COLUMBUS, Ohio – Joe Pavelski (Plover, Wis.) was named captain today of Team USA for the World Cup of Hockey 2016, with Patrick Kane (Buffalo, N.Y.) and Ryan Suter (Madison, Wis.) tabbed as alternate captains.
In addition, David Backes (Blaine, Minn.), Ryan Kesler (Livonia, Mich.), Ryan McDonagh (St. Paul, Minn.) and Zach Parise (Minneapolis, Minn.) will serve as part of the team’s leadership group.
The World Cup of Hockey 2016 is set for Sept. 17 – Oct. 1 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Team USA is currently conducting training camp in Columbus and will play Canada at Nationwide Arena in the first of three pre-tournament games Friday (Sept. 9).
“The great news for us is that we have plenty of leaders in our room,” said John Tortorella, head coach of the 2016 U.S. World Cup of Hockey Team. “In the end, in addition to our captain and alternate captains, we also selected four other players and those seven guys will form an overall leadership group for our team. Our goal is simple and that’s to win the World Cup.”
Pavelski, the captain of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks, has tallied 10 points (2-8) in 17 appearances for Team USA, and most recently represented the U.S. at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. He was also a member of the silver medal-winning U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver as well as the 2009 U.S. Men’s National Team. Pavelski totaled 78 points (38-40) for San Jose in 2015-16 and led all NHL players with 11 game-winning goals.
Kane is coming off of a historic 2015-16 campaign with the Chicago Blackhawks in which he amassed 106 points (46-60) to become the first American-born player to win the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL point leader. A three-time medalist for Team USA, Kane has recorded 18 goals and 22 assists in 33 appearances for the U.S.
Suter enters the 2016 World Cup of Hockey having played in a team-high 70 games in 11 previous international competitions for Team USA. Suter previously served as an alternate captain for the silver medal-winning 2010 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team. Last season he recorded 51 points (8-43) while serving as an alternate captain for the Minnesota Wild.
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