USPHL Sees Nearly 50 Alumni Compete At NHL Development Camps, More Than Half From NCDC

By Joshua Boyd / USPHLNCDC.com 

 

A full survey of NHL teams’ Development Camp rosters showed that 47 former United States Premier Hockey League players competed at the camps, held to introduce prospects to the teams that have newly drafted them and re-evaluate past draft picks as well as newly invited free agents.

Despite a league history of just 10 years, the still young USPHL has been growing its profile as a feeder for National Hockey League teams, with 49 players having been drafted out of the USPHL since its 2013-14 inaugural season. No less than 14 players that skated in the NCDC have been drafted from among that number, including a North American Tier II record of three drafted directly from the NCDC in the 2021 Entry Draft. 

 

Some additional points of interest about the list:

  • The Florida Panthers and Washington Capitals each had four USPHL alumni at their Development Camps, while the reigning Stanley Cup Champion Vegas Golden Knights and the Vancouver Canucks were just behind with three alumni. 
  • Out of the 47 former USPHL players listed, 24 are NHL Entry Draft selections by their teams, including the most recent being former Rockets Hockey Club 16U player Nicholas VanTassell, selected by the Ottawa Senators in Round 7 of the 2023 Draft. 
  • Six of the 47 are players who signed contracts as free agents with their NHL organizations, a list topped by former Boston Junior Bruins goaltender and Dineen Cup Champion Yaniv Perets. This is the same Yaniv Perets who helped Quinnipiac University to their first NCAA Division I National Championship this past spring and was a two-time Hobey Baker Finalist. He signed with the Carolina Hurricanes shortly after the NCAA championship game. 
  • Eighteen of the 47 players were Development Camp Invites, or players that the NHL teams might potentially sign as a free agent in the future. This group includes nine former NCDC players, among these being past Dineen Cup Champions Justin Pearson (Islanders Hockey Club, 2018), Luke Rowe and Mike Brown (Boston Junior Bruins (2019) and Liam McLinskey (Jersey HItmen, 2021). 
  • Two recent USPHL Premier players earned Development Camp roster spots. Former Chicago Cougar Mats Lindgren (2020-21) was a 2022 Draft Pick of the Buffalo Sabres. Lindgren also volunteered to be mic’d up during the Sabres’ Camp. Additionally, former Elmira Jr. Enforcer Jack Rogers (2020-21), currently with St. Cloud State University, earned an invite to the Washington Capitals Development Camp.  
NHL TeamPlayer First NamePlayer Last NameUSPHL OrganizationLevel Draft/Free Agent/Invite
Anaheim DucksIanMooreBoston Junior BruinsNCDCDraft
Anaheim DucksSamColangeloBoston Junior Bruins16UDraft
Arizona CoyotesSamLipkinRockets Hockey ClubNCDCDraft
Buffalo SabresMatsLindgrenChicago CougarsPREDraft
Buffalo SabresT.J. SemptimphelterBoston Junior BruinsNCDCInvite
Calgary FlamesArseniSergeyevRockets Hockey ClubNCDCDraft
Calgary FlamesConnor MurphyJersey HitmenNCDCFree Agent
Carolina HurricanesDomenickFensoreP.A.L. Jr. Islanders16UDraft
Carolina HurricanesYanivPeretsBoston Junior BruinsNCDCFree Agent
Chicago BlackhawksDominicBasseSouth Kent Selects Academy18UDraft
Colorado AvalancheOwenAllardNorthwood School18UInvite
Columbus Blue JacketsJamesFisherBoston Junior Bruins16UDraft
Columbus Blue JacketsJustinPearsonIslanders Hockey ClubNCDCInvite
Detroit Red WingsLiamMcLinskeyJersey HitmenNCDCInvite
Edmonton OilersShaneLaChanceBoston Junior BruinsNCDCDraft
Edmonton OilersMikeBrownBoston Junior BruinsNCDCInvite
Florida PanthersTyler MuszelikRockets Hockey Club16UDraft
Florida PanthersEvanNauseNewbridge Academy18UDraft
Florida PanthersSkylerBrind'AmourSouth Kent Selects Academy18UFree Agent
Florida PanthersLuisLindnerBoston Junior BruinsNCDCInvite
Los Angeles KingsBradenDoyleBoston Junior BruinsNCDCDraft
Los Angeles KingsBen SteevesNew Hampshire Jr. Monarchs16UInvite
Minnesota WildRyanHealeyBoston Advantage16UDraft
Minnesota WildNateBenoitNorthern Cyclones16UDraft
Nashville PredatorsGunnarwolfeFontaineProvidence Capitals16UDraft
Nashville PredatorsCollinGrafBoston Junior BruinsNCDCInvite
New Jersey DevilsBrendanFitzgeraldIslanders Hockey Club16UInvite
New Jersey DevilsLuke RoweBoston Junior BruinsNCDCInvite
Ottawa SenatorsNicholasVanTassellRockets Hockey Club16UDraft
Philadelphia FlyersHunter McDonaldRochester MonarchsNCDCDraft
Philadelphia FlyersMattBrownRockets Hockey Club18UInvite
San Jose SharksCamLundBoston Junior BruinsNCDCDraft
San Jose SharksDannyWeightP.A.L. Jr. Islanders16UInvite
Seattle KrakenDavidGoyetteP.A.L. Jr. IslandersNCDCDraft
Seattle KrakenRyanBottrillSouth Shore KingsNCDCInvite
Tampa Bay JuniorsTristanAllardNorthwood School18UFree Agent
Vancouver CanucksJacksonDorringtonBoston Junior BruinsNCDCDraft
Vancouver CanucksChristianFeltonSkipjacks Hockey Club16UInvite
Vancouver CanucksJosephDunlapManchester Monarchs16UInvite
Vegas Golden KnightsCameronWhiteheadUtica Jr. CometsNCDCDraft
Vegas Golden KnightsJoeFlemingNorthern CyclonesNCDCFree Agent
Vegas Golden KnightsIan CarpentierBoston Junior BruinsNCDCInvite
Washington CapitalsMitchellGibsonTeam Comcast16UDraft
Washington CapitalsChaseClarkJersey HitmenNCDCDraft
Washington CapitalsSimonTassyNewbridge Academy18UInvite
Washington CapitalsJackRogersElmira Jr. EnforcersPREInvite
Winnipeg JetsParkerFordSouth Kent Selects Academy16UFree Agent