The U18 5 Nations Faceoff has come and gone, with Sweden finishing with a perfect 4-0 record. They capped off an impressive showing with an electric 6-5 win over the US in the final game of the tournament.
The United States, while they finished second in the tournament with a 2-2 record (with losses against Sweden and Finland), they did lead the tournament in total goals scored. However, overall, it’s been a pretty underwhelming year for the group as a whole. The NTDP currently sits in last in the USHL Conference and the U18 team has gone 0-8 against NCAA competition, getting outscored 44-10. A recent victory over the CHL in the Prospect’s Challenge should help build some momentum, but it’s clear that they have some work to do before the year end IIHF U18’s. At the Five Nation, the US’ success came down to the work of these five players.
Mikey Berchild, Right Winger
Berchild, who led the team with seven points (2 goals, 5 assists), showed why he is one of the top NTDP prospects in the 2026 NHL draft. His relentless work ethic and excellent playmaking abilities allowed him to be a difference-maker on the ice for the US squad.
Per InStat, Berchild tied for the team lead in scoring chances with 11. Not only that, but he also tied for the lead with the most passes to the slot area, finding teammates in those high scoring areas on six occasions. His ability to make an impact transitionally also showed up, as he was second on the team in zone entries, at 20. It was a very impactful performance from the undersized center.
In the above clip, Berchild comes off the bench for the powerplay and immediately sets up a goal. He shows great puck control to avoid a stick check then getting into space, before showing poise to wait for a defender to engage with him to open up a passing lane.
Casey Mutryn, Center
Mutryn, who was right behind Berchild in scoring with 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists), is another 2026 draft eligible coming out of the NTDP. Mutryn plays a very simple game, getting to the net front and battling for positioning there. His frame, at 6-foot3” and 201 pounds, allowed him to have a positive impact at the net-front and with driving to the net.
What made him especially efficient in his role was his ability to continuously get off good looks in those dangerous areas himself. Mutryn was tied for fourth on the team in scoring chances with 8 of his own, while also being tied for second on the team in inner-slot shots, with 5. Mutryn was also a positive impact in the faceoff circle, with a 62% win percentage in the dots, second on the team.
Jamie Glance, Right Winger
Glance, a 2027 draft eligible, carried over what has been a successful NTDP season into this tournament. He finished the tournament with 5 points, with his 3 goals tying for the team lead. But he was all over the ice, making a very strong impact throughout the tournament.
He flashed some impressive vision on his passes and really could have put up more points. His edge work jumped off the page, as did his patience and smarts with the puck, which allowed him to attack the game consistently. He was tied with Berchild and Sammy Nelson for the team lead in scoring chances (11) and tied Berchild again for the team lead in passes to the slot (6).
Where his biggest impact came from, however, was in the transitional game. He led the team by quite a wide margin in zone entries, with 32. The next closest was Berchild at 20. Just an excellent tournament for the 2027 draft eligible winger.
The above clips show all 3 of Glance’s goals, including one of which coming off the rush, where he made a massive impact.
Logan Stuart, Center
While Stuart did not make a big impact on the score sheet, racking up just 2 points, he deserves this mention. Stuart led the whole team with 7 individual scoring chances. He also led the team with 7 inner-slot shots. He was noticeable in the offensive game, constantly, getting to the net and driving for chances.
The 2026 draft eligible center showed off his motor and solid skating ability in all 3 zones. He played a role on both special teams units, created several scoring chances for himself with his ability to drive to the net, and won 61% of his draws, third on the team.
Above is some of Stuart’s (#27) scoring chances in this tournament, where he shows off his skating and ability to attack dangerous areas of the ice.
Sammy Nelson, Center
Nelson, another 2027 NHL draft eligible, is a big-bodied center who did a bit of everything for the US squad. He was one of the leaders in both power play and penalty kill minutes, playing over 4 minutes per game at both strengths. He finished the tournament with 5 points (2 goals, 3 assists), but perhaps more impressive was his play at even-strength. Most of his ice time came on special teams, as he ranked 11th on the team in even-strength time on ice per game (10:16), yet he scored 3 of his points at even-strength.
Digging deeper, he led the US in corsi-for percentage (65%), and expected goals (6). He also led the team in the faceoff dot, winning 71% of his draws, while also taking the most draws on the team. Nelson was also tied for the team lead in total scoring chances (11) at all strengths.
His ability to find soft spots on the ice to let off his powerful one-timer allowed him to pile up those scoring chances. Just an excellent tournament from Nelson, who has been a solid piece for the NTDP’s U18 squad already.