NTDP announces first seven commits for 2013-14; three from Michigan

The U.S. National Team Development Program announced the first seven commitments for their 2013-14 Under-17 team today, with three Michigan natives joining the Ann Arbor-based program.

Forward Brendan Warren (Carelton) and defensemen Nicholas Boka (Plymouth) and Zach Werenski (Grosse Pointe) were formally announced as inagural members of the 2013-14 U17 team. They join forwards Christian Fischer (Wayne, Ill.), Jordan Greenway (Potsdam, N.Y.), Luke Kirwan (DeWitt, N.Y.) and Matthew Tkachuk (St. Louis, Mo.) as the first seven selected for the team.

Warren, currently a forward for the Compuware Midget Minor program, had 51 points in 54 games. He’s listed as a verbal commit to the University of Michigan.

Boka, also a product of the Compuware Midget Minor squad,  skated in 50 games and recorded 30 points. He is verbal commit to Michigan State University.

Werenski played in 28 games with the Little Caesars Midget Major squad in 2012-13, where he posted seven goals and  14 assists in High Performance Hockey League play.

Full release from the NTDP:

ARBOR, Mich. – Forwards Christian Fischer (Wayne, Ill.), Jordan Greenway (Potsdam, N.Y.), Luke Kirwan (DeWitt, N.Y.), Matthew Tkachuk (St. Louis, Mo.) and Brendan Warren (Carleton, Mich.), along with defensemen Nicholas Boka (Plymouth, Mich.) and Zach Werenski (Grosse Pointe, Mich.) will join USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program for the 2013-14 season it was announced today. The players, all from the 1997 birth year, will compete as members of the U.S. National Under-17 Team.

Fischer averaged just over a point per game for the Chicago Mission Midget Minor program in 2012-13. He recorded 26 points (12-14) in 25 contests and is verbally committed to play college hockey for the University of Notre Dame.

Greenway skated for Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Faribault, Minn. during the 2012-13 season and amassed 60 points (22-38) in 43 games played.

Kirwan totaled 16 points (11-5) in 34 regular-season games with the Islanders Hockey Club of the Eastern Junior Hockey League. He also tallied three goals and registered one assist in four playoff games.

Tkachuk skated with the St. Louis Blues Midget Minor program in 2012-13. He amassed 82 points (25-57) in 41 regular-season games. Tkachuk, who is verbally committed to play college hockey at the University of Notre Dame, also totaled 13 points (4-9) in five playoff games.

Warren recently completed the 2012-13 season for the Compuware Midget Minor (Mich.) program. He had 51 points (20-31) in 54 games played. He is verbally committed to play college hockey at the University of Michigan.

Boka skated in 50 games for the Compuware Midget Minor (Mich.) program and totaled 30 points (12-18) in 2012-13. He is verbally committed to play college hockey at Michigan State University.

Werenski skated in 28 games for the Little Caesars Midget Major program in 2012-13. He scored seven goals and added 14 assists as part of the High Performance Hockey League.

NOTES: The 2013-14 U.S. National Under-17 Team will play in the United States Hockey League, the top junior league in the U.S. It will also compete in three international competitions, including the 2014 World Under-17 Challenge in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia … Matthew Tkachuk is the son of U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member and four-time Olympian (1992, 1998, 2002, 2006), Keith Tkachuk, who spent 19 seasons in the National Hockey League.