USA Hockey Invites 39 Players To World Junior Evaluation Camp
The NHL season is over and it’s not clear when professional hockey will return. In the meantime, fans can look forward to the World Junior Championship, scheduled to begin December 25 in Edmonton, Alberta. The tournament will be held in a bubble similar to the one used in the NHL playoffs and extends through January 5.
Today, USA Hockey announced the 39 players that have been invited to the evaluation camp that will help determine the roster for the event. The list of invitees is as follows:
G Drew Commesso (2020 draft eligible)
G Spencer Knight (FLA)
G Logan Stein (2020 draft eligible)
G Dustin Wolf (CGY)
D Brock Faber (2020 draft eligible)
D Domenick Fensore (CAR)
D Drew Helleson (COL)
D Ryan Johnson (BUF)
D Jackson LaCombe (ANA)
D Case McCarthy (NJD)
D Mitchell Miller (2020 draft eligible)
D Jake Sanderson (2020 draft eligible)
D Hunter Skinner (NYR)
D Jayden Struble (MTL)
D Henry Thrun (ANA)
D Alex Vlasic (CHI)
D Marshall Warren (MIN)
D Cam York (PHI)
F John Beecher (BOS)
F Matthew Beniers (2021 draft eligible)
F Brett Berard (2020 draft eligible)
F Matthew Boldy (MIN)
F Thomas Bordeleau (2020 draft eligible)
F Bobby Brink (PHI)
F Brendan Brisson (2020 draft eligible)
F Cole Caufield (MTL)
F Sam Colangelo (2020 draft eligible)
F John Farinacci (ARI)
F Sean Farrell (2020 draft eligible)
F Michael Gildon (2020 draft eligible)
F Owen Lindmark (FLA)
F Robert Mastrosimone (DET)
F Patrick Moynihan (NJD)
F Josh Nodler (CGY)
F Dylan Peterson (2020 draft eligible)
F Landon Slaggert (2020 draft eligible)
F Sam Stange (2020 draft eligible)
F Lukas Svejkovsky (2020 draft eligible)
F Luke Tuch (2020 draft eligible)
It is important to note that there will be many more players eligible for the tournament that could make the final roster depending on the status of the 2020-21 NHL season. This evaluation camp will be held on October 8-13 and includes only a handful of returning players from the last tournament.
Snapshots: Boeser, Miller, Caufield, Langlois
With plenty of trade speculation that has surrounded Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser over the last few months, there are quite a few people who have connected the dots of the Canucks sending their promising 23-year-old forward to Minnesota, Boeser’s hometown, to beef up their defense. With a new contract in the hands of Jonas Brodin, general manager Bill Guerin needs to trade Matt Dumba and a swap of the two players make sense, according to Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre.
However, Canucks general manager Jim Benning said recently that he isn’t trying to trade Boeser, who has scored 71 goals in the past three seasons.
“Lots of GMs call us about our players,” Benning said. “I listen and sometimes we have a conversation. That’s my job as a GM. If I’m not listening to other GMs, then I’m not doing my job. But we’re not trying to trade Brock Boeser. I have not had a conversation with Minnesota about him.”
Another reason for the trade speculation is that Vancouver has three key unrestricted free agents it would like to re-sign and don’t have the cap space at the moment to do it. Boeser has a $5.88MM contract for two more years and while not an albatross of a contract, the team could save some cap space if they were willing to move one of their forwards to bring in defensive help. Dumba makes $6MM, so the contracts would even out, but then could allow the team to try to focus on re-signing Tyler Toffoli to replace Boeser in the lineup if the Canucks could make that swap.
- The Athletic’s Eric Stephens writes (subscription required) that the Anaheim Ducks still are waiting for backup goaltender Ryan Miller to make up his mind on coming back for a 18th season. Miller told Stephens that he has been on the ice approximately seven times now and is just trying to see if his body can adjust to sitting for as long as he has. Regardless, the 40-year-old has yet to make a decision, but the long layoff (he last played on March 10) has definitely made him think twice about returning. “You have things that you’re used to doing and when they stop, it’s shocking to the system,” said Miller. “I tried to install a little bit of normalcy so I can kind of get my sense of direction … I just thought that it was best not making any decisions either way if you’re sitting on the couch.”
- After a report from SportExpressen Saturday that Edmonton Oilers prospect Raphael Lavoie was cut from Rogle of the SHL after the Oilers loaned him to the top SHL team, a new report this morning suggests that they have set their sights on Lavoie’s replacement. HockeyNews.se reports that Rogle is now in negotiations to recruiting Montreal Canadiens star prospect Cole Caufield to join the team. ESPN’s Chris Peters reports that Caufield has been looking for a place to play with his college season at the University of Wisconsin delayed, although the rumor last week was that he was headed to Switzerland. Rogle has declined comment on the situation. Caufield, the Canadiens top pick in 2019, scored 19 goals in his freshman year at Wisconsin.
- The Montreal Canadiens announced the passing of three-time Stanley Cup winning defenseman Albert “Junior” Langlois, who died at age 85 on Saturday. He helped the Canadiens win Stanley Cups in 1958, 1959 and 1960, the last three of their historic five-straight Cup titles. He also played for the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings and the Boston Bruins. The stay-at-home defenseman played 497 games in his NHL career with 21 goals and 112 points. PHR offers our condolences to his family.
John Wroblewski Named Head Coach Of AHL’s Ontario Reign
Monday: The Kings have officially announced Wroblewski has agreed to become the next coach of the Reign. Los Angeles GM Rob Blake released a short statement on his new coach:
John has a proven background in working with young players and helping them develop their game. He’s a strong leader who communicates well and he’ll play an important role for our organization. We welcome John and his family to southern California and look forward to having him coach the Reign.
Saturday: After the news on Friday that Seth Appert is expected to join the AHL’s Rochester Americans, affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres, as head coach, the U.S. National Team Development Program has been dealt yet another blow. Appert’s fellow head coach with the USNTDP, John Wroblewski, is also expected to depart for the AHL. The New England Hockey Journal’s Jeff Cox reports that Wroblewski is expected to be named the head coach of the Ontario Reign, an affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings.
Wroblewski, just 39 years old, nevertheless has a lengthy coaching resume at both the professional and amateur level including a pair of seasons in the AHL as an assistant with none other than the Rochester Americans. Wroblewski initially began his coaching career with USA Hockey before spending time as an assistant and head coach in the ECHL and USHL. He returned to the USNTDP in 2016 and has served as a head coach in the program for the past four years.
Wroblewski has had the privilege of coaching some elite NHL prospects in recent years with the USNTDP. As the head coach of the U-17 team in 2017-18 and U-18 team in 2018-19, he spent two seasons with the historic 2019 NHL Draft class, which included first-round picks Jack Hughes (NJD), Alex Turcotte (LAK), Trevor Zegras (ANA), Matthew Boldy (MIN), Spencer Knight (FLA), Cam York (PHI), Cole Caufield (MTL), and John Beecher (BOS). As the U-17 head coach this year, Wroblewski again worked with some promising American youngster in presumptive 2021 top picks Luke Hughes and Matthew Beniers. The Kings hope that this experience will allow Wroblewski to be an effective leader for their prospects, which includes former player Turcotte who is one of a number of talented young players in the L.A. pipeline.
For as much as Wroblewski has played a positive role for the USNTDP over the past four years, his departure along with Appert’s has left the program reeling. With the USHL still targeting a normal fall start to the 2020-21 season, USA Hockey may have less than a month to replace both of the head coaches in the program. Expect some dominoes in the coaching ranks to continue falling as a result of these moves.
USA Hockey Announces 2020 Summer Showcase Roster
USA Hockey is moving forward with their annual World Junior Summer Showcase, announcing a 43-man roster for the upcoming event at their home in Plymouth, Michigan from July 24 to August 1. The camp will be used to select the roster for the 2021 World Junior Champions, which is also proceeding as scheduled in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta from December 26 to January 5.
Of course, the Coronavirus threat will have an impact on this year’s showcase and not only in increased focus on health and safety procedures. Team USA will be competing alone this year, as regular participants Canada, Finland, and Sweden have all declined the invitation due to health risks and logistical issues. The camp will have much more of an inter-squad scrimmage feel than most years, but USA Hockey hopes that it will still produce good competition and valuable data for selecting their WJC roster.
Of the 43 participants, most are new faces. Just nine players will take part in camp who played for the 2020 WJC team. This could work in USA Hockey’s favor, as their most recent entry snapped a four-year medal streak with a disappointing sixth-place finish. However, they are surely happy to have Florida Panthers prospect goaltender Spencer Knight back for a third year in a row to lead the squad. The 2019 No. 13 overall pick remains one of the top prospects in hockey after a stellar freshman season at Boston College and can win games single-handedly for the U.S. at the 2021 tournament.
Unsurprisingly, Knight is not the only college player who will be in attendance at the Summer Showcase, as the NCAA has a heavy presence with 38 of 43 participants are active or committed collegiate competitors. While 14 different schools will be represented, there is a strong Boston presence with Boston University sending a whopping eight players and prospects, while Boston College, Harvard, and Northeastern each send at least three. Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin also will have at least three in attendance.
At the NHL level, things are more balanced. A total of 16 clubs will have a draft pick in Plymouth, but only the Anaheim Ducks will have more than two. With a large number of 2020-eligible names and a top 2021 prospect in attendance, all 31 (32?) teams are sure to be interested in the event.
Here is the roster for the 2020 Summer Showcase, USA-only edition:
Goaltenders
Spencer Knight, Boston College (FLA)
Drew Commesso, USNTDP/Boston Univ. (2020)
Logan Stein, Waterloo Blackhawks/Ferris State Univ. (2020)
Dustin Wolf, Everett Silvertips (CGY)
Defensemen
Brock Faber, USNTDP/Univ. of Minnesota (2020)
Domenick Fensore, Boston Univ. (CAR)
Drew Helleson, Boston College (COL)
Ryan Johnson, Univ. of Minnesota (BUF)
Tyler Kleven, USNTDP/Univ. of North Dakota (2020)
Jackson Lacombe, Univ. of Minnesota (ANA)
Case McCarthy, Boston Univ. (NJD)
Jake Sanderson, USNTDP/Univ. of North Dakota (2020)
Hunter Skinner, London Knights (NYR)
Jayden Struble, Northeastern Univ. (MTL)
Henry Thrun, Harvard Univ. (ANA)
Alex Vlasic, Boston Univ. (CHI)
Marshall Warren, Boston College (MIN)
Cam York, Univ. of Michigan (PHI)
Forwards
John Beecher, Univ. of Michigan (BOS)
Matthew Beniers, USNTDP/Harvard Univ. (2021)
Brett Berard, USNTDP/Providence College (2020)
Matthew Boldy, Boston College (MIN)
Thomas Bordeleau, USNTDP/Univ. of Michigan (2020)
Bobby Brink, Univ. of Denver (PHI)
Brendan Brisson, Chicago Steel/Univ. of Michigan (2020)
Cole Caufield, Univ. of Wisconsin (MTL)
Sam Colangelo, Lawrence Academy/Northeastern Univ. (2020)
John Farinacci, Harvard Univ. (ARI)
Sean Farrell, Chicago Steel/Harvard Univ. (2020)
Michael Gildon, Ohio State Univ. (2020)
Cross Hanas, Portland Winterhawks (2020)
Arthur Kaliyev, Hamilton Bulldogs (LAK)
Owen Lindmark, Univ. of Wisconsin (FLA)
Robert Mastrosimone, Boston Univ. (DET)
Patrick Moynihan, Providence College (NJD)
Josh Nodler, Michigan State Univ. (CGY)
Dylan Peterson, USNTDP/Boston Univ. (2020)
Landon Slaggert, USNTDP/Univ. of Notre Dame (2020)
Sam Stange, Sioux Falls Stampede/Univ. of Wisconsin (2020)
Lukas Svejkovsky, Medicine Hat Tigers (2020)
Luke Tuch, USNTDP/Boston Univ. (2020)
Alex Turcotte, Univ. of Wisconsin (LAK)
Trevor Zegras, Boston Univ. (ANA)
Cole Caufield To Return For Sophomore Season
7:33 PM: The Canadiens have confirmed that Caufield will remain at Wisconsin. GM Marc Bergevin released the following statement:
This additional year in the NCAA will benefit Cole and will allow him to continue developing his skills within the Badgers’ environment. Cole is an important part of the Montreal Canadiens’ future and we will continue to follow his development with interest.
4:12 PM: Fans of the Montreal Canadiens haven’t had much to be happy about recently, but were holding out hope that perhaps top prospect Cole Caufield would soon sign his entry-level contract. Not so fast, according to Todd D. Milewski of the Wisconsin State Journal, who reports that Caufield has told Badgers head coach Tony Granato that he is planning on returning for his sophomore season.
The 19-year old forward has watched teammates K’Andre Miller and Alex Turcotte sign their entry-level deals and turn pro in recent days, but will instead return for another chance at developing his game at the collegiate level.
Caufield, the 15th overall pick in 2019, is an incredibly gifted scorer that can put the puck in from anywhere in the offensive zone. His ability to find open space when his teammates have the puck or create it for himself with his strong acceleration and balance is almost unmatched among his age group, as seen by the record-breaking numbers he put up for the U.S. National Team Development Program.
At Wisconsin, even as a freshman he found quite a bit of success. He led the Badgers with 19 goals and 36 points in 36 games, both numbers that will be expected to climb even further next season. Even though he likely won’t be contributing to the Canadiens in 2020 (unless something changes his mind through the summer), there is still plenty to be excited about down the road.
Snapshots: Three Stars, Fines, Wisconsin
The NHL has released their Three Stars from last week, and the five-goal man is at the top once again. Mika Zibanejad was always going to be the first star after scoring five goals in a single game (including the OT winner). The New York Rangers center scored seven on the week, giving him a career-high 39 through just 55 games this season.
Second and third place go to two Western Conference stars in Gabriel Landeskog and Leon Draisaitl, who continued their scoring ways with nine and eight points respectively. That means Draisaitl is up to 110 on the season, an incredible feat given he has only played 69 games so far.
- St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist has been fined $5,000 for his roughing of Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Adam Boqvist, which resulted in a line brawl between the two teams. Sundqvist tried to lay a check along the boards, but when he missed his left hand (while clutching his stick) came around and hit Boqvist in the face. The amount is the maximum allowable under the CBA, and will affect other supplementary discipline in the future.
- While other college players are starting to sign with teams in the NHL, a few names from the Wisconsin program have yet to make their decisions. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that the Montreal Canadiens will meet with Cole Caufield over the next week while his colleague Rick Carpiniello adds that the Rangers have been in contact with K’Andre Miller but the prospect defenseman has not yet made a decision.
Canadiens To Recommend Cole Caufield Stay At Wisconsin
One of the most hyped players coming out of the 2019 NHL Draft, it was almost a foregone conclusion that the Montreal Canadiens’ Cole Caufield would be in the NHL as soon as possible. A record-breaking goal-scorer for the U.S. National Team Development Program, Caufield had committed to the University of Wisconsin, but most believed that the 15th overall pick would be one-and-done after his freshman campaign. In fact, it was not outside the realm of possibility that Caufield could have made his NHL debut later this season had the Canadiens made the playoffs.
However, things have not gone according to plan for any of the parties involved. Montreal is not a playoff team, the Wisconsin Badgers are not the national contender that many expected them to be, and Caufield is not ready for the NHL, reports Mathias Brunet of La Presse. Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin tells Brunet that he will recommend that Caufield remain at Wisconsin for another year:
Cole Caufield is having a good year. But, in our eyes, he is not ready. We will make a decision at the end of the year. If he really wants to leave college, we won’t force him, but we’ll recommend that he stay [at Wisconsin]. That doesn’t mean it’s a disappointment. We aim for the best in long-term development.
Bergevin would go on to say that playing for the AHL’s Laval Rocket next season would also be a possibility for Caufield next season, but he feels that even that would be a challenge. While Caufield’s offensive ability is apparent, Bergevin notes that the young sniper’s play without the puck has a long way to go, and that is a crucial part of competing at the pro level. He adds that over-inflated media expectations for the likes of Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Ryan Poehling have hurt those players’ development in the eyes of the team and they hope to prevent the same fate for Caufield. While the slow play could be disappointing to Montreal fans, especially as they look to the future during another disappointing season, is it always better not to rush a young player, especially if the team honestly feels that he is not ready to make the jump.
This news will be received much differently in Madison than it is in Montreal. Assuming Caufield stays at Wisconsin, Badgers fans can hold out hope that an NCAA title run may still be possible. This season has been disappointing from a team perspective, but Caufield has been stellar in his freshman season, leading the team with 19 goals and 35 points in 33 games. Fellow freshman standout Alex Turcotte, selected fifth overall by the Los Angeles Kings last year, is not confirmed to be returning next season, nor is sophomore defenseman and 2018 first-rounder K’Andre Miller (NYR). However, if the trio stays put, the likes of Dylan Holloway (2020), Owen Lindmark (FLA), Ty Emberson (ARI), and Ryder Donovan (VGK) take a step forward, and incoming recruit Cameron Rowe (2020) helps to repair the poor results in net, then the Badgers could do a better job of meeting expectations in the 2020-21 season.
NHL Draft Picks Participating In The World Junior Championship
The 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship is underway from Ostrava and Trinec in the Czech Republic. The tournament began today and will run through the championship game on January 5th. Each of the NHL’s 31 teams has at least one representative at the WJC. Five teams have only one draft pick participating, while the Los Angeles Kings (9) and Arizona Coyotes (7) each have more than those teams combined. However, it only takes one player and one moment to make history at the WJC. Check out which future NHLers will have that chance this year:
Anaheim Ducks (2):
G Lukas Dostal, Czech Republic
F Trevor Zegras, USA
Arizona Coyotes (7):
F Barrett Hayton, Canada
F Jan Jenik, Czech Republic
F Matias Maccelli, Finland
D Aku Raty, Finland
D Victor Soderstrom, Sweden
F Valentin Nussbaumer, Switzerland
D Ty Emberson, USA
Boston Bruins (3):
F Jakub Lauko, Czech Republic
F John Beecher, USA
F Curtis Hall, USA
Buffalo Sabres (4):
F Dylan Cozens, Canada
F Matej Pekar, Czech Republic
G Erik Portillo, Sweden
D Mattias Samuelsson, USA
Calgary Flames (1):
G Dustin Wolf, USA
Carolina Hurricanes (5):
D Anttoni Honka, Finland
F Lenni Killinen, Finland
F Patrik Puistola, Finland
F Dominik Bokk, Germany
F Jack Drury, USA
Chicago Blackhawks (2):
F Antti Saarela, Finland
F Michal Teply, Czech Republic
Colorado Avalanche (4):
D Bowen Byram, Canada
G Justus Annunen, Finland
F Sampo Ranta, Finland
D Daniil Zhuravlyov, Russia
Columbus Blue Jackets (4):
F Liam Foudy, Canada
F Kirill Marchenko, Russia
F Dmitri Voronkov, Russia
D Tim Berni, Switzerland
Dallas Stars (3):
F Ty Dellandrea, Canada
F Oskar Back, Sweden
F Albin Eriksson, Sweden
Detroit Red Wings (5):
D Jared McIsaac, Canada
F Joseph Veleno, Canada
D Moritz Seider, Germany
F Jonatan Berggren, Sweden
F Jesper Eliasson, Sweden
Edmonton Oilers (4):
F Raphael Lavoie, Canada
G Olivier Rodrigue, Canada
F Matej Blumel, Czech Republic
D Philip Broberg, Sweden
Florida Panthers (3):
Justin Schutz, Germany
F Grigori Denisenko, Russia
G Spencer Knight, USA
Los Angeles Kings (9):
F Aidan Dudas, Canada
F Akil Thomas, Canada
F Lukas Parik, Czech Republic
F Rasmus Kupari, Finland
D Kim Nousiainen, Finland
D Tobias Bjornfot, Sweden
F Samuel Fagemo, Sweden
F Arthur Kaliyev, USA
F Alex Turcotte, USA
Minnesota Wild (1):
F Alexander Khovanov, Russia
Montreal Canadiens (4):
D Alexander Romanov, Russia
D Mattias Norlinder, Sweden
F Cole Caufield, USA
D Jordan Harris, USA
Nashville Predators (1):
D Spencer Stastney, USA
New Jersey Devils (5):
D Kevin Bahl, Canada
D Ty Smith, Canada
D Daniil Misyul, Russia
F Nikola Pasic, Sweden
G Akira Schmid, Switzerland
New York Islanders (2):
F Jacob Pivonka, USA
F Oliver Wahlstrom, USA
New York Rangers (5):
D Nico Gross, Switzerland
F Karl Henriksson, Sweden
D Nils Lundkvist, Sweden
D Zachary Jones, USA
D K’Andre Miller, USA
Ottawa Senators (3):
D Jacob Bernard-Docker, Canada
D Lassi Thomson, Finland
F Shane Pinto, USA
Philadelphia Flyers (4):
F Egor Zamula, Russia
D Adam Ginning, Sweden
F Bobby Brink, USA
D Cameron York, USA
Pittsburgh Penguins (1):
D Calen Addison, Canada
San Jose Sharks (1):
Santeri Hatakka, Finland
St. Louis Blues (2):
G Joel Hofer, Canada
F Nikita Alexandrov, Russia
Tampa Bay Lightning (3):
F Nolan Foote, Canada
F Maxim Cajkovic, Czech Republic
G Hugo Alnefelt, Sweden
Toronto Maple Leafs (3):
D Mikko Kokkonen, Finland
D Rasmus Sandin, Sweden
F Nicholas Robertson, USA
Vancouver Canucks (4):
F Karel Plasek, Czech Republic
D Toni Utunen, Finland
F Vasily Podkolzin, Russia
F Nils Hoglander, Sweden
Vegas Golden Knights (3):
F Pavel Dorofeyev, Russia
F Ivan Morozov, Russia
G Isaiah Saville, USA
Washington Capitals (2):
F Connor McMichael, Canada
D Martin Has, Czech Republic
Winnipeg Jets (2):
F David Gustafsson, Sweden
D Ville Heinola, Finland
USA Hockey Announces Preliminary WJC Roster
December 23rd: According to Corey Pronman of The Athletic, Janicke, Regula and Krygier are the final three cuts for the Americans. Previously the team had been trimmed down to 26, with Johnson, Gruden and Mastrosimone being sent home. Oliver Wahlstrom was added to the group late and will play in the tournament.
December 9th: USA Hockey has followed several other countries in announcing their preliminary roster for the upcoming World Junior tournament. The team will compete for spots at a training camp in Plymouth, Michigan later this month, where a 23-man roster will be selected.
The full camp roster:
Goaltenders:
Spencer Knight (FLA)
Isaiah Saville (VGK)
Dustin Wolf (CGY)
Defensemen:
Ty Emberson (ARI)
Jordan Harris (MTL)
Ryan Johnson (BUF)
Zac Jones (NYR)
Christian Krygier (NYI)
K’Andre Miller (NYR)
Alec Regula (CHI)
Mattias Samuelsson (BUF)
Spencer Stastney (NSH)
Cam York (PHI)
Forwards:
John Beecher (BOS)
Bobby Brink (PHI)
Cole Caufield (MTL)
Jack Drury (CAR)
Parker Ford (2020 eligible)
Jon Gruden (OTT)
Curtis Hall (BOS)
Trevor Janicke (ANA)
Arthur Kaliyev (LAK)
Robert Mastrosimone (DET)
Shane Pinto (OTT)
Jacob Pivonka (NYI)
Nick Robertson (TOR)
Alex Turcotte (LAK)
Trevor Zegras (ANA)
College Hockey Round-Up: 12/12/19
In the biggest departure from their pro and junior counterparts, college hockey is about to take a significant holiday break. As student-athletes take final exams for thee fall semester and then enjoy a break over Christmas, there are just five games scheduled from December 15-27. The final weekend of the month is also a lighter schedule than normal, as many teams are already done until January and many more will be after this weekend.
Recent Results
It has not been so much of a fall from grace for several top teams of late as it has been a plummet. Notre Dame and Harvard, both of whom began their seasons with substantial undefeated streaks, have both failed to pick up a point in the past two weeks, and Wisconsin, a popular pick to be title contender this season, has fallen out of the rankings with three straight losses. Notre Dame has fallen ten spots in the rankings from No. 5 to No. 15 after back-to-back sweeps at the hands of No. 10 Bowling Green and No. 5 Boston College by a combined score of 20-5. BC also took down Harvard, as did Boston University, No. 3 Cornell, and Colgate. The Crimson have moved from No. 9 to No. 17 as a result. Wisconsin had a disastrous run-in with their next door neighbors, splitting a home series against unranked Michigan before being swept on the road at No. 18 Michigan State.
Meanwhile, the teams at the top continue to soar. No. 1 Minnesota State continues to be unbeatable, taking both games against defending champion No. 11 Minnesota-Duluth and extended their winning streak to nine games with a sweep of Lake Superior. Mankato currently has an unassailable lead in the NCAA rankings. Goaltender Dryden McKay‘s impeccable .957 save percentage and 1.06 GAA are miles ahead of even his closest rivals, Tyler Wall (NYR) of No. 14 UMass Lowell and Cornell’s Matthew Galajda. The Mavericks’ keeper could be on the fast track to taking home the Hobey Baker Award this year.
However, another player in the hunt will be Jordan Kawaguchi of No. 2 North Dakota. The Fighting Hawks have been on fire of late, knocking off Minnesota on Thanksgiving Day (and again the day after) and then sweeping No. 19 Western Michigan, and Kawaguchi has been the catalyst. The junior forward is up to 24 points on the year, third-best in the NCAA, and could become a real threat to Jack Dugan (VGK) of No. 13 Providence for the scoring title.
Providence themselves split a chippy series with UMass Lowell in a battle between two teams pushing for a spot in the top ten. It’s been a better stretch for Hockey East over the past two weeks, as Boston College is also surging, No. 12 Northeastern came away with a tournament win in Belfast, Northern Ireland two weeks ago, and No. 9 UMass has not surrendered more than two goals in a game in a month.
World Junior Participation
While most NCAA teams will take a break for much of the remainder of December, not all of their players will be out of action. With the majority of preliminary rosters released for the upcoming U-20 World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic, it looks as though a number of college standouts will get a chance to make their mark on the international stage. Below is the list of NCAA participants:
Canada: D Jacob Bernard-Docker (OTT), North Dakota; F Alex Newhook (COL), Boston College; F Dylan Holloway (2020), Wisconsin
Finland: F Sampo Ranta (COL), Minnesota
Switzerland: F Matthew Verboon, Colgate
United States: G Spencer Knight (FLA), Boston College; G Isaiah Saville (VGK), Nebraska-Omaha; D Ty Emberson (ARI), Wisconsin; D Jordan Harris (MTL), Northeastern; D Ryan Johnson (BUF), Minnesota; D Zac Jones (NYR), UMass; Christian Krygier (NYI), Michigan State; D K’Andre Miller (NYR), Wisconsin; D Mattias Samuelsson (BUF), Wester Michigan; D Spencer Stastney (NSH), Notre Dame; D Cam York (PHI), Michigan; F John Beecher (BOS), Michigan; F Bobby Brink (PHI), Denver; F Cole Caufield (MTL), Wisconsin; F Jack Drury (CAR), Harvard; F Parker Ford, Providence; F Curtis Hall (BOS), Yale; Trevor Janicke (ANA), Notre Dame; Robert Mastrosimone (DET), Boston University; F Shane Pinto (OTT), North Dakota; F Jacob Pivonka (NYI), Notre Dame; Alex Turcotte (LAK), Wisconsin; Trevor Zegras (ANA), Boston University