December 23, 2009
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USA Hockey Finalizes World Junior Roster
Americans Start Against Slovakia on Saturday in Saskatoon
CHN Staff Report
SASKATOON, Sask. — USA Hockey has finalized its roster for the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship, Dec. 26, 2009-Jan. 5, 2010, in Saskatoon and Regina, Sask, trimming down to 22 players by making four final cuts.
"This roster includes a significant number of players who have had success in international competition, which will help us as we prepare to play here in Canada," said Jim Johannson, general manager of the 2010 U.S. National Junior Team. "We had some really tough choices to make to get down to 22, but, in the end, that's a positive sign for the state of hockey in our country."
"I'm really excited about this team," said Nebraska-Omaha head coach Dean Blais, who leads Team USA. "We have a good mixture of speed and grit, and we look forward to the challenge ahead of us."
Earlier, in trimming from 30 to 26, Team USA cut defensemen Jon Merrill, John Moore, Justin Faulk, and forward Vinny Saponari. The final four cuts included Michigan forwards David Wohlberg and Chris Brown, Boston University defenseman Max Nicastro, and Kenny Ryan, the player who spent two exhibition games with Boston College this season before bolting to the Ontario Hockey League.
Among those named to the 2010 roster are three returning forwards from the 2009 U.S. National Junior Team, including Tyler Johnson (Spokane, Wash.), Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie, Minn./North Dakota) and Jordan Schroeder (Prior Lake, Minn./Minnesota).
Also highlighting the roster are seven players from the gold medal-winning 2009 U.S. National Under-18 Team, including forwards Ryan Bourque (Boxford, Mass.), Jerry D'Amigo (Binghamton, N.Y./Rensselaer), Jeremy Morin (Auburn, N.Y.) and Jason Zucker (Las Vegas, Nev./U.S. National Under-18 Team); defensemen Cam Fowler (Farmington Hills, Mich.) and John Ramage (St. Louis, Mo./Wisconsin); and goalie Jack Campbell (Port Huron, Mich./U.S. National Under-18 Team)
The team is relatively young, which usually doesn't bode well in this tournament.
"Hopefully we can take advantage of our youthful enthusiasm, and make plays, and play with confidence," Blais said.
The U.S. lost to the Czech Republic, 3-2, in a shootout in its final tuneup match for the tournament.
"We were taken aback by the Czech speed," Blais said. "Until you're in that situation, you don't know what you're going to get. So I thought as the game went on, we got better, and by the end of the game, we were the better team. So hopefully we'll build on that."
Team USA will face Slovakia on Saturday (Dec. 26) in its first game. The game will begin at 8 p.m. (ET), and will be aired live in the U.S. on the NHL Network. All games, in fact, are slated to be aired on NHL Network.
NOTES: Schroeder is the only two-time U.S. National Junior Team member on the 2010 roster, having competed in 2008 and 2009 ... Team USA goalie Jack Campbell and forward Jason Zucker (Las Vegas, Nev.) currently skate for the U.S. National Under-18 Team, a part of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program. Ten additional players on the U.S. National Junior Team roster have experience with USA Hockey's NTDP, including Ryan Bourque, Jerry D'Amigo, Cam Fowler, Danny Kristo, Philip McRae (Chesterfield, Mo.), Jeremy Morin, Kyle Palmieri (Montvale, N.J./University of Notre Dame), John Ramage, Jordan Schroeder and David Warsofsky (Marshfield, Mass./Boston University) ... Four members of Team USA have experience in the United States Hockey League, the only Tier I league in the U.S. Included among them are defensemen John Carlson (Colonia, N.J./Indiana Ice) and Matt Donovan (Edmond, Okla./Univ. of Denver/Cedar Rapids RoughRiders); forward Danny Kristo (Omaha Lancers); and goalie Mike Lee (Roseau, Minn./St. Cloud State Univ./Fargo Force).
Team USA World Junior Schedule
(All U.S. games in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - all times ET)
Sat., Dec. 26 - Slovakia (8 p.m.)
Sun., Dec. 27 - Switzerland (4 p.m.)
Tue., Dec. 29 - Latvia (4 p.m.)
Thu., Dec. 31 - Canada (8 p.m.)
Sat., Jan. 2 - Quarterfinals (TBD)
Sun., Jan. 3 - Semifinals (TBD)
Tue., Jan. 5 - Bronze-Medal Game (4 p.m.) / Gold-Medal Game (8 p.m.)
