Cade Webber continues to impress the player personnel department within USA Hockey. Just a few weeks after playing for the U.S. NTDP U18 team for three exhibition games against New England colleges, the Rivers School junior defenseman has been called up again. This time, Webber has been added to the U.S. National Under-18 Team that...
Cade Webber continues to impress the player personnel department within USA Hockey.
Just a few weeks after playing for the U.S. NTDP U18 team for three exhibition games against New England colleges, the Rivers School junior defenseman has been called up again.
This time, Webber has been added to the U.S. National Under-18 Team that will compete in the Under-18 Five Nations Tournament that takes place in Kravare, Czech Republic from Wednesday to Sunday. Webber earned the nod due to some injuries on the NTDP U18 roster.
The Meadville, Pa., native has spent the past two seasons playing prep school hockey for Shawn McEachern at the Rivers School. The 6-foot-6, swift-skating, left-shot defenseman is committed to playing college hockey for Boston University. With his size and skating ability, Webber could be picked as early as the second round in the 2019 NHL Draft. Some scouts are concerned about his lack of hockey sense, but his physical tools are certainly intriguing.
The other call-up for the tournament is Robert Mastrosimone, a left wing for the USHL's Chicago Steel. The East Islip, N.Y., native is also committed to BU.
The team is led by Jack Hughes, the projected first-overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. Several New Englanders play an integral role on the team. Left wing Matt Boldy (Millis, Mass.) and goaltender Spencer Knight (Darien, Conn.) are both expected to be first round picks come next June in Vancouver. Both Boldy and Knight, as well as right wing Patrick Moynihan (Millis, Mass.), are committed to Boston College.
Defenseman Henry Thrun (Southborough, Mass.) and left wing Sean Farrell (Hopkinton, Mass.) are committed to Harvard.
The U.S. National Under-18 Team will open up the Five Nations Tournament by playing Sweden on Wednesday at 9 a.m. EST. Following that, the Americans will face Czech Republic on Thursday, Switzerland on Friday and Finland on Sunday.
