Comes down to ice time projections

When it comes to development, nobody wants to sit on the bench.

I'm projecting a lineup where we dress 12F and 7D nightly. Think we'll have 15F and 9D on the roster.

Looking at the forwards, I'd say L Slaggert, both Janickes, and Moynihan are probably projected firmly in the top-6 to start.

Next tier are Carpenter/Strand/Silianoff. Those guys are probably in the lineup somewhere (Top-6? Bottom-6?) Personally, I'd put Jovanovic in this tier as well (but I'm not sure the coaches see it the same). While guys in this tier are probably regulars somewhere in the lineup, they are at most risk for a freshman jumping ahead of them.

Knuble/Ali/Fleming/Nelson are probably expected to be in the lineup regularly to start (although it's still a guess for me that Nelson is coming next year -- if Nelson isn't coming in 23/24 then it'll probably be Larrigan/Slaggert that takes that spot).

I'd have Jovanovic as the 12th forward to start. Bjork, Williams, and the 5th incoming freshman will have to compete for this 12th spot just to get on the ice.

So what's best for Carter's development (same goes for Larrigan)? On the roster with ND but maybe not in the regular lineup (and not getting time on PP/PK)? Or in the USHL for anther year where he's probably getting top 6ish minutes and playing on special teams?

Scholarship limit also probably comes into play. Which is why Davis (walk-on?) would be the more likely fit as the 5th freshman in the class.

On D, we have 6 returnees (Boltmann, Bavaria, Plucinski, Helliwell, Mastrodomenico, and Weiss). Henry Nelson and Fischer are my expected "locks" coming in as freshmen. On twitter a few weeks back, Culver Academy congratulated Jaedon Kerr for committing to ND (no announcement from ND that I saw so think he's likely a walk-on). Think Kerr is the 3rd freshman coming in. Drew Mackie is signed, but I'd expect him to go USHL for 23/24 (think I read that somewhere too but not positive).