After running the table in the preliminary through medal rounds at the 2022 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, the United States stumbled in the gold medal game against Sweden on Sunday and dropped a 6-4 decision in Landshut, Germany.
The annual event, in existence since 1999, is considered by many to be the last final check of NHL team draft boards given the high-end talent in the primary zone for selection. Team USA scored its way through the early part of the tournament with production from its top forwards and draft prospects. Unfortunately, the Americans ran into a hot goalie in the final contest, and a Swedish team hungry for its second-ever gold medal at the Under-18 championship. Coming home with silver, the U.S., which won four consecutive championships from 2009-12 has 10 overall, last captured gold in 2017.
New England had several players on Team USA, keyed by a pair of ’05 forwards playing a year early. Both are expected to be early NHL draft picks in 2023, and gave a glimpse into what could be a year from now, when they will be key contributors for the American team at this event.
We were not present in Germany for the games, so these observations are taken from in-person looks during the season (for Team USA players) and supplemented with the televised tournament action.
New England 2023 draft watch
Will Smith (Lexington, Mass.)
U.S. NTDP U17/U18, C, 3/17/05, right shot, 6-0/172
NCAA commit: Boston College
St. Sebastian’s and Boston Jr. Eagles product played four games and put up as many points, but curiously, was down lower in the USA forward lineup than expected. A productive center all season with Team USA putting up points against USHL competition with both the under-17 and under-18 squads, he has an advanced offensive game with the brain and skills to generate offense and quality scoring chances at the next level. He is expected to be a top prospect for the draft in a year, and the experience of coming over to Germany and being a part of this will set him up well for what comes next.
Ryan Leonard (Amherst, Mass.)
U.S. NTDP U-17/U-18, C/LW, 1/21/05, right shot, 5-11/185
NCAA commit: Boston College
Always a goal scorer, the former Pope Francis (Cathedral High) and Springfield Rifles star boosted his stock in Germany, scoring five goals in six games, including the opening tally in the gold medal game on a laser beam of a shot. The younger brother John Leonard, a left wing in the San Jose Sharks system, brings an aggressive, shoot-first mentality, but has the hockey sense and drive to get to the dirty areas where he can use his quick hands to fire pucks to the back of the twine. He and Smith, who figure to be playing together for some time yet, could give New England multiple first-round selections in the NHL draft for the first time since 2015.
2022 NHL Draft prospects
We won’t cover all of the top NHL draft prospects on Team USA, but will provide a snapshot of players from the region and with ties to New England, plus a couple of top performers who earned recognition.
Logan Cooley
U.S. NTDP U-18, C, 5/4/04, left shot, 5-10/175
NCAA commit: Minnesota
The surefire top-5 draft candidate provided a lot of offense (three goals, 10 points) on the top line with Cutter Gauthier and Jimmy Snuggerud. He’s ultra-creative, elusive and plays with pace and elite skills. Formerly committed to Notre Dame, he switched to the Golden Gophers and will infuse the Frozen Four semifinalist with instant pop. To underscore that, he scored a goal on the Michigan/lacrosse move against Latvia in the quarterfinal game.
Cutter Gauthier
U.S. NTDP U-18, C/LW, 1/19/04, left shot, 6-3/195
NCAA commit: Boston College
A big riser thanks to his 34 goals (3-6-9 in the tournament in six games) and big body/power game. He can play center or wing, and when motoring through the middle of the ice, can back up defenders as he goes right to the net. Another prime Eagles recruit, Gauthier has the size and strength to make an immediate splash in the Hockey East next season, and will be near the top of a lot of NHL draft boards in July.
Rutger McGroarty
U.S. NTDP U-18, LW/C, 3/30/04, left shot, 6-0/205
NCAA commit: Michigan
Team USA’s captain led the squad with nine goals in six games. He’s a pure scorer with a wicked shot and the instincts to find the prime spots on the ice where he can unload his lethal drive. The Nebraska native helped the U.S. team rally several times in the gold medal game, but they couldn’t get the key save against Sweden. McGroarty’s skating is average for the pro game, and he’ll need to improve his first steps and play away from the puck as he develops, but he’s yet another first-round draft candidate.
Lane Hutson
U.S. NTDP U-18, D, 2/14/04, left shot, 5-8/150
NCAA commit: Boston University
Whatever the Chicago product and future Terrier lacks in size, he more than makes up for with his feet, hands, brain and heart. Highly cerebral and slick with the puck, he also competes hard and just makes plays all over the ice. He was named the tournament’s top defenseman (eight assists in six games) and while he didn’t have the best gold medal game, Hutson is another in a recent string of undersized but high-end NHL prospects on defense.
Charlie Leddy (Fairfield, Conn.)
U.S. NTDP U-18, D, 1/11/04, right shot, 6-1/176
NCAA commit: Boston College
Reliable, mobile defender plays with length and poise. There isn’t an electric element to the former Mid Fairfield Ranger’s game, but he gets back in retrievals quickly and gets the puck up the ice for his team’s elite speed game to take over. He’s lean and has a lot of physical maturing ahead. Don’t expect much offense, but Leddy is the kind of player who eats up minutes and earns coaches' trust with his simple approach.
