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TSN analyst Bob McKenzie is reporting that 2000-born defenseman and current Harvard commit Bode Wilde has informed OHL teams that he will play for the US National Development Program next season:
Bode Wilde, a dual citizen, is one of top prospects for OHL draft April 9 but has informed OHL teams he's committing to USNDT next season.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) March 29, 2016
Wilde was born in Montreal, but has dual citizenship between Canada and the United States, and has played the past few years in the United States.
Wilde is considered among the top prospects in the 2000 birth year. At 6'2" 181 lbs., he has exceptional athleticism for a player his size. He's still very raw, sometimes struggling with handling and decision-making with the puck, and still needs to become a better one-on-one defender, but his raw physical tools give him some of the best upside in the group.
Wilde committed to Harvard over the summer. Turning down the OHL, at least for now, is a good first sign towards him keeping that commitment.