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College Notes: Team USA, Hellickson, Ford, Peart

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Though it should come as no surprise, USA Hockey has officially tabbed Providence College head coach Nate Leaman to lead the American entry into the 2022 World Junior Championship. Leaman coached Team USA to a gold medal this year and more than earned another go-round as head coach. “It’s always an honor to be asked to coach for my country and I’m grateful to be back behind the bench,” Leaman stated. “I’m excited to see some familiar faces, and coach some of America’s best young talent, as we look to build another championship roster.” The Friars’ bench boss, who has also been linked to NHL openings in the past, has nearly two decades of experience as a head coach at the college level, not only finding consistent success in the standings, but also in developing NHLers. Leaman will also be making his fourth appearance at the WJC for the U.S., but only his second as head coach. The Americans have medaled in six of the past seven tournaments, including two gold medals, so the bar has been raised for their performance. Fortunately, with Leaman at the helm they are in good hands in 2022.

  • Notre Dame defenseman Matt Hellickson has signed with the Devils, but not the ones who drafted him – at least not yet. Hellickson, a seventh-round selection of New Jersey back in 2017, has signed a contract with the AHL’s Binghamton Devils for the remainder of the season, the team announced. The organization going in this direction with the prospect defender as opposed to signing an entry-level contract that begins next season and merely finishing the year in Binghampton on an amateur tryout raises questions about his future. It seems possible that the Devils are still hoping to see more development from the four-year Fighting Irish starter before handing him an NHL contract. Hellickson, 23, was not as productive in the NCAA as he had been in the USHL before he was drafted, but was still a reliable presence on the back end for Notre Dame. Perhaps the concern from New Jersey is not that Hellickson is not pro ready, but simply lacks NHL upside. He will look to prove otherwise over the rest of the season.
  • As the NCAA transfer market continues to operate like NHL free agency this off-season, another notable name is moving on. Bowling Green captain Connor Ford has announced that he will spend his graduate season at North Dakota. Ford, 23, has been one of Bowling Green’s best players in each of his four seasons and has certainly drawn some attention from the pro ranks. However, this move likely indicates that his current offers were of the AHL variety instead of NHL entry-level proposals, so he will take his chances with a fifth year in college. If Ford is able to maintain his top scorer status with a power house like North Dakota, those NHL offers should roll in next year for the impressive forward.
  • As if St. Cloud State University needed anything else to be excited about, the NCAA Tournament finalist can now claim to be the future home of the best high school player in the state. Defenseman Jack Peart has been named the 2021 recipient of the Mr. Hockey Award as Minnesota high school hockey’s top athlete. The dynamic defender recorded a stunning 11 goals and 35 points in just 18 games for Grand Rapids High this year, earning him the honors. He added 11 goals in 18 games for the USHL’s Fargo Force as well. The offensive blue liner is a game-changer on the back end, which will likely lead to his selection in the second or third round of the upcoming NHL Draft. He will then head to St. Cloud where he will be expected to take on a big role right away. There is a strong correlation between winning the Mr. Hockey Award and finding NCAA success and playing in the NHL, with past winners including Ryan McDonagh, Nick Leddy, Nick Bjugstad, and Casey Mittelstadt. Peart is a name to keep an eye on.

Stan Bowman Named GM Of 2022 U.S. Olympic Team

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The 2022 U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team will be led by Chicago Blackhawks’ Stan Bowman, who was announced as the general manager today. He’ll be joined by Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin, who will serve as an assistant GM for the event. Pat Kelleher, executive director of USA Hockey, released a statement regarding the hire:

We could not be happier to have the combination of Stan and Bill, with the support of John Vanbiesbrouck, guiding our men’s Olympic team. We have a deep talent pool thanks to so many people, including volunteers at the grassroots level across the country, and it’s great to have the leadership and expertise that Stan and Bill bring in building our team.

Though it is not official yet that NHL players will be competing at the 2022 Olympics, Kelleher remains “hopeful and optimistic” according to Helene Elliott of the LA Times. The team will have an orientation camp this summer and the official roster will be named around New Year’s Day, 2022. If NHL players do go, the U.S. team could potentially be one of the tournament favorites, given the high-end talent that can lead the way. Names like Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, and Quinn Hughes can join some of the more veteran players like Patrick Kane and John Carlson who were present at the 2014 Games, the last time NHL took part.

Bowman doesn’t have much international experience but will have Guerin to lean on, who actually competed at three different Olympics as a player. Guerin took home a silver medal in 2002 and has previously been an AGM with Team USA at the World Championships.

If the NHL decides not to go, Bowman and Guerin will actually not be managing the team, according to Michael Russo of The Athletic. USA Hockey has a backup plan if that is the case and will have to “adjust accordingly.”

Snapshots: Bowman, Kiersted, OHL

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As expected, accomplished Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman will be the next leader of Team USA. Sportsnet’s Frank Seravalli reports that USA Hockey has scheduled a press conference for Wednesday where they will officially name Bowman as the GM for the U.S. entry into the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Given the NHL’s absence at the most recent Olympics paired with the quality of American players who have blossomed into superstars over the past eight years, expectations are high for Team USA. A two-time Stanley Cup winning GM, whose current rebuild seems to be moving along nicely as well, Bowman has found great success in his career and appears ready for the challenge. With a familiar face in Chicago icon Patrick Kane leading the way, Bowman’s Team USA could be legitimate contenders for gold. He won’t be alone in the decision-making, either; Seravalli notes that Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin will be named an assistant of Bowman’s as well. Nashville’s David Poile and Carolina’s Don Waddell are also likely to be considered for the brain trust, among others.

  • North Dakota defenseman Matt Kiersted, considered by many to be the top college free agent available this year, is already having to chip away at his list of suitors. The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports that 20+ NHL clubs have already shown interest in the dependable puck-mover, and he has begun to whittle that down to a “workable” number. What criteria Kiersted is using to choose between what are virtually identical entry-level offers is unknown and there has been few whispers of which teams might remain in the running. However, Russo notes that the Elk River, Minnesota native will definitely keep his hometown Minnesota Wild in consideration. Russo adds that the impending Expansion Draft could strip the Wild of one of their starting defensemen and there could be NHL opportunity right away for the local product. Among other likely landing spots, it is hard to ignore the immense North Dakota presence in the Ottawa Senators’ pipeline, which could link the team to Kiersted and fellow premiere UFA Jordan Kawaguchi.
  • The OHL’s shortened season is expected to begin soon and teams would prefer that their players return as soon as possible. However, the league has yet to set a firm date, seemingly dragging its feet with actually opening up play as opposed to merely discussing it. This is posing quite a conundrum for some top prospects, writes Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Many top junior-age draft picks in recent years have been playing in the AHL this season with the OHL out of commission. This includes Washington’s Connor McMichael, Los Angeles’s Quinton Byfield, Montreal’s Jan Mysak and Carolina’s Ryan Suzuki, while Anaheim’s Jamie Drysdale would have to stay put with the Ducks. Per the CHL Transfer Agreement, these players must return to the OHL once the season begins if they are not on NHL rosters. However, without a solid start date and facing a quarantine period, it is a difficult ask to suggest that these talented young players leave their AHL clubs and head for the unknown. McMichael has been outspoken on the subject, stating “I honestly want to stay here and just play pro hockey. I think it would be best for my development” and Friedman feels the others likely share in that sentiment. Will there be an exception made to allow this group to stay put to close out the season? Or will they be forced to take yet another break from hockey to quarantine only to return to a junior game that they have outgrown?

International Notes: 2022 Olympics, Team USA, Mexico City

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The NHL may have made a commitment to return to the Winter Olympics in 2022, but that doesn’t mean that participation is automatically guaranteed. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that concerns obviously still exist about the viability of a mid-season international tournament set to begin in less than 12 months given that the battle against the Coronavirus is still being waged across the globe. Although COVID-19 vaccines are now being distributed world-wide and the hope is that the virus will be contained within the next year if not sooner, a major international event with athletes from all over the world poses a great threat of infection, especially given the fact that many countries will not be vaccinated at the same rate as major world powers like the United States and Canada, among others. As Dreger notes, the first test before the Beijing Games in 2022 will be this summer, as the postponed Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics are still scheduled to take place. However, there is considerable concern and doubt about the Tokyo Games occurring. The stakeholders in the next Winter Olympics will learn a lot from how these Summer Games are operated, if at all, from a health and safety perspective. As Dreger notes, the testing protocols in Beijing will have to be extensive for NHL players to attend, especially considering that the virus originated in China. He believes that if the Summer Olympic results or the plans for the Winter Olympics do not inspire hope, there is a possibility that the men’s hockey tournament could be held remotely at a different venue, still part of the Beijing games but from a more secure location, likely in North America. Dreger adds that the IIHF is set to meet soon to discuss the many issues and possibilities surrounding the 2022 Games. Since the commitment to Olympic participation was collectively bargained in the latest CBA, both the NHL and NHLPA would need to agree if players were not to attend next year. However, both sides only have player safety in mind at this time and should be on the same page with making a determination at some point in the near future.

  • Assuming the NHL does return to the Olympics in 2022, it will the first opportunity to play at the top international level for many of the game’s biggest names. After skipping the last Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang in 2018, the NHL has not sent representative to the Games since 2014 – a long span of time in an NHL career. Many established stars had not even been drafted when the league was last involved. Expectations are especially high for Team USA, as the Americans may be looking at their most talented Olympic roster ever in 2022. Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, Seth Jones, Connor Hellebuyck, and countless other will all be making their Olympic debuts. However, USA Hockey has yet to choose the man that will be in charge of forming this team and does not plan to do so until participation in the games is confirmed. However, TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports that Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman is considered the likely selection at this point. Bowman, who won Stanley Cups in the years sandwiching the NHL’s last Olympic Games, was nevertheless not part of Team USA the last time around. This time, he is expected to be the GM and the one to lead a hopeful squad. Seravalli notes that past members of Team USA’s operations such as David Poile and Don Waddell are surely being considered as well, but appear more likely to be assistants to Bowman. With Hockey Canada already announcing a deep and talented brain trust for the 2022 Games to go with an always-talented roster, Team USA may not want to wait much longer to formally begin preparations.
  • As for other possible upcoming international ventures, Arizona Coyotes President and CEO Xavier Gutierrez has some thoughts. Speaking with AZ Central’s Jose Romero about the NHL’s upcoming outdoor games – and how the ’Yotes have never been invited to play in one – Gutierrez shared his hopes for Arizona to take part in a different historic game. He believes that the next step for the NHL in their global initiatives is to hold a game in Mexico City. Although Mexico is not a traditional hockey country, Gutierrez sees “incredible opportunity” for growth in Latin America. The NHL has played games in Asia before with this same idea of spreading the game in mind and Gutierrez feels that Mexico should be next up. He notes that the NFL, MLB, and NBA have all ventured into Mexico before, leaving the NHL as the only major North American league yet to do so. The league has not hesitated to hold both preseason and regular season games abroad in recent years and games in Mexico City, given a proper venue is available, may not be as costly or logistically challenging as games in Eastern Europe and Asia have been. Should the league consider Gutierrez’ idea, the Mexico native’s club does seem like the ideal fit. Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo is the NHL’s first Latino majority owner and Gutierrez it’s first Latino president. The ’Yotes, as well as the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, or Dallas Stars, all play in areas with significant Latin populations and there are surely fans of some of these team in Mexico as well. A match-up between Arizona and any of those teams would be a great introduction for the NHL south of the border.

Flyers Notes: Morin, Ustimenko, York

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It’s not very often that you see players change position after they’ve made it to the NHL, though there have been some notable exceptions in recent years. Dustin Byfuglien and Brent Burns are two shining examples, lining up at forward and defense depending on the year, following in the footsteps of Red Kelly who famously came out of a semi-retirement to play center for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Now you can hopefully add another name to that list, as Philadelphia Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher announced that Samuel Morin will play left wing for the team this season.

If you’re thinking, “but Morin wasn’t a very offensive defenseman” you’re not wrong. The 25-year-old forward won’t be trying to lead the team in scoring anytime soon, telling reporters including Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic that the player he’s watching and trying to emulate is Matt Martin. The 6’6″ Morin certainly has the frame to play that bang-and-crash style and he has no pretense of entitlement; the 2013 first-round pick readily admits that he’s fighting for his career after several major surgeries.

  • Speaking of surgeries to Flyers prospects, the team also announced that Kirill Ustimenko has undergone a procedure to repair a torn hip labrum. He will be out for four to five months, effectively ending his season. The 21-year-old goaltender was the 80th overall pick in 2017 and made his North American debut last year, playing most of the season with the Reading Royals of the ECHL. He actually played two games back in Belarus this season before going down to injury, the only two he is expected to play given the long rehab.
  • If you want some good news, look no further than Cam York, the Flyers prospect who is dominating at the World Juniors as captain of Team USA. York is tied with Topi Niemela of Finland for the scoring lead among tournament defenders and trails only Trevor Zegras on the entire U.S. roster. A poised, two-way player, York has appeared to reach a different level in his development this season, excelling not only at the junior event but also for the University of Michigan. He and the rest of the U.S. squad will be back in action this evening taking on Sweden in an extremely important Group B matchup.

Cam York Named Captain Of Team USA

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The World Junior Championship is set to start tomorrow and Team USA Now has a captain to lead them into battle against Russia in their first game. Philadelphia Flyers prospect Cam York has been given the “C” and he will be joined by alternates Cole Caufield and Alex Turcotte. Head coach Nate Leaman explained what an honor it is to be named captain:

It says a lot about this leadership group being voted in by their teammates. It’s a tremendous honor to be named captains and represent your country. This isn’t our team, this is their team. I believe our locker room is filled with leaders, and to be successful each guy will need to step up and be a leader in their own way, whether wearing a letter or not.

York, 19, was the 14th overall pick of the 2019 draft, selected by Philadelphia out of the USNTDP. He’s currently at the University of Michigan, where he earned conference All-Rookie honors last season and has five points in eight games this year. The smooth-skating defenseman was part of the U.S. team that disappointed a year ago but is back for revenge this time around.

Caufield, one of the most-hyped prospects in college hockey, returns to the tournament after scoring just a single goal last year. The undersized forward is an incredible sniper that is able to put the puck in the net in a thousand different ways and will be extremely difficult to contain at the event. Selected 15th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 2019, he could be operating at the sidewall of an NHL powerplay before long.

Turcotte, the highest drafted of the three, went fifth overall to the Los Angeles Kings in 2019 and was a teammate of Caufield at Wisconsin last season. The 19-year-old signed his entry-level contract in March and will attempt to make the Kings out of training camp this year, but first has his eye on gold at the upcoming tournament.

Even though they were denied access to some top names, the U.S. squad looks extremely dangerous this time around. Caufield was named player of the match in the team’s exhibition game against Finland earlier this week when they won 3-2, with Trevor Zegras dazzling with his playmaking once again.

USA Hockey Announces Final World Junior Roster

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A number of final rosters for the upcoming 2020 World Junior Championship have been revealed this morning, as the best U-20 players in the world prepare to compete later this month. Team USA gets us started, as USA Hockey has announced their finalized group. The roster is entirely comprised of NHL draft picks and presumptive 2021 selections, including sixteen players drafted in the first or second round, as well as 22 NCAA players. Below is the final roster:

F Matthew Beniers, Univ. of Michigan (2021)
F Brett Berard, Providence College (NYR)
F Matthew Boldy, Boston College (MIN)
F Bobby Brink, Univ. of Denver (PHI)
F Brendan Brisson, Univ. of Michigan (VGK)
F Cole Caufield, Univ. of Wisconsin (MTL)
F Sam Colangelo, Northeastern Univ. (ANA)
F John Farinacci, Harvard Univ. (ARI)
F Arthur Kaliyev, Hamilton Bulldogs (LAK)
F Patrick Moynihan, Providence College (NJD)
F Landon Slaggert, Univ. of Notre Dame (CHI)
F Alex Turcotte, Los Angeles Kings
F Trevor Zegras, Boston Univ. (ANA)

D Brock Faber, Univ. of Minnesota (LAK)
D Drew Helleson, Boston College (COL)
D Ryan Johnson, Univ. of Minnesota (BUF)
D Tyler Kleven, Univ. of North Dakota (OTT)
D Jackson LaCombe, Univ. of Minnesota (ANA)
D Jake Sanderson, Univ. of North Dakota (OTT)
D Hunter Skinner, London Knights (NYR)
D Henry Thrun, Harvard Univ. (ANA)
D Cam York, Univ. of Michigan (PHI)

G  Spencer Knight, Boston College (FLA)
G Logan Stein, Ferris State Univ. (2021)
G Dustin Wolf, Everett Silvertips (CGY)

The roster, which includes eight holdovers from last year’s squad and Knight returning for a third go-round, includes few surprises. As expected, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson will not be a member of the team as he is instead expected to compete for a roster spot in NHL camp, anticipated to begin toward the conclusion of the WJC. The L.A. Kings’ Turcotte was not given the same treatment, as he will compete for Team USA and then head to camp.

The other glaring omission is Boston Bruins prospect Johnny Beecher, who played for the WJC entry last year and had been in camp this year. The Boston Globe’s Matt Porter reports that Beecher tested positive for COVID-19, ending his bid for a roster spot. The loss could hurt the U.S., as teammate Caufield told The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler recently that he expected Beecher to play a big role for the team this year.

While the University of Michigan boasts an impressive three WJC selections for Team USA, Beecher and Thomas Bordeleau (SJS) were among the final cuts. The other player left off the final roster was undrafted defenseman Cam McDonald, who would have been the third inclusion from Providence College to join head coach Nate Leaman’s WJC team. Wheeler reports that Team USA GM John Vanbiesbrouck would have preferred 14 forwards and eight defenseman to their 13 forwards and nine defensemen, but that COVID protocols led to this final roster, insinuating that Beecher’s positive test likely led to roomate Bordeleau’s cut as well.

Among the 15 NHL teams represented on Team USA are four prospects from the Anaheim Ducks, a trio from the L.A. Kings, and four other clubs with multiple selections.

 

Snapshots: Laine, Sabres, Henriksson, Team USA

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With trade rumors surrounding the Winnipeg Jets and Patrik Laine, there are many wondering if a deal is coming any time soon. However, Sportsnet’s Ken Wiebe writes that no matter what happens between the Jets and Laine, nothing will be happening any time soon.

With most teams already at the flatlined salary cap, Wiebe writes that general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff will likely wait until next offseason when more teams might have the cap room to take on Laine and be able to send the assets that the Jets want back. That’s not to say that the Jets have given up on signing Laine to an extension. The scribe writes that while the two sides have had some issues, he doesn’t believe that it has reached a point of no return and believes an extension is just possible as a trade.

The problem with a contract is that Laine is a rare gem, who has 138 goals in 305 games and is tied for seventh in the league for goals scored since 2016. Throw in the fact that he’s still quite young at age 22 and is just starting to develop into a complete player and it isn’t easy coming up with the parameters of a deal.

  • The Buffalo Sabres could go in two different directions this season with a team having a solid chance to reach the playoffs. However, if the team goes its usual route lately and once again find themselves out of the playoffs near the trade deadline, NBC Sports James O’Brien writes that Buffalo would have a few assets that could net them a solid return. While newly signed forward Taylor Hall has a no movement clause, it still quite plausible that he would waive that if things go south in Buffalo to get a chance at the playoffs, while veteran Eric Staal might also proven to be a valuable asset if the team doesn’t make the playoffs. The 36-year-old has a affordable $3.25MM contract, which could make him attractive down the road. That doesn’t even include players like Rasmus Ristolainen, Carter Hutton and a few others who are already on the team. Needless to say, the hope is the team finally breaks its nine-year playoff drought, but it could turn into a different direction if things don’t go right in Buffalo.
  • Just yesterday, it was announced that Team Sweden would be without 2021 draft prospect William Eklund for the World Junior Championship this year after the 18-year-old tested positive for COVID-19. Now Sweden has taken another hit immediately after that news when Adam Johansson of Expressen.se reports (translation required) that the team’s No. 1 center Karl Henriksson will also have to miss the World Juniors after also testing positive for COVID-19. While the World Juniors don’t start in Edmonton until Dec. 26, the Swedish team is expected to leave for Canada on Dec. 13th, too late for the two young prospects to pass quarantine rules before having to enter the country. Henriksson, a second-round pick of the New York Rangers in 2019, has been centering top prospects Lucas Raymond and Alexander Holtz in international play and will be a big loss for Sweden.
  • Sticking with the World Juniors, Team USA has lost a few prospects as a Boston University trio will not be attending the World Juniors training camp due to COVID-19 protocols, according to New England Hockey Journal’s Jeff Cox. The U.S. team will have to do without forward Robert Mastrosimone, a second-round pick in 2019 by the Detroit Red Wings; defenseman Alex Vlasic, a second-round pick in 2019 by the Chicago Blackhawks; and goaltender Drew Commesso, a second-round pick by the Chicago Blackhawks this year.

Jack Hughes, Alexis Lafreniere Will Not Be Released For WJC

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5:00pm: As if in response, Hockey Canada has announced that Alexis Lafreniere will also not be released to the tournament. Lafreniere will instead focus on training and preparing for the upcoming season with the New York Rangers, where he is expected to step right into a prominent role. After narrowly escaping major injury at the tournament last year, but still earning MVP honors and taking home the gold medal, it seems reasonable for the Rangers to want to keep Lafreniere at home,

3:37pm: Though it doesn’t come as much of a surprise, Jack Hughes will not be released to USA Hockey for the upcoming World Junior Championship. Though the program had interest, Darren Dreger of TSN reports that New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald has informed them the star forward will not go this year.

Hughes of course was the first-overall pick in 2019 by the Devils and missed the tournament last year as well thanks to his NHL commitments. Now 19, he is still eligible but doesn’t have a lot to gain from suiting up against the junior-aged players other than getting in some competitive action before the season begins. That’s what the Chicago Blackhawks are hoping for Kirby Dach for instance, who will go for Team Canada despite playing all last season in the NHL.

The Devils have high hopes for the upcoming season and a step forward from Hughes is imperative to any playoff run they may chase. It’s hard to call him anything but a disappointment in year one, with just seven goals and 21 points. That’s not what you hope for from a first-overall pick, but Hughes was always expected to take a little longer because of his slight frame. Off-ice training and practice with the Devils is likely more important to his development than dominating prospects at the World Juniors.

Team USA could potentially lose another talented youngster that has already made his NHL debut, as Dreger also notes that if the league starts up soon Nick Robertson would stay with the Toronto Maple Leafs instead of traveling to Edmonton. Robertson was listed on the preliminary roster and is currently training in Toronto with some Maple Leafs teammates.

USA Hockey Announces 2020 Summer Showcase Roster

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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)

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