Team USA has officially announced their final roster for the upcoming World Junior Championships. The US is the defending gold medalists at the event, and have an excellent shot at repeating on their home soil.
Here is a look at the final roster, as well as what to expect from each player, and what their role on this team might be.
Forwards
Joey Anderson, Minnesota Duluth, New Jersey Devils(2016, 3rd, 76th)(NHL Draft profile)
Anderson plays with a maturity beyond his years, which is one of the reasons he will serve as captain of this team. He’s a smart, disciplined player and his ability to handle the puck and make a play under any circumstance makes him a perfect complementary player to skilled offensive playmakers.
Kieffer Bellows, Portland Winterhawks(WHL), New York Islanders(2016, 1st, 19th overall)(NHL Draft profile)
Bellows is a pure shooter. He likely won’t create many opportunities for himself due to his lack of skating, but will take every opportunity he gets to put the puck on net. His role on this team is narrow, but likely important, as the US will count on him to produce goals in big moments, like he did in last year’s gold medal game.
Logan Brown, Windsor Spitfires(OHL), Ottawa Senators(2016, 1st, 11th)(NHL Draft profile)
Brown missed last year’s tournament due to injury, but should be a key offensive component this time around. Brown is a big centerman that is a skilled playmaker with incredible stickhandling and passing ability or his size.
Trent Frederic, Wisconsin, Boston Bruins(2016, 1st, 29th)(Full scouting report)
Frederic is a player that will do a lot of things to make his teammates around him better. He’s got great strength which is going to allow him to win battles along the boards and be effective in the defensive end. He’s also an excellent passer that should be able to get the puck to teammates in good scoring position.
Patrick Harper, Boston University, Nashville Predators(2016, 5th, 138th)(NHL Draft profile)
Harper is a smaller forward that could potentially add some skill and scoring punch in a lower line role for this US team.
Max Jones, London Knights(OHL), Anaheim Ducks(2016, 1st, 24th)(NHL Draft profile)
Jones is a high-energy power forward. He’s not likely to be a big scorer, but will provide a physical presence to the US line-up.
Will Lockwood, Michigan, Vancouver Canucks(2016, 3rd, 64th)(Full scouting report)
Lockwood’s best asset is his speed. He’ll be another energy player on a lower line that can contribute on the penalty kill.
Casey Mittelstadt, Minnesota, Buffalo Sabres(2017, 1st, 8th)(NHL Draft profile)
Mittelstadt is the most dynamic offensive talent on this US team, and the US will count on him to be one of their top scorers. He’s a creative stickhandler and passer with a great shot.
Josh Norris, Michigan, San Jose Sharks(2017, 1st, 19th)(NHL Draft profile)
Norris will be counted on to use his grit and strength in a lower line role on this US team. They’ll most likely use him at wing, though he also has the ability to play center.
Ryan Poehling, St. Cloud State, Montreal Canadiens(2017, 1st, 25th)(Full scouting report)
Poehling is a big, rangy center that excels at winning races to loose pucks and helping his team keep possession. He’s not a big offensive producer, but should a lot of the dirty work to make his teammates around him better.
Brady Tkachuk, Boston University, 2018 NHL Draft Eligible
Tkachuk is a do-everything forward that competes hard and is always willing to stick his nose into the play. He has decent offensive skill, and looks likely to play a scoring line role with this team.
Riley Tufte, Minnesota Duluth, Dallas Stars(2016, 1st, 25th)(Full scouting report)
Tufte is a big forward with tremendous speed for his size. He’s developed a more physical game in the past year and will look to use his big frame to work in dirty areas in front of the opposition net and in the corners.
Kailer Yamamoto, Spokane Chiefs(WHL), Edmonton Oilers(2017, 1st, 22nd)
Yamamoto is a small, speedy forward that is very active in the play and has a lot of skill. He’ll be one of the players counted on to score a lot for Team USA.
Defensemen
Mikey Anderson, Minnesota Duluth, Los Angeles Kings(2017, 4th, 103rd)
Like his older brother, Mikey Anderson may not have a single stand-out trait, but is a very mature player that does everything pretty well. He’s a tough kid that won’t back down from anyone physically, and should be solid whenever he’s on the ice.
Adam Fox, Harvard, Calgary Flames(2016, 3rd, 66th)(NHL Draft profile)
Last year’s gold medal game was a microcosm of Fox’s game. He was victimized defensively for a goal early, but made up for it by helping create two goals later in the game. He’s not strong defensively, but makes up for it with exceptional stickhandling, vision, and passing ability. The US will rely on his ability to generate offense from the blue line.
Quinn Hughes, Michigan, 2018 NHL Draft Eligible
Hughes is a pure playmaker from the blue line. His skating ability and ability to handle the puck make him a constant threat to create offense from the back end. He sometimes trusts his stickhandling a little too much, leading to bad turnovers, but is one of the few talents the US has that can make special plays from the blue line.
Ryan Lindgren, Minnesota, Boston Bruins(2016, 2nd, 49th)(NHL Draft profile)
Lindgren should provide a steady, calming defensive presence on the blue line, as well as a physical presence. He won’t be flashy, but will hopefully provide a steady defensive game.
Andrew Peeke, Notre Dame, Columbus Blue Jackets(2016, 2nd, 34th)(NHL Draft profile)
Peeke isn’t likely to be a big offensive producer, but the big defenseman is a very smooth skater, which makes him a very effective defender. He should be a solid presence and see a lot of minutes in this tournament.
Scott Perunovich, Minnesota Duluth, Undrafted(NHL Draft profile)
Perunovich was passed over by the NHL due to his lack of size, but is a very nice player. He’s got an elite first speed that allows him to move around defenders at the offensive blue line, and is an incredibly smart offensive player. He may struggle in the D zone due to his size at times, but should make up for it on the other end.
Dylan Samberg, Minnesota Duluth, Winnipeg Jets(2017, 2nd, 43rd overall)(NHL Draft profile)
Samberg is still very raw, especially on the defensive end, but he’s a big, rangy defender which allows him to cover up some of his deficiencies defensively. He doesn’t have a very advanced offensive game, but his ability to get off a very heavy shot with little release time is above average and could be a weapon.
Goalies
Joseph Woll, Boston College, Toronto Maple Leafs(2016, 3rd, 62nd)
Woll is a big positionally sound goalie that will use his size to cut down on angles. He’s struggled a bit at Boston College this year, but will likely be given first opportunity to take the reigns as the number one goalie for Team USA.
Jake Oettinger, Boston University, Dallas Stars(2017, 1st, 26th)
Another big goalie, Oettinger is the more athletic of the two between him and Woll. He has struggled with consistency this season, but when he’s playing well, he has the most upside of any US goalie.
Jeremy Swayman, Maine, Boston Bruins(2017, 4th, 111th)
Somewhat of a surprise to make this team as the third string goalie, Swayman has played well in his rookie season at Maine. Swayman provides a nice insurance option if the struggles of Woll and Oettinger continue into the tournament.