TORONTO – USA Hockey today announced the final 23-player roster for the 2017 U.S. National Junior Team that will compete in the 2017 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in Montreal and Toronto, Canada, from Dec. 26, 2016 through Jan. 5, 2017.
“We’re excited about this group of players and the way in which they will maximize the style of hockey that head coach Bob Motzko wants the team to play,” said Jim Johannson, general manager of the 2017 U.S. National Junior Team and assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey. “The talent level in the United States is among the best in the world and the difficulty we had identifying this year’s roster speaks to that. These players earned their way on to this roster and we’re looking forward to the tournament getting underway.”
The final roster features three goaltenders, seven defensemen and 13 forwards. Of the 23 players named to the roster, 15 have previously represented the United States in IIHF tournament play, including two who skated for the bronze medal-winning 2016 U.S. National Junior Team last year. Additionally, 11 players helped the U.S. earn a gold medal as a member of the 2015 U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team while seven players skated for the 2016 U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team that earned a bronze medal last year.
Forward Luke Kunin (Chesterfield, Mo./University of Wisconsin) is the captain of the 2017 U.S. National Junior Team, with 2016 U.S. National Junior Team returnees forward Colin White (Hanover, Mass./Boston College) and defenseman Charlie McAvoy (Long Beach, N.Y./Boston University) serving as alternate captains.
Team USA will begin play in the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship next Monday, Dec. 26, against Latvia. Puck drop is set for 3:30 p.m. ET and can be seen live on NHL Network.
NOTES: Use the hashtag #USAWJC on Twitter to join the conversation about the 2017 U.S. National Junior Team … At the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship, the U.S. will compete in a group with Canada, Latvia, Russia and Slovakia. All U.S. games will be broadcast live on NHL Network.
GOALTENDERS (3)
NO.
NAME
HT (CM)
WT (KG)
BIRTHDATE
S/C
HOMETOWN
MOST RECENT TEAM
NHL DRAFT RIGHTS
1 Tyler Parsons 6-0 (185) 186 (84) 9/18/97 L Chesterfield, Mich. London Knights (OHL) CGY (’16, 2nd rd., 54th overall)
30 Jake Oettinger 6-4 (193) 210 (93) 12/18/98 L Lakeville, Minn. Boston University (HEA) 2017 Draft Eligible
31 Joseph Woll 6-3 (191) 202 (92) 7/12/98 L St. Louis, Mo. Boston College (HEA) TOR (’16, 3rd rd., 62nd overall)
DEFENSEMEN (7)
NO.
NAME
HT (CM)
WT (KG)
BIRTHDATE
S/C
HOMETOWN
MOST RECENT TEAM
NHL DRAFT RIGHTS
2 Ryan Lindgren 6-0 (183) 208 (94) 2/11/98 L Minneapolis, Minn. University of Minnesota (Big Ten) BOS (’16, 2nd rd., 49th overall)
3 Jack Ahcan 5-7 (170) 184 (83) 5/18/97 L Savage, Minn. St. Cloud State University (NCHC) 2017 Draft Eligible
4 Caleb Jones 6-1 (185) 194 (88) 6/6/97 L Frisco, Texas Portland Winterhawks (WHL) EDM (’15, 4th rd., 117th overall)
6 Casey Fitzgerald 5-11 (180) 187 (85) 2/25/97 R North Reading, Mass. Boston College (HEA) BUF (’16, 3rd rd., 86th overall)
8 Adam Fox 5-10 (178) 187 (85) 2/17/98 R Jericho, N.Y. Harvard University (ECAC Hockey) CGY (’16, 3rd rd., 66th overall)
25 Charlie McAvoy* 6-0 (183) 206 (93) 12/21/97 R Long Beach, N.Y. Boston University (HEA) BOS (’16, 1st rd., 14th overall)
33 Joe Cecconi 6-2 (188) 222 (101) 5/23/97 R Youngstown, N.Y. University of Michigan (Big Ten) DAL (’15, 5th rd., 133rd overall)
FORWARDS (13)
NO.
NAME
HT (CM)
WT (KG)
BIRTHDATE
S/C
HOMETOWN
MOST RECENT TEAM
NHL DRAFT RIGHTS
9 Luke Kunin 5-11 (180) 196 (89) 12/4/97 R Chesterfield, Mo. University of Wisconsin (Big Ten) MIN (’16, 1st rd., 15th overall)
10 Tanner Laczynski 6-0 (183) 191 (87) 6/1/97 R Shorewood, Ill. Ohio State University (Big Ten) PHI (’16, 6th rd., 169th overall)
11 Patrick Harper 5-9 (175) 160 (73) 7/29/98 L New Canaan, Conn. Boston University (HEA) NSH (’16, 5th rd., 138th overall)
12 Jordan Greenway 6-5 (196) 230 (104) 2/16/97 L Canton, N.Y. Boston University (HEA) MIN (’15, 2nd rd., 50th overall)
13 Joey Anderson 5-11 (180) 200 (91) 6/19/98 R Roseville, Minn. University of Minnesota Duluth (NCHC) NJ (’16, 3rd rd., 73rd overall)
14 Erik Foley 6-0 (183) 197 (89) 6/30/97 L Mansfield, Mass. Providence College (HEA) WPG (’15, 3rd rd., 78th overall)
17 Jeremy Bracco 5-10 (175) 180 (82) 3/17/97 R Freeport, N.Y. Kitchener Rangers (OHL) TOR (’15, 2nd rd., 61st overall)
18 Colin White* 6-0 (183) 183 (83) 1/30/97 R Hanover, Mass. Boston College (HEA) OTT (’15, 1st rd., 21st overall)
19 Clayton Keller 5-10 (175) 172 (78) 7/29/98 L St. Louis, Mo. Boston University (HEA) ARI (’16, 1st rd., 7th overall)
20 Troy Terry 6-0 (183) 166 (75) 9/10/97 R Highland Ranch, Colo. University of Denver (NCHC) ANA (’15, 5th rd., 148 overall)
23 Kieffer Bellows 6-0 (183) 201 (91) 6/10/98 L Edina, Minn. Boston University (HEA) NYI (’16, 1st rd., 19th overall)
28 Jack Roslovic 6-1 (185) 191 (87) 1/29/97 R Columbus, Ohio Manitoba Moose (AHL) WPG (’15, 1st rd., 25th overall)
29 Tage Thompson 6-5 (196) 200 (91) 10/30/97 R Orange, Conn. University of Connecticut (HEA) STL (’16, 1st rd., 26th overall)
*2016 U.S. National Junior Team bronze medalist
TEAM STAFF
POSITION
NAME
HOMETOWN
General Manager Jim Johannson Colorado Springs, Colo.
Head Coach Bob Motzko St. Cloud, Minn.
Assistant Coach Greg Brown Scituate, Mass.
Assistant Coach Grant Potulny Grand Forks, N.D.
Assistant Coach Kris Mayotte Pittsburgh, Pa.
Assistant Coach Steve Miller Littleton, Colo.
High Performance Coach Sean Braziel Burke, Va.
Video Coach Matt Chapman Bloomington, Ind.
Team Physician Dr. Phil Johnson Horace, N.D.
Athletic Trainer Stan Wong Boca Raton, Fla.
Athletic Trainer Jason Hodges New Baltimore, Mich.
Equipment Manager Scott Aldrich Colorado Springs, Colo.
Equipment Manager Joe Guilmet San Diego, Calif.
Communications Jon Gomez Colorado Springs, Colo.
