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USA Hockey has announced their preliminary roster for the upcoming 2016 World Junior Championships, hosted this year by Finland.
This group of players will convene in Boston next week for a pre-tournament camp. The team will practice from December 15-18 at Boston University's Walter Brown Arena, then play an exhibition game the evening of the 18th against UMass at the Mullins Center in Amherst. From there, the team will travel to Helsinki for the tournament.
Team USA opens up tournament play the day after Christmas with a game against reigning gold medalist Canada.
Here is the roster of players that will eventually be cut down to 13 forwards, seven defensemen, and three goalies. Our reaction to some of the controversial omissions from the roster is here.
FORWARDS
| Kieffer Bellows | 6-1 (185) | 195 (88) | 6/10/98 | L | Edina, Minn. | U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) | 2016 Draft Eligible |
| Paul Bittner | 6-4 (193) | 202 (92) | 11/4/96 | L | Crookston, Minn. | Portland Winterhawks (WHL) | CBJ ('15, 2nd rd., 38th ovr.) |
| Anders Bjork | 5-11 (180) | 183 (83) | 8/5/96 | R | Mequon, Wis. | University of Notre Dame (HEA) | BOS ('14, 5th rd., 146th ovr.) |
| Brock Boeser | 6-0 (183) | 192 (87) | 2/25/97 | R | Burnsville, Minn. | University of North Dakota (NCHC) | VAN ('15, 1st rd., 23rd ovr.) |
| Alex DeBrincat | 5-7 (170) | 161 (73) | 7/29/98 | L | Farmington Hills, Mich. | Erie Otters (OHL) | 2016 Draft Eligible |
| Ryan Donato | 6-1 (185) | 181 (82) | 4/9/96 | L | Scituate, Mass. | Harvard University (ECAC Hockey) | BOS ('14, 2nd rd., 56th ovr.) |
| Christian Dvorak | 6-0 (183) | 187 (85) | 2/2/96 | L | Palos, Ill. | London Knights (OHL) | ARZ ('14, 2nd rd., 58th ovr.) |
| Scott Eansor | 5-8 (173) | 168 (76) | 1/3/96 | L | Englewood, Colo. | Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) | Free Agent |
| Ryan Hitchcock | 5-10 (178) | 170 (77) | 3/30/96 | L | Manhasset, N.Y. | Yale University (ECAC Hockey) | Free Agent |
| Clayton Keller | 5-10 (178) | 170 (77) | 7/29/98 | L | Swansea, Ill. | U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) | 2016 Draft Eligible |
| Auston Matthews | 6-0 (183) | 199 (90) | 9/17/97 | L | Scottsdale, Ariz. | ZSC Lions (National A-Swiss) | 2016 Draft Eligible |
| Ryan MacInnis | 6-4 (193) | 185 (84) | 2/14/96 | L | St. Louis, Mo. | Kitchener Rangers (OHL) | ARZ ('14, 2nd rd., 43rd ovr.) |
| Sonny Milano | 5-11 (180) | 185 (85) | 5/12/96 | L | Massapequa, N.Y. | Lake Erie Monsters (AHL) | CBJ ('14, 1st rd., 16th ovr.) |
| Nick Schmaltz | 6-0 (183) | 172 (78) | 2/23/96 | R | Verona, Wis. | University of North Dakota (NCHC) | CHI ('14, 1st rd., 20th ovr.) |
| Matthew Tkachuk | 6-1 (185) | 188 (85) | 12/11/97 | L | St. Louis, Mo. | London Knights (OHL) | 2016 Draft Eligible |
| Colin White | 6-0 (183) | 183 (83) | 1/30/97 | R | Hanover, Mass. | Boston College (HEA) | OTT ('15, 1st rd., 21st ovr.) |
DEFENSEMEN
| Louie Belpedio | 5-10 (178) | 194 (88) | 5/14/96 | R | Skokie, Ill. | Miami University (NCHC) | MIN ('14, 3rd rd., 80th ovr.) |
| Will Borgen | 6-2 (188) | 195 (88) | 12/19/96 | R | Moorhead, Minn. | St. Cloud State University (NCHC) | BUF ('15, 4th rd., 92nd ovr.) |
| Brandon Carlo | 6-5 (196) | 195 (88) | 11/26/96 | R | Colorado Springs, Colo. | Ti-City Americans (WHL) | BOS ('15, 2nd rd., 37th ovr.) |
| Ryan Collins | 6-4 (193) | 204 (93) | 5/6/96 | R | Bloomington, Minn. | University of Minnesota (Big Ten) | CBJ ('14, 2nd rd., 47th ovr.) |
| Casey Fitzgerald | 5-11 (180) | 185 (84) | 2/25/97 | R | North Reading, Mass. | Boston College (HEA) | Free Agent |
| Brandon Fortunato | 5-10 (178) | 148 (67) | 6/7/96 | L | Albertson, N.Y. | Boston University (HEA) | Free Agent |
| Chad Krys | 5-11 (180) | 183 (83) | 4/10/98 | L | Ridgefield, Conn. | U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) | 2016 Draft Eligible |
| Charlie McAvoy | 6-0 (183) | 205 (93) | 12/21/97 | R | Long Beach, N.Y. | Boston University (HEA) | 2016 Draft Eligible |
| Zach Werenski | 6-2 (188) | 214 (97) | 7/19/97 | L | Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. | University of Michigan (Big Ten) | CBJ ('15, 1st rd., 8th ovr.) |
GOALTENDERS
| Brandon Halverson | 6-4 (193) | 179 (81) | 2/29/96 | L | Traverse City, Mich. | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) | NYR ('14, 2nd rd., 59th ovr.) |
| Alex Nedeljkovic | 6-0 (183) | 190 (86) | 1/7/96 | R | Parma, Ohio | Flint Firebirds (OHL) | CAR ('14, 2nd rd., 37th ovr.) |
| Luke Opilka | 6-1 (185) | 192 (87) | 2/27/97 | L | St. Louis, Mo. | Kitchener Rangers (OHL) | STL ('15, 5th rd., 146th ovr.) |
| Tyler Parsons | 6-1 (185) | 180 (82) | 9/18/97 | L | Chesterfield, Mo. | London Knights (OHL) | 2016 Draft Eligible |
* Member of the 2015 U.S. National Junior Team