DENVER – The University of Denver hockey team announced today that the Pioneers will host USA Hockey's National Team Development Program this season in an exhibition at Magness Arena on Saturday, Oct. 10.
 
The U.S. Under-18 Team will visit Denver the week after the Pioneers open the 2026-27 campaign at Alaska Anchorage on Oct. 2-3. The Pioneers' official home opener is the week after the NTDP matchup, as they take on Michigan on Oct. 16-17.
 
The NTDP last played an exhibition at DU on Oct. 7, 2011, when the Pioneers won 3-0. Denver owns a 4-0 all-time record against the USA Under-18 Team, as the young Americans also played exhibitions at Magness Arena in October of 2001, 2003 and 2010.
 
The National Team Development Program is a two-year program that features some of the best American hockey players that suit up for an Under-17 team and Under-18 team. The NTDP competes in the United States Hockey League—the top junior league in the U.S.—as well as at several international competitions throughout the season representing USA Hockey, including the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, Four and Five Nations Tournaments, and the IIHF U18 World Championship. Many players on the national team have already committed to playing college hockey in future seasons.
 
Denver had two alumni from the U.S. NTDP on its national championship roster in 2025-26 in Kristian Epperson and Brendan McMorrow. Other recent Pioneers that are NTDP alums include Zeev Buium, Sean Behrens, Jack Devine and Troy Terry.

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