Concluding my brief series on WHC-17 standouts, we have a player who is perhaps symbolic of an important discussion regarding USA Hockey’s future. We are at an intriguing crossroads for the American developmental hockey system with the opening of the CHL/NCAA forbidden door. It does seem as though the most prolific professional hockey player producing environment in the world now being able to also serve as a feeder to American colleges could bode poorly for some U.S.-based hockey bodies such as the USHL. The meeting that took place involving USA Hockey, the USHL, and the NAHL showed that a response of sorts or a plan may be necessary. Couple that with the incumbent US NTDP U18 class not looking the strongest it can be this season (possibly causing some worry about when said team faces the CHL’s all-stars tonight and tomorrow night in the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge – Expect coverage of both games on here from me, nevertheless) and some may be stressed about the future of the sport here. However, it is valuable to consider what the American talent factory can and does produce at its best and take that as a sign of what the nation is capable of in that respect and can remain relevant in terms of prospect development in the domestic setting. One such example can be found in a 2026 NHL Entry Draft eligible prospect who is a current member of the US NTDP U-17’s. He has remained an important conversation piece about 2026, and not without reason, as he has been on a good dev track for quite a while now. Let us take some time to get to know his accomplishments and game.

Mikey Berchild was born on February 16th, 2008 in Excelsior, Minnesota. He was raised in nearby Minnetonka and is a product of their youth hockey association. He spent some very respectable years in the youth system there (earning an invite to Team Minnesota for the 2018 Brick Invitational for their run which saw them post a 3-2-1 record in the Division 1 pool, for instance), but like many talented youngsters (including a large number who became fantastic NHL talents) before him, his story of ascending to elite prospect (no pun intended) status truly began Shattuck-St Mary’s, about an hour drive south of his hometown. Berchild began his time at Shattuck as a member of their U14 AAA team in 2022-23. In his first season at the hockey school of dreams, he registered a cumulative 58 goals and 54 assists in 59 total games. He additionally made a number of tournament appearances, putting up pretty respectable numbers throughout. Among these, he posted 7 points in 8 games for ID Selects at the World Selects Invitational as their group put together a solid run. At the World Youth Championships, he registered a very impressive 17 points (on the back of 10 goals and 7 assists) in 9 games for SDP Elite en route to a gold medal, defeating a very talented Maroon Hockey squad which most notably included current Windsor Spitfires (OHL) standout Ethan Belchetz (also a top 2026 NHL Entry Draft prospect ) in the final. Berchild additionally played with Shattuck at the John Reid Memorial Bantam Tournament in 2023 and won gold with the team at the esteemed competition, with him playing a big role by leading the team in points with 14 and especially factoring into their perfect 3-0 run to kick things off.

The next season (2023-24), Berchild was called up to the U18 prep team (giving him the elite distinction of playing for the side as a double underager) and had a pretty solid season as he registered 68 points in 60 total appearances. Of his appearances in tournament play during this space, his most important was in the Youth Olympic Games with USA U16. He led the competition in both assists and points as he spearheaded the USA’s gold medal campaign. In more recent developments for Berchild, he announced his commitment to the University of Denver in September of this year. He is anticipated to join the Pioneers for the 2026-27 campaign. During his current season with the US NTDP U17 team, he has registered 23 points in 27 appearances.

As noted in the introduction, Berchild made an appearance representing his country yet again this season, at the WHC-17 in Sarnia, Ontario. While he was only seventh on the team in points with 3 goals and 1 assist in 3 games played (though this also did make his PPG higher than the next four players ahead of him), he was quite a standout in the appearances that he did make during the USA’s run to fourth place which ended with an overtime defeat to Sweden. The maturity to his game really popped and I thought he put in work to be proud of. From a talent standpoint, Berchild continuously pops with his shooting ability and having pretty solid overall skill and decent skating with some runway to improve upon it. He drives play well and has an exceptional motor. For whatever deficiencies he may have currently, he is able to make up for it with a great work rate. That drive that he has coupled with the confidence of having so many fantastic accomplishments to his name at this stage in his development are going to serve him well over the next couple of seasons. Where he gets picked in 2026, I cannot say, as it remains too early to cast meaningful predictions about draft order outside of the clear #1 in Gavin McKenna. However, one thing I am pretty confident in is that Berchild will likely be the highest selected American in the draft. He is clearly the best member of his US NTDP class and is quite possibly the biggest source of optimism in the entire program right now. It is an unusual and transformative time in the realm of USA Hockey, there can be no question about that. However, there are a good number of great players and general indicators about the overall direction of American ice hockey to provide optimism to its believers. Among the biggest things on that list, particularly among those which are coming down the pike, Mikey Berchild has to be near the top of the order.