Drystan Thomas, Evan Ladd highlight standouts from USA 14U National Championships
PLYMOUTH, Michigan – It’s pretty symbolic that USA Hockey typically hosts the 14U National Championships at USA Hockey Arena, home of the National Team Development Program.
Because of coincidence or causation, this tournament often turns into a showcase for players who will eventually make Plymouth their home for two years as members of the NTDP.
For example, Henry Buttweiler and Joey Cullen highlighted the standouts at the 2025 14U Nationals, with Cullen scoring the 2025 national-championship-winning goal in overtime. One year later, they were amongst the standouts Elite Prospects recognized and identified at last month’s NTDP evaluation camp for the 2026-27 Under-17 team.
It’s also become a marquee tournament for CHL teams, with WHL, OHL, and QMJHL scouts heavily in attendance as the arms race has really taken off for junior hockey talent, with the floodgates now open after CHL players became NCAA eligible.
That’s another reason these tournaments have become so valuable to us at Elite Prospects: you get a best-on-best view for most of the American-based 2011-born players and how they respond in the biggest moments.
In the end, Little Caesars won the national championship with a 5-4 overtime victory against the Mount St. Charles Academy Jr. Mounties, taking home the title on a finish by Max Osgood.
Here are 10 players that grabbed our attention or the eyes of some of the scouts we spoke to from CHL and NCAA programs in attendance.
Drystan Thomas, F, Little Caesars 14U AAA
Drystan Thomas finished tied for the tournament lead with 11 points in six games and really seized the spotlight in the semifinals and championship, where he scored twice against Shattuck St. Mary's, and then had a hat-trick in the championship game that helped force overtime. A dynamic scorer with a deceptive release, Thomas was a focal point of attention in the tournament and was great at manipulating space and finding ways to change his shooting angle to confuse goalies. His work on entries was noticeable, and he was a catalyst for his line, not only creating scoring chances but also holding extended possession.
Jack Cross, F, Mount St. Charles Academy 14U AAA
Jack Cross nearly scored the goal of the tournament in the championship game on a lacrosse-style move that started with him winning a puck battle and fending off two defenders below the goal line, but his attempt at the Michigan banked off the goalie’s mask. Even if that move didn’t finish, Cross was one of the most dynamic playmakers in the tournament as a true shot-pass option. Cross’ transition game was held in check in the championship by Little Caesars, but for most of the tournament, he was a menace, carrying the puck through the neutral zone and creating quick give-and-go passing options for his linemates.
Evan Ladd, G, Mount St. Charles Academy 14U AAA
Evan Ladd deserved a better fate in the championship game. The goalie stopped 49 of 54 shots, including 17 of 18 in overtime, to keep his team in the game while Little Caesars dominated possession and forced the goalie into an array of highlight reel saves. Ladd stopped 125 of 135 shots in the tournament, including a 30-save performance in an upset semifinal victory against top-seeded Pittsburgh Penguins Elite. An explosive goalie with strong play-reading skills, his performance, particularly in the championship game, will probably grab attention from the USA Hockey staffers in attendance for future NTDP camp inclusion.
Arjun Mangadu, F, Mount St. Charles Academy 14U AAA
Arjun Mangadu probably wasn’t going to make the list of standouts until he posted a hat-trick in the championship game, as he seemingly went shot-for-shot with Thomas. Mangadu led the tournament with eight goals, five of them between the semifinal and the championship. His shot is a bona fide weapon, and he likes to cheat a bit offensively to create space to do it, but those risks can lead to massive rewards, like they did when he escaped for a couple of rush goals down the wing and simply picked his spot with a wrist shot.
Max Osgood, F, Little Caesars 14U AAA
Max Osgood scored the game-winning goal in the championship by being in the right place at the right time, collecting a loose puck off a hard rebound off the end boards and firing it home. He’s a reliable offensive player, but he really stood out throughout the tournament because of how well he did everything in all three zones, winning battles and disrupting opponents' transition with steals and stick lifts. One of the most well-rounded players and someone who’s already high on the radar for the NTDP.
Owen Moulton, F, Shattuck St. Mary’s 14U AAA
Owen Moulton was high on our WHL scouts' radar heading into the tournament we spoke to during the tournament, and the forward didn’t disappoint with 10 points in five games. Moulton is a fun mix of deception and creativity, where he attacks up and down both wings and finds ways to manipulate defenders with stickhandles and adjusting his speed. He feels like someone who is going to be a high pick in the WHL draft.
D’Angelo Fluhme, F, Pittsburgh Penguins Elite 14U
One of the early standouts, D’Angelo Fluhme, had five goals in his first two games before teams started intentionally trying to take away more of his ice. Intentionally or not, that seemed to turn Fluhme into more of a passer, and he still found ways to create pockets of space for his linemates with smart passes and angles, particularly on zone entries. His game seems to be built more on looking to shoot first, and as he continues to face tougher competition, it’ll be interesting to see how he evolves. Either way, an intriguing prospect for the NTDP and OHL, whom we will continue to keep an eye on.
Cameron Pelle, D, Pittsburgh Penguins Elite 14U
The most impressive defender in the tournament, Cameron Pelle, is a game-controlling player who reads things extremely well and quickly turns defence into offence. With really strong details in the defensive zone with his stick and disrupting entries at the blue line, Pelle would shift the ice positively for his team whenever he stepped on the ice. The offensive skills are elite for this level, and it’ll be interesting to see how they project moving forward. He was one of the best skaters in a semifinal loss to Mount St. Charles.
Maxwell Prudovsky, F, Boston Jr. Eagles 14U AAA
Maxwell Prudovsky and the Jr. Eagles had a rough final game, losing 9-0 to Shattuck, but the forward left a measurable impression at centre before that, and his game just oozes confidence with and without the puck. I remember seeing him the first time at the USHL Fall Classic, and he seems to have only gotten better after playing up in Dexter’s lineup this season as a 14-year-old, a rarity for that program. Prudovsky owned the middle of the ice from crease to crease, really cutting off opportunities for opponents and quickly using his teammates well to flip points of attack and find soft spots along the wings as he drew attention down the middle.
Sam Archibald, D, Mount St. Charles Academy 14U AAA
It felt like Sam Archibald never left the ice in an overtime loss to Little Caesars, as Mount St. Charles relied heavily on the right-shot defender in every single situation. He's a really smooth skater with exceptional timing, particularly on puck retrievals, where he was often able to win possession and take a couple of strides before hitting a teammate with a forward-thinking pass. He has really good size for a 14-year-old, too, and he seems comfortable using it to his advantage in battles along the boards and in front of the net. He’s one of the better NTDP candidates for his age group based on this tournament.
