USNTDP announces pair of promotions

Coming off an Olympic gold medal, American men’s hockey has been basking in its moment of glory.

It seems only fitting, then, that a couple of figures within the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP) have earned promotions.

On Thursday, the USNTDP announced that Rod Braceful has been promoted to senior director of hockey operations, and Andrew Whiteside has been promoted to director of player personnel.

Braceful, 38, had been the program’s director of player personnel since 2023. He was also the general manager of the United States’ 2026 Under-18 Men’s National Team that lost to Latvia in the quarterfinals in April’s IIHF U18 World Championship. In 2025, he was the general manager for the United States’ Under-18 Men’s Select Team that won gold at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. The Detroit native joined the USNTDP in 2018 as an assistant director of player personnel. He also spent two years as an amateur scout for the Chicago Blackhawks.

In a statement released by the USNTDP on Thursday, assistant executive director Scott Monaghan shared his excitement for Braceful in his new position.

“Rod is an outstanding young executive who has had a big, positive impact on the program,” said Monaghan. “This promotion allows him to have a more direct impact on growing our day-to-day operations, philosophy and player development. It’s a great opportunity for Rod and for the NTDP.”

Whiteside, 34, will take Braceful’s place as the USNTDP’s director of player personnel. He had been the program’s assistant director of player personnel the last two seasons. Before that, the Philadelphia native spent two years as an amateur scout for the Montreal Canadiens.

The USNTDP, which competes in the United States Hockey League (USHL), will begin their 2026-27 season on September 20 when they take on the Sioux Falls Stampede in Chicago’s USG Arena.