling card in his game. He understands how to make the right play at the right time. He should be one of the more interesting secondary players in the NTDP’s forward group this upcoming season.

Kamil Bednarik, C, 2024. NHL Draft

In what should be one of the more interesting storylines to follow this season with the NTDP, Kamil Bednarik could be a sneaky bet to be the second NTDP player taken in the 2024 draft. He is a very good two-way player who can play in all situations for the team. Bednarik pressures opponents when they have the possession, looking to dislodge the puck from them with a well-timed stick check with a willingness to engage with the body when needed. He was a key penalty-killer for the NTDP last year and should continue that trend this year.

Offensively, Bednarik is a dual threat who plays a versatile game. He can score from distance with a well-placed snap shot or puck handle in tight to open up a netminder to sneak it past them. He is a crisp passer who helps make his teammates better by drawing in pressure and then finding them in excellent position. There aren’t many weaknesses in Bednarik’s game, so the biggest question is just how high his potential is.

Christian Humphreys, C, 2024 NHL Draft

Humphreys is a player who may not play the flashiest or most in-your-face game, but he always seems to find his way onto the scoresheet. Humphreys plays a tactical game, looking to exploit mistakes rather than force them. He plays a fairly simple game, but he has seemingly found some chemistry with Cole Eiserman to start the year.

Humphreys is a complementary player who can help make life easier on his linemates by making quick passes, play the bumper in transition, and act as an outlet when the play driver needs to off-load the puck to a teammate. The biggest question with Humphreys heading into this season is whether or not can he add a bit more substance to the solid stat lines that he’s routinely put together.

Brodie Ziemer, RW, 2024

A shifty forward who is always playing with his foot on the gas, Ziemer has the skill and shooting talent to be one of the NTDP’s best players outside of the big two. The 5-foot-11 forward plays with underrated tenacity and drive and gets to the front of the net. He rolls off defenders well to make himself a passing option and he can work through traffic with excellent edgework.

Ziemer may not have the same name value as Hagens or Eiserman but the flashes of talent make him one of the most exciting players on the team. Whether he’s feathering a saucer pass to the slot on the rush or sliding into the inside lane on the defender to deflect the puck on goal, he does a lot of really smart things offensively. This year will be about refining his game and putting it all together a bit more often.

Cole Hutson, LHD, 2024 NHL Draft

While his older brother Lane, a Montreal Canadiens prospect, has been a well-known commodity for a few years now, Cole made his mark last season with the NTDP U-17 team. He plays a similar variety of creative and skill-based hockey from the blueline, looking to manipulate and embarrass opposing players on the way to highlight reel plays. Cole is listed at 5-foot-10 so he is a bit bigger than his brother, but the same defensive deficiencies are prevalent in his game.

The younger Hutson is a catalyst from the back end and should put up some very solid point totals as a draft-eligible player, but the defensive game is going to be as much or more of a work in progress than his brother’s was at the same age. Cole is a very good skater and his intellect with the puck will take him far. He will need to focus on improving away from the puck though and making better decisions as to not put himself or his team in bad spots. The upside is very high but there is quite a bit of risk with Cole. It will be interesting to see how he progresses this year because the boom or bust potential is huge.

Logan Hensler, RHD, 2025 NHL Draft

The second-youngest player on the team may wind up being the best overall defenseman on the squad this year. Much like Hagens up front, he plays a game that is mature beyond his years. He plays very sound hockey at both ends of the ice, controls play while he is out there, and makes the NTDP better every time he steps on the ice. He may not get the love that Hutson gets because he isn’t as flashy but the process-oriented Hensler is a stud.

The best asset that Hensler possesses is his mind. The 6-foot-2 right-shooting defender understands what needs to be done and when, never bailing on a play to cheat on offense. Hensler is a methodical player at the offensive blueline, moving the puck efficiently and effectively. His skating is high-end and his intellect is the class of the blueline. By year’s end, he very well could be the best blueliner on the team – if he’s not that already.

Will Skahan, LHD, 2024 NHL Draft

Although offensive defensemen get all the love, NHL teams love a big, defense-minded blueliner who can kill play and find teammates up ice. That’s exactly what Will Skahan is for this NTDP squad. At 6-foot-4 and 204 pounds, Skahan can be a lot to handle for opposing forecheckers or players trying to establish a net-front presence. Skahan understands his role and what his skill set is, and he rarely tries to do more than what he’s capable of.

There has already been some first-round buzz on Skahan early in the year because of his combination of size and predictability with the puck. Teams love knowing what they are going to get from a player and Skahan never leaves his team guessing. He’s a steadying presence for the NTDP, giving them a foil to the all-out offensive game that others bring to the blueline.

EJ Emery, RHD, 2024 NHL Draft

A 6-foot-3 defender who is still very raw offensively, Emery is one of the most interesting players on the back end when you talk about who could take the biggest step this upcoming season. He has all the physical tools and the ability to improve as a player while refining some things in his game. We’ve already seen him use his vision and passing up ice on the breakout a bit more effectively to start this season. If he can continue to exploit passing lanes up ice, he could be a quality transition defender as he becomes more confident moving the puck with his feet.

Emery is a dual-citizen who trained and developed in British Columbia before heading to Plymouth, Mich. with the NTDP. Committed to the University of North Dakota, Emery will be looking to take some big steps this year and work his way up the depth chart with the NTDP this year to prove that he is worthy of a top 50 pick in the upcoming NHL draft.