Learning about Flyers prospects Carter Amico, Jack Murtagh & Shane Vansaghi: An interview with Ryan Hayes, assistant coach at the USNTDP

The U.S. National Team Development Program turned 30 years old in 2025. Over that span, it has firmly established itself as one of the best places on earth for young players to develop into future NHL stars -- including three potential future Philadelphia Flyers.
When it was founded, the United States had never brought home a single gold medal at any of the premier junior age tournaments – the U20 World Junior Championship, the U18 WJC or the U18 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. By 2004, just eight years after the program was founded, they had stood on the top step of the podium at each of the events, and now have 19 golds across the three tournaments.
The Western suburbs of Detroit have become home to m...