Arrival Day: Dec. 15

TRAINING CAMP BEGINS
Twenty-six players and 15 staff members arrived in snowy Buffalo, New York, for its first training camp in preparation for the 2017 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship, set for Dec. 26, 2016 - Jan. 5, 2017, in Montreal and Toronto, Canada. The training camp, set for Dec. 16-20, will take place at HarborCenter. All practices will take place at HarborCenter’s Key Bank Rink from 10am-12pm with media availability to follow. 

QUICK GLANCE: U.S. PRELIMINARY ROSTER 
The preliminary roster for the 2017 U.S. National Junior Team was announced on Dec. 5, 2016, by USA Hockey exclusively on NHL Network’s “NHL Now.” The players at camp include four returnees from last year’s bronze-medal winning 2016 U.S. National Junior Team and 10 other players who have previously earned IIHF medals with Team USA. Forward Brock Boeser (Burnsville, Minn./Univ. of North Dakota), who was also a member of the 2016 U.S. National Junior Team, was named to the roster but is unable to attend due to injury. 

“This is a talented, versatile group of players that has found success across all levels of hockey,” said Jim Johannson, USA Hockey’s assistant executive director of hockey operations and the general manager of the 2017 U.S. National Junior Team. “There is depth at every position, and while we still have some difficult decision to make, we feel each of these players can fit the style of hockey Coach Motzko (U.S. head coach Bob Motzko) first implemented at our National Junior Evaluation Camp last August.

SEVENTH HEAVEN
Seven players from Boston University are here at the 2017 U.S. National Junior Team Training Camp. Those players include goaltender Jake Oettinger (Lakeville, Minn.), defensemen Charlie McAvoy (Long Beach, N.Y.) and Chad Krys (Ridgefield, Conn.), and forwards Kieffer Bellows (Edina, Minn.), Jordan Greenway (Canton, N.Y.), Patrick Harper (New Canaan, Conn.) and Clayton Keller (St. Louis, Mo.). Never before have seven players from one team represented the U.S. National Junior Team in a single tournament. The highest ever was when the University of Minnesota sent six players -- Aaron BrotenNeal BrotenBryan EricksonJim JetlandMike Ramsey and Steve Ulseth -- to the 1979 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in Carlsbad and Karlskoga, Sweden. Team USA, coached by 2014 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Lou Vairo, earned sixth place and saw Aaron Broten finished seventh in tournament scoring.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
“We were impressed in August, not only with the players themselves, but with the pulse and emotion in the room,” said head coach Bob Motzko. “Our staff felt it and we know our players felt it. It's telling that so many kids from August are here. There’s belief and desire here, and it’s real exciting to be here in Buffalo with the guys and finally get this trip rolling."

Head coach Bob Motzko commenting on the players and staff coming together for the first time since USA Hockey's National Junior Evaluation Camp at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan, last August. Of the 26 players named here in Buffalo, 25 attended the camp in August. Patrick Harper (New Canaan, Conn./Boston Univ.) is the lone player not originally named to the roster.

2018 IIHF WJC TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Ticket packages for the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship are on sale now. Fans have three options: the gold package includes all 31 games of the tournament, while silver and bronze packages include all games at KeyBank Center plus the outdoor game at New Era Field. Fans purchasing any of the three packages will also have the opportunity to purchase three additional tickets for the outdoor game. For complete event and ticket information, visit buffaloworldjuniors.com.