Rafael Fichandler will spend the next 10 months inside USA Hockey Arena learning how to run a hockey program from the ground up.

USA Hockey announced July 22 that Fichandler, a recent college graduate from West Hartford, Connecticut, is the 16th recipient of the Brendan Burke Internship. The 10-month internship includes a monthly stipend and places him in the hockey operations department at the National Team Development Program's Plymouth facility beginning in August.

The role covers both the U.S. National Under-17 and Under-18 teams and extends into international events, the American Development Model, and USA Hockey's Coaching Education Program. The internship typically runs from mid-August through mid-June, spanning a full NTDP season.

Fichandler graduated from Hall High School in 2022, where he played defense and wore No. 18.

A pipeline named for a purpose

The internship honors Brendan Burke, who served as a student assistant for Miami University's men's ice hockey team and was the son of Brian Burke, general manager of the 2010 U.S. Olympic men's hockey team. Brendan Burke died in a car accident on Feb. 5, 2010, at age 21, when icy roads in Indiana caught him returning from a visit to Michigan State's law school.

In the program's founding materials, Brian Burke said the internship "will forever preserve his memory and provide an opportunity each year for a young person interested in pursuing a career in hockey to gain invaluable experience," according to USA Hockey's internship page.

Fichandler is the 16th recipient of the internship since the program began in 2010-11. Past recipients came from programs including Boston College, Providence College, and Union College.

What Fichandler walks into

Both ice sheets at USA Hockey Arena underwent structural renovations beginning in late March and are expected to be ready for the 2026-27 season. The U18s host their annual "Play with Purpose" charity game Saturday, Sept. 12, with the first regular-season home game Saturday, Oct. 3 against Boston College.

Thirty-seven home games fill the arena's schedule this season. The program has produced more than 200 NHL players and 446 draft picks through 2026, including 105 first-rounders. Seventeen NTDP alumni helped the U.S. win gold at the 2026 Milan Olympics.

Fichandler starts in mid-August, weeks before the first puck drops.