Ramage cracks U.S. Under-18 Team roster

USA Hockey today announced the 22-player roster for its 2008-09 U.S. National Under-18 Team within USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program.

“We are excited about our team,” said Ron Rolston, head coach of the U.S. National Under-18 Team. “This class has a lot of depth and includes a group of dynamic and versatile players.”

Among the newcomers to the NTDP is defenseman John Ramage (Chesterfield, Mo.), who skated last year for the Robertson Cup champion St. Louis Bandits.  The son of former NHLer Rob Ramage, he recorded four goals for nine points in 45 NAHL games last season.

Also new to the program are defenseman Brendan Rempel (Willington, Conn.) and forwards John Henrion (Holden, Mass.) and Chris McCarthy (Collegeville, Pa.).

Included on the roster are 18 returning players from last season’s U.S. National Under-17 Team.

Highlighting the roster of NTDP returnees are goaltender Brandon Maxwell (Winter Park, Fla.) and forwards Ryan Bourque (Boxford, Mass.), Jeremy Morin (Auburn, N.Y.) and Kyle Palmieri (Montvale, N.J.). All four were part of the U.S. National Under-18 Team that captured the bronze medal at the 2008 International Ice Hockey Federation World Men’s Under-18 Championship in Kazan, Russia.

Among the 12 forwards, 10 are back from 2007-08, including Morin who finished last year ranked second all time for goals in a single season with 48, while his 80 points ranked fourth on the all-time list. Drew Shore (Denver, Colo.), who also returns for the upcoming season, ranked second on the U.S. National Under-17 Team with 38 points (13-25) last year. Also included among the forwards are Bourque, Chris Brown (Flower Mound, Texas), Jerry D’Amigo (Binghamton, N.Y.), Henrion, Kevin Lynch (Grosse Pointe, Mich.), McCarthy, Palmieri, Kenny Ryan (Franklin Village, Mich.), A.J. Treais (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) and David Valek (Orem, Utah).

Six defensemen from 2007-08 return to the NTDP this season, including Cam Fowler (Farmington Hills, Mich.), who was the only defenseman from the 1991 birth year invited to the 2008 U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp. Also returning is Nick Mattson (Chanhassen, Minn.), who led U.S. National Under-17 Team blueliners with 22 points (1-19) last year. Rounding out the defensive unit are Tyler Amburgey (Rowlett, Texas), Sam Calabrese (Park Ridge, Ill.), Richie Crowley (Canton, Mich.), Ramage, Rempel and William Wrenn (Anchorage, Alaska).

Maxwell and Adam Murray (Anchorage, Alaska) will be the netminders for Team USA. Maxwell posted 21 victories while splitting time with both NTDP squads in 2007-08 to tie Rick DiPietro (1997-99) for eighth on the all-time list for single-season wins by a goaltender.

NOTES: Ron Rolston enters his fifth year at USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program and will serve as the head coach of the U.S. National Under-18 Team in 2008-09… Chadd Cassidy, who enters his third year at the NTDP, will be the assistant coach of the U.S. National Under-18 Team… Fourteen different states are represented on the U.S. National Under-18 Team roster, including Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Utah… Ryan Bourque, Cam Fowler, Brandon Maxwell, Jeremy Morin and Kyle Palmieri each took part in USA Hockey’s National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, N.Y... Brendan Rempel helped Avon (Conn.) Old Farms School win the New England Division I Prep Championship. John Henrion earned the Eastern Junior Hockey League’s Rookie of the Year Award as a member of the Boston Junior Bruins in 2007-08. Chris McCarthy, who played at the Berkshire School (Mass.) last season, was a member of the 2008 U.S. Under-18 Select Team that competed at the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka Tournament … Team USA opens the 2008-09 season at home against the Indiana Ice of the United States Hockey League on September 12 … Rolston has also been selected as the head coach of the U.S. National Junior Team for the 2009 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in Ottawa, Ontario. He guided Team USA to a bronze medal at the 2007 IIHF World Junior Championship.