Eight Minnesotans who played high school hockey last season are among the 45 players who have been invited to USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program evaluation camp.

The Minnesota contingent is split equally among freshmen (Jacob Kvasnicka of Wayzata, Mason Moe of Eden Prairie, K.J. Sauer of Andover and Mason West of Edina) and sophomores (Garrett Lindberg of Moorhead, Maceo Phillips of Benilde-St. Margaret’s, Jacob Rombach of Spring Lake Park and Cooper Simpson of Shakopee).

Simpson (60 points) and Kvasnicka (45 points) each led their respective teams in scoring. Lindberg, Sauer and West helped their teams reach the recently concluded state Class 2A tournament.  

The eight Minnesota high school players outnumbered the total number of invitees from any other state, including New York (6), California (5), Michigan (4), Illinois (3), Massachusetts (2), North Dakota (2), Pennsylvania (2), Alaska (1), Arizona (1), Colorado (1), Connecticut (1), Florida (1), Maine (1), Maryland (1), Washington (1) and Wisconsin (1).

The camp, set for March 18-22 at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan, which will help determine the roster for the 2023-24 U.S. National Under-17 Team.