NTDP Under-17 Team ready to start first international tournament in Ontario

By @MichaelCaples –

Ty Emberson is no stranger to playing on a big international stage.

The native of Eau Claire, Wis., was a member of USA Hockey’s squad at the Youth Olympic Games last winter in Norway – a squad that captured gold.

“I had the opportunity to play in the Youth Olympic games, and that was my first international event,” Emberson said. “It was a fantastic opportunity, so I’m super excited for the next one.”

As USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program Under-17 Team prepares for its first international tournament – the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. – Emberson isn’t the only player calling on that experience.

In fact, 10 of his teammates on the tournament roster were with him in Norway for Team USA’s Youth Olympic gold.

Playing overseas with more than half of the team before ever arriving at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth for their two-year journey with the NTDP certainly helped with team chemistry.

“A lot,” said Jake Pivonka, a Woodridge, Ill., native and Notre Dame commit, “because winning a gold medal together at the Youth Olympics together brought us closer together than any other group. We really just got here excited to start the year.”

Competing internationally also has this NTDP U17 squad ready to take on the Canadian and Czech Republic teams they will face at the Essar Centre in Sault Ste. Marie.

“I think it really helps,” Emberson said. “Playing internationally is obviously different than playing in the States, so it’s nice to have that experience under our belt before we start get going.”

Danton Cole, head coach of the NTDP Under-17 Team and a Pontiac native, is excited to see how his new team fares in their first international tournament.

“It’s an outstanding tournament, and we’ve done a lot of work – the guys have done a lot of work leading up to this, and it’s always good to go see where you stack up with the other countries in your age group,” Cole said. “It’s our big one for this year, and it’s run very well. It’s the best competition in the world, and we’re very excited.”

The World Under-17 Challenge features three Canadian teams – split into Canada Black, Canada Red and Canada White squads – and representatives from the U.S., Czech Republic, Finland, Russia and Sweden. It begins tonight with a pre-tournament game for Team USA against Canada Red, and it runs through Nov. 5.

“Obviously we’re very excited – first [international tournament] of the year so it’s going to be a good test for us as a group,” Pivonka said. “I’m hoping that we pull out the win there, and have a good time while we’re doing it.”