U18 Hockey: USA Juniors Top Canada Thanks to Elite Prospects
The U18 United States junior hockey team got past Canada 7-2 to advance to the finals. The United States will face the winner of the Switzerland vs Finland game for the gold medal.
American goal scorers were Clayton Keller, Auston Matthews (2), Colin White (3), and Jordan Greenway. The game was full of American hockey prospects with professional potential.
Keller, a lefty center, scored the first goal for the Americans. He is committed to Boston University for the 2016-2017 season. With the U18 team, Keller has six points in five contests. He scored 59 points in 45 games with the U17 team in 2014.
Matthews scored two goals in the victory. The Arizona native had 102 points with the U18 team this season overall and is quickly becoming one of the best American hockey prospects. He is eligible for the 2016 NHL draft and is currently the consensus for the top pick overall.
Greenway is eligible for this year’s NHL draft but is committed to starting with the Boston University Terriers in the fall. The New York native is ranked the #47 prospect by NHL Central Scouting.
On this day as the United States got past Canada it was Colin White who stood out amongst the rest. White is eligible for this season’s NHL draft and has committed to playing with his hometown Boston College Eagles. NHL Central Scouting has White ranked as the #29 overall prospect.
With the national U18 team this season, White put up 45 points in 47 games.
Matthews leads the U18 tournament currently with 12 points in five games. Matthew Tkachuk, who was held scoreless in their last game, is third in scoring with ten points. He’s another elite prospect for the 2016 draft.
The U18 roster, which has a good chance of winning against Finland or Switzerland, is a solid representation of how American hockey has grown. Many of the top prospects in the game are American, and Matthews being from Arizona shows how much the sport has grown throughout the entire country.
Another elite prospect with the United States squad is Jack Roslovic, ranked #39 by NHL Central Scouting and eligible for next year’s draft. He has committed to Miami of Ohio for this fall. With the U18 team this year he had 68 points over 58 contests.
Whoever USA plays, they have a shot thanks to the elite talent they have developed. They scored seven goals against both Canada and the Czechs, and tore by Germany with a 13 goal effort. Watch out; USA hockey is here to stay.