Thirteen forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders have been selected to join USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program located in Plymouth, Michigan, it was announced today. The 23 players, all from the 2001 birth year, will compete for the U.S. National Under-17 Team during the 2017-18 season.

The U.S. National Under-17 Team will play in the United States Hockey League, the only Tier I junior hockey league in the United States, as well as select competition against teams in the North American Hockey League and Minnesota Elite League. It will also compete in three international tournaments, including the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, 2017 Four Nations Tournament and 2018 Five Nations Tournament.

NOTES as provided by USA Hockey: Twelve states are represented on the roster, with New York leading the way with six natives. Four players hail from Massachusetts, three are from Illinois, and two are natives of Michigan. California, Connecticut, Florida, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin each have one representative … Eighteen players have given verbal commitments to NCAA Division I hockey programs ... Eighteen players previously attended the USA Hockey Boys' Select 15 player development camp ... Forwards Michael Gildon (Plano, Texas) and Jack Hughes (Orlando, Fla.) both have older brothers who are currently in their second season with the NTDP as members of the U.S. National Under-18 Team (Max Gildon, Quinn Hughes) … Ryder Rolston’s (Birmingham, Mich.) father, Brian Rolston, spent 17 seasons in the NHL with the New Jersey Devils, Colorado Avalanche, Boston Bruins, Minnesota Wild and New York Islanders, winning the Stanley Cup in 1995 with the Devils. He represented the U.S. on nine separate occasions, most notably the gold-medal earning U.S. team at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey and at three Olympic Winter Games (1994, 2002, 2006). Ryder’s uncle, Ron Rolston previously served as a head coach with the NTDP from 2004-11. He has also coached at the professional and collegiate levels … Alex Turcotte’s (Walled Lake, Mich.) father, AlfieTurcotte, played professional hockey from 1983-99 skating in 112 NHL games, as well as stints in the American Hockey League and overseas in European leagues. He also represented Team USA at the 1984 IIHF World Junior Championship and 1986 IIHF Men’s World Championship … Danny Weight (Lattingtown, N.Y.) is the son of New York Islanders head coach and U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Doug Weight. As a player, Doug Weight spent 19 years in the NHL with the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks, St. Louis Blues and Islanders, winning the Stanley Cup in 2006 with the Hurricanes. He played for Team USA at nine international events, including three Olympic Winter Games (1998, 2002, 2006) and the championship 1996 World Cup of Hockey squad.