The game, which includes 44 players eligible for the 2023 upper-deck NHL draft June 28-29 at Bridgestone Arena, will feature skaters and goaltenders from the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team and of the United States Hockey League.
All players were selected by USA Hockey in conjunction with NHL Central Scouting.
“The All-American Game has an impressive roster of prospects and the NHL staff is looking forward to another exciting and competitive game,” said NHL Vice President of Central Scouting Dan Marr. “A new format was introduced in 2022, with mixed teams made up of NTDP under-18 prospects and top USHL prospects, and many believed it was one of the best prospect games ever.”
William Smith (6-foot, 178 pounds), a right tackle from the NTDP U-18 team, is the No. 3 prospect on Central Scouting’s list. He will be joined by NTDP forwards Ryan Leonard (No. 4), Oliver Moore (No. 6), Gabriel Perot (No. 15) and Danny Nelson (No. 22). Smith, Leonard and Perrault will each play for Team Blue. Moore and Nelson will play for Team White.
Smith is second in the NTDP with 59 points (22 goals, 37 assists) in 31 games and first in scoring average at 1.90 points per game. Leonard (5-11, 190), a right wing, is tied with Smith for second in goals (22) and third in points (43) in 29 games. Central Moore (5-11, 188) is fourth with 41 points (18 goals, 23 assists) in 32 games.
Perot (5-11, 165) leads the NTDP with 30 goals and 64 points in 34 games. Nelson (6-3, 202) has 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) in 33 games.
The USHL’s top-ranked player entering the game will be Youngstown right wing William Whitelaw (5-9, 173), who is ranked No. 55 among North American skaters. Whitelaw, who has committed to the University of Wisconsin next season, is second in Youngstown with 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists) in 28 games. He will play for Team Blue.
“Unfortunately, two top USHL prospects, defenseman Gavin McCarthy (#39, Muskegon) and right wing Michael DeAngelo (#56, Green Bay), are injured and will not participate,” said Marr. “But there’s still depth of talent on both rosters for this premier scouting event.”
Also of note from the USHL are Youngstown defenseman Andrew Stratman (No. 67; 5-10, 190), who has 20 points (one goal, 19 assists) in 22 games and leads USHL defensemen with 11 assists; he has committed to play at the University of North Dakota next season. He will play for the White team in the prospect game.
NTDP goaltender Trey Augustin (6-1, 183), No. 3 in Central Scouting’s interim North American goalie rankings, is the highest-rated player at his position in the game. Augustine, who will attend Michigan State University next season, is 12-0-2 with a 2.10 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage in 14 games. At the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, he went 4-1 with a 2.85 GAA and .890 save percentage in six games for the bronze medalist United States.
The game will also feature NTDP defenseman Zeev Buyum, who is not eligible until the 2024 NHL Draft. The 17-year-old has 18 points (one goal, 17 assists) in 34 games and is committed to the University of Denver for the 2024-25 season. His older brother, Shai Buyum, is a point guard prospect for the Detroit Red Wings.
A total of 265 players who played in the All-American Prospects Game were selected in the NHL Draft, including 58 in the first round. The 2022 game featured 7 players selected in the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft: forwards Logan Cooley (No. 3, Arizona Coyotes), Cutter Gauthier (No. 5, Philadelphia Flyers), Frank Nazar (No. 13, Chicago Blackhawks), Rutger McGroarty (No. 14, Winnipeg Jets), Jimmy Snagerud (No. 23, St. Louis Blues) and Isaac Howard (No. 31, Tampa Bay Lightning) and defenseman Sam Rinzel (No. 25, Chicago Blackhawks).
USHL Chicago head coach and general manager Mike Garman will coach Team Blue. Fargo (USHL) coach Nick Oliver will coach Tim White.
AMERICAN GAME NETWORK
TEAM BLUE
GATEWAYS: Trey Augustine, USA U-18 (NTDP); Michael Chambre, USA U-18 (NTDP); Carsen Musser, USA U-18 (NTDP)
DEFENDERS: Seth Constance, Tri-City (USHL); Jake Livanavage, Chicago (USHL); Aram Minnetyan, USA U-18 (NTDP); Eric Polkamp, Cedar Rapids (USHL); Zachary Schultz, USA U-18 (NTDP); Zachary Sharp, Sioux Falls (USHL); Nathan Tobey; USA U-18 (NTDP)
QUESTIONS. Salvatore Guzzo, USA U-18 (NTDP); Sam Harris, Sioux Falls (USHL); Ryan Leonard, USA U-18 (NTDP); Tanner Ludtke, Lincoln (USHL); Will McDonough, Sioux Falls (USHL); Gabriel Perrault, USA U-18 (NTDP); Carter Slaggert, USA U-18 (NTDP); William Smith, USA U-18 (NTDP); Lucas St. Louis, Dubuque (USHL); Brandon Svoboda, Youngstown (USHL); Alexander Weyermer, USA U-18 (NTDP); Ethan Whitcomb, Muskegon (USHL); William Whitelaw, Youngstown (USHL)
TIM WHITE
GATEWAYS: Jacob Fowler, Youngstown (USHL); Jack Spicer, Waterloo (USHL)
DEFENDERS: Chris Able, Chicago (USHL); *Zeev Buium, USA U-18 (NTDP); Brady Cleveland, USA U-18 (NTDP); Drew Fortescue, USA U-18 (NTDP); Kai Janviriya, USA U-18 (NTDP); Joe Palodichuk, Fargo (USHL); Aaron Pionk, Waterloo (USHL); Andrew Stratman, Youngstown (USHL)
QUESTIONS. Tanner Adams, Tri-City (USHL); Austin Burnewick, USA U-18 (NTDP); Michael Emerson, Chicago (USHL); Ryan Fine, USA U-18 (NTDP); Jack Harvey, Chicago (USHL); Beckett Hendrickson, USA U-18 (NTDP); Cole Knable, Fargo (USHL); Oliver Moore, USA U-18 (NTDP); Danny Nelson, USA U-18 (NTDP); Garrett Shifsky, Waterloo (USHL); Nicholas Vantassel, Green Bay (USHL); William Vaught, USA U-18 (NTDP)
*-2024 NHL Draft Eligible
Photos by Rena Laverty, NTDP
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