UND commit Nolan Fitzhenry can do it all for the U.S. Under-18 Team
· Yahoo Sports
Sep. 18—GRAND FORKS — Some U.S. Under-18 Team players started giving one of their teammates a hard time this fall.
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Nolan Fitzhenry wasn't having it.
"Fitzy stepped in and said, 'Hey, that's not how we treat our teammates,'" head coach Kevin Porter said. "He's a great kid. He's one of those guys who always does the right thing, even when no one's watching."
Fitzhenry is entering his second season with the U.S. National Team Development Program.
He's among the team's leadership group (they haven't selected captains yet). He's expected to be one of their best players and he's a major piece of UND's decorated 2027 recruiting class.
NHL scouts will flock to watch the 5-foot-11, 173-pound forward from Andover, Minn., this season. He is eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft.
"He's a super talented kid," Porter said. "He's got all the tools. He can skate. He's got the skill, hockey IQ, work ethic. He can play both ends of the ice. He can play wing, center. He's a really good kid, a really good teammate. Guys gravitate toward him."
After playing wing for most of last season, Fitzhenry is expected to start this season at center. The U.S. Under-18 Team opens this weekend at the United States Hockey League's Fall Classic in Chicago.
National Team Development Program players are usually together for two seasons — one with the U.S. Under-17 Team and one with the Under-18 Team.
But this offseason, an unprecedented six players left The Program after their U17 season to go to the Canadian Hockey League — forward Carter Meyer, forward Kane Barch, forward Trevor Daley Jr., forward Alexander Milojevich, defenseman Broden McArthur and defenseman Jake Boguniecki.
USA Hockey replaced them with forward Gerry DiCunzolo, forward Jackson Hendricks, forward Griffin Storey, forward Nash Roed, defenseman Jake Prunty and defenseman Charlie Mineman.
"We did lose a couple guys," Fitzhenry said. "That was their decision. We respect them for it, but we're super happy with the guys we got (replacing them). They're fitting in super well. Everyone in the room gets along super good and they're all great players."
The U.S. Under-18 Team's season will end with the IIHF World Under-18 Championship. It is scheduled to be played at AmsOil Arena in Duluth, Minn., from April 21-May 2.
It will be the second Under-18 Worlds for Fitzhenry. He was called up from the Under-17 Team last season and played at Worlds in Slovakia.
"We're all super pumped, especially the Minnesota boys, to be playing in front of friends and family," Fitzhenry said.
Fitzhenry spent the summer back home in Minnesota. He took a break from hockey to mentally reset after leading the U.S. Under-17 Team in goals (21) and finishing second in points (45).
"Toward the end of summer, I hit the gym hard, hit the ice hard, doing everything to get ready for the season," Fitzhenry said. "That brings us here. Now, I'm pumped and ready to start the year."
Two other UND recruits are on the U.S. Under-18 Team along with Fitzhenry.
One is 6-foot-4 defenseman Beck Thoreson, who missed much of last season due to injury. Thoreson, of Moorhead, is back and expected to anchor the American blue line.
"He's been great," Porter said. "He's a great kid, great attitude. He's long, lengthy, a big kid, has a long stick, defends well. That's kind of what we're expecting out of him. He defends hard and makes simple plays. If the offense comes, that's a bonus. I think he's capable of it, but we expect him to defend hard and be hard to play against."
The other is 6-foot-3 Carson Scott, a punishing defenseman from Dayton, Minn.
"He has similar attributes," Porter said. "He's lengthy, has a long reach, defends with his stick and his feet. He's another leader on the team. He's a little more vocal. He's more of a PK and shutdown guy. I'm not saying these guys can't chip in offensively, but we're going to rely on them to be hard, shutdown guys."
Fitzhenry said he wants no regrets after this season. He wants to be present, take everything in and not worry too much about things in the future — like the NHL Draft and going to college.
But thoughts of coming to Grand Forks with a special rookie class have crept in.
"My main priority is on my team with the NTDP here," Fitzhenry said. "It's definitely hard not to look ahead a little bit. We'll have a great team up at NoDak. The biggest thing is the staff and their mindset. I have full trust. The staff and players will buy in, hopefully give it a good run and win a national title coming up."