Atlantic Youth Hockey League

Three AYHL Players Named to US NTDP Evaluation Camp Roster

PLYMOUTH, Mich. (March 14, 2018) – Three current Atlantic Youth Hockey League (AYHL) and three league alumni were among 46 of the top American hockey players born in 2002 that were invited to USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (US NTDP) Evaluation Camp, USA Hockey announced Wednesday.

Forwards Alex Gaffney (West Orange, N.J./North Jersey Avalanche/Harvard) and Jason Siedem (Madison, N.J./North Jersey Avalanche/Boston College), along with defenseman Brandon Chabrier (Bayville, N.Y./Long Island Gulls/Northeastern University) join alums Spence Evans, Scott Morrow and Matthew Samoskevich in vying for the opportunity to enter the two-year program. Notable AYHL alumni that have participated in the camp

Gaffney has spent his entire youth career with the AYHL, beginning at Squirt Minor with the New Jersey Colonials before entering midgets last season with the Avalanche. An accomplished midget player that totaled 34 points in 20 games, Gaffney took home All-American Forward honors at the 2017 AYHL playoffs and led the Bantam level in goals and points. A Harvard commit, Gaffney has national experience at both the World Selects Invitational and the Select 15s, where combined, the West Orange, New Jersey native four goals and four assists over 12 contests.

Siedem, like Gaffney, skated with the AYHL and Tier I Elite League-winning Avalanche program during the 2017-18 season, but the forward also skated with the well-known Avon Old Farms program. Similar to his teammate, the Madison, New Jersey product began his AYHL career at the Squirt level with the Colonials. After leaving the Colonials, Siedem skated for two seasons with the New Jersey Devils Youth program, where he committed to Boston College. The 5’10” forward has played in the World Selects Invitational in each of the last three seasons and scored a goal with two assists at the Select 15s.

Chabrier will look to follow recent Gulls alumni Jeremy Bracco, Sonny Milano, Charlie McAvoy and Ryan Hitchcock in advancing from Long Island to Michigan. The Bayville, New York native has also spent his entire youth career in the AYHL, playing four seasons with the Gulls, one with the Colonials and one with the Long Island Royals. Chabrier totaled 10 points (1 goal, nine assists) over 20 league games and also added a goal and two assists while skating for the Portledge School.

The camp will help select the 2018-19 U.S. National Under-17 Team and will take place March 23-27 at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan.

In its 21^st season, USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program and is based at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth. The goal of the full-time developmental program is to prepare student-athletes under the age of 18 for participation on U.S. National Teams and success in their future hockey careers. Its efforts focus not only on high-caliber participation on the ice, but creating well-rounded individuals off the ice.

Click here for the full camp roster and here for the official USA Hockey release.

The Atlantic Youth Hockey League is the USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier I AAA youth hockey league of the Atlantic District. From Connecticut to Maryland, the AYHL’s membership is comprised of over 100 teams, representing four districts, and is spread across six playing divisions. The AYHL’s mission is to develop young players with competition, fun, and good sportsmanship, and move them on to the next phase of their hockey career. With a distinguished alumni list of players that spent a portion of their playing career in the AYHL, today’s players choose to play in the AYHL knowing that it is a proven stepping stone for those serious in their hockey pursuits.

For more information on the AYHL, log on to HTTP://WWW.ATLANTICHOCKEY.ORG/AYHL.PHP or on Twitter @AYHL or on Facebook at HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/THEAYHL