The main point of USA Hockey's Select 17 Camp is to pick the team for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. This year, the '09s were gunning for an invite.
On Monday, shortly after the camp finished, USA Hockey announced its selections to move on to the Hlinka Gretzky Cup Camp, which will be held July 23-27 in Saint Paul, Minn. The players who move on will play at Hlinka Aug. 3-8 in Edmonton.
Two locals made the camp: forward Isaac Davis (Rockland, Mass.) and defenseman Cam Minella (Darien, Conn.). Along with them, Phillips Andover defenseman Jack O'Dell and Mount St. Charles goalie Quinn Beumer advanced to the camp.
There is always quite a bit of reaction to this kind of news. To be clear, these players are just heading to Hlinka Camp and still need to make the team.
So, let's dive in with some quick takeaways.
1. Minella isn't a huge surprise. He was at U.S. National Team Development Program Evaluation Camp for the '09s, which is usually an indicator that a player will at least be given a shot at Hlinka. The 5-foot-11 defender is one of the most dynamic, puck-moving defenders in the United States. He'll likely make the Hlinka squad if the U.S. feels he can run one of their two power plays.
2. Davis isn't as well-known as other players from Massachusetts locally because he's played the last two seasons outside the region. Still, the 6-foot forward is known for his wicked skating and great speed, which will be his ticket onto the Hlinka team if he makes it. He had a strong camp with two goals and four points in six games.
3. No shock on O'Dell. With him slated to be at Phillips Andover this winter, get ready to read about him a lot for the 2027 NHL Draft. The 6-foot-2 defenseman does everything at a high level.
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4. I'm also not shocked at Beumer. He's 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds and is coming off a strong season mainly with Mount St. Charles' 16U squad. He also got some four games with the USHL's Tri-City Storm, posting a 2.01 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage.
5. Caiden Pellegrino's route through USA Hockey Select Camps has been mystifying. The former St. Mark's star ranked second in points (nine) at Select 16 Camp last season and didn't make U17 Four/Five Nations. This year, he was tied for the Select 17 Camp lead in goals (six) and somehow didn't make this camp. I'm not sure I see what they don't.
6. I'd put forward Joe Covelluzzi (Wakefield, Mass.) and defensemen Kurt Beck (Arlington, Mass.) and Easton Anello (Windsor, Mass.) as snubs. Is it outrageous that they didn't move on? No, but they had legitimate cases to go.
7. For Team New England, I'm stunned defenseman Brody Berard (Cumberland, R.I.) didn't move on to camp. The 6-foot, do-it-all defenseman is a great blend of a physical force and a great skater. He took leaps with the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms this winter and should at least be at camp. I'd put Williston Northampton goalie Kamden Jackson (Manchester, N.H.) in the same category. I was surprised he didn't move on.
8. Another potential New England snub: Avon Old Farms forward Ethan Gingeleskie (West Hartford, Conn.). I'd put him in the same category as Covelluzzi, Beck and Anello — not a definitive snub, but I thought he had a shot at moving on.
9. I might be burying the lede here, but my eyebrows hit my hairline when I saw high-end '10 forward Joey Cullen on the camp roster. Cullen was the top '10 at NTDP Camp in March and easily made the team. He's highly regarded out of Moorhead in Minnesota high school hockey after putting up 40 points in 18 games this winter. FloHockey's Chris Peters tweeted that if Cullen made the team, he would likely be the first underage player to suit up for the USA at Hlinka.
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This is purely speculation, but I'm going to assume that the NTDP doesn't want to lose Cullen at any point. The WHL's Victoria Royals own his rights in the CHL. Promoting Cullen to higher roles — like a shot at Hlinka — could help to ensure they retain him. Or it could backfire. Because, as we all know, there is no right answer in player development. It's just very interesting that he's going to camp.
10. Typically, USA Hockey picks players who were at Select 17 Camp to move on to Hlinka, and current NTDP players usually aren't on the team. This season, however, is different. Along with Cullen, forwards Gerry DiCunzolo and Nash Roed, and defensemen Charlie Mineman, Jake Prunty and Beck Thoreson are headed to Hlinka Camp. None were at Select 17s. Roed, Prunty and Mineman have all been confirmed on next season's NTDP U18 team, while Thoreson was on the NTDP's U17 team this past winter.
