COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Hockey today announced the 39 players that have been invited to the U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp, August 1-8, in Lake Placid, New York. The players will audition for a spot on the U.S. National Junior Team that will take part in the 2016 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship, December 26, 2015 through January 5, 2016, in Helsinki, Finland.
The United States has medaled in three of the last six IIHF World Junior Championships, including gold in 2013 and 2010 and bronze in 2011.
Of the 39 players attending, 11 are returnees from the 2015 U.S. National Junior Team, while 24 have won medals at IIHF events.
Players will stay at the Lake Placid Olympic Training Center while all games and practices will be held at Lake Placid Olympic Center’s 1980 Herb Brooks Arena. The U.S. players will practice and compete in international games against Finland and Sweden. Ticket information will be announced at a later date.
Notes: Visit worldjuniors.usahockey.com for more information … Of the 39 players invited to the U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp, 15 competed in the United States Hockey League during the 2014-15 season, including 11 from USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program … Fourteen players competed in the college hockey ranks last season … Fifteen of the 39 players participated in last year’s camp. Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (Parma, Ohio), who participated in last year’s camp and was a member of the 2015 U.S. National Junior Team, will miss camp due to an injury … Ron Wilson (Riverside, R.I.) is the head coach of the 2016 U.S. National Junior Team. He is the first U.S. National Junior Team head coach to have previously served as a head coach in the National Hockey League and joins Lou Vairo (Colorado Springs, Colo.) as the only other U.S. National Junior Team head coach to have also served as head coach of a U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team and a U.S. Men’s National Team … The assistant coaches for Team USA are Chris Chelios (Chicago, Ill.), Danton Cole (Pontiac, Mich.) and Kevin Reiter (Pittsburgh, Pa.) … Jim Johannson, USA Hockey’s assistant executive director for hockey operations, is serving as the general manager of Team USA for the seventh consecutive year … Kelly Miller (Lansing, Mich.) and Doug Weight (Warren, Mich.) will serve as guest coaches at the U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp … USA Hockey’s international council, chaired by Gavin Regan (Potsdam, N.Y.), vice president of USA Hockey, has oversight responsibilities for all U.S. national teams.
2015 U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp Schedule*
Date Event Time (EDT)
Saturday, Aug. 1 USA Blue Practice 9:00 – 9:45 a.m.
USA White Practice 10:00 – 10:45 a.m.
Sweden Practice 11:00a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Finland Practice 12:45 – 2:15 p.m.
USA White vs. USA Blue 5:00 – 6:15 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 2 Finland Practice 8:15 – 8:45 a.m.
USA Blue Practice 9:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Sweden Practice 9:45 – 10:15 a.m.
USA White vs. Finland 1:00 p.m.
USA Blue vs. Sweden 4:00 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 3 Finland Practice 8:15 – 8:45 a.m.
USA White Practice 9:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Sweden Practice 9:45 – 10:15 a.m.
USA Blue vs. Finland 1:00 p.m.
USA White vs. Sweden 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 4 Finland Practice 10:00 – 11:15 a.m.
USA Practice 11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Sweden Practice 1:00 – 2:15 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 5 USA Practice 8:45 – 9:15 a.m.
Finland Practice 10:00 – 10:30 a.m.
Sweden Practice 10:45 a.m. – noon
USA vs. Finland 4:00 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 6 USA Practice 8:45 – 9:15 a.m.
Sweden Practice 10:00 – 10:30 a.m.
Finland Practice 10:45 a.m. – noon
USA vs. Sweden 4:00 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 7 Finland Practice 9:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Sweden Practice 9:45 – 10:15 a.m.
USA Practice 10:45 a.m. – noon
Finland vs. Sweden 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 8 USA vs. Finland 1:00 p.m.
*All practices and games at Lake Placid Olympic Center’s 1980 Herb Brooks Arena
