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2020 U.S. National Junior Team Assistant Coaches Named

By USAHockey.com, 04/24/19, 1:00PM MDT

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Miller, Larson, Lassonde and Keefe to assist head coach Scott Sandelin

USA Hockey today named Steve Miller (Sun Prairie, Wis./Ohio State University), David Lassonde (Durham, N.H./Dartmouth College), Jerry Keefe (Saugus, Mass./Northeastern University) and Brett Larson (Duluth, Minn./St. Cloud State University) as assistant coaches for the 2020 U.S. National Junior Team that will compete in the 2020 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in Ostrava and Trinec, Czech Republic.

The quartet will work with Scott Sandelin (Hibbing, Minn./Minnesota Duluth), who was previously announced as head coach. All four assistant coaches have previously served on a U.S. coaching staff, helping U.S. national teams capture four IIHF medals (two gold, one silver, one bronze) and two other international titles. A year ago, Miller, Lassonde, Keefe and Sandelin were assistant coaches together on the silver medal-winning entry at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship.

About Miller

Steve Miller, associate head coach for the Ohio State University men's ice hockey team, returns as a U.S. National Junior Team assistant coach for the fourth consecutive year after helping the U.S. to three straight medal finishes. In addition to last year's silver-medal entry, Miller was part of Team USA's bronze-medal effort in 2018 as well as its gold-medal win in 2017. A three-time NCAA national champion as an assistant coach (Providence-2015; Denver-2004, 2005), Miller's collegiate coaching career began in 1989 and during that time he has helped lead teams to 19 NCAA Tournament berths, four Frozen Four appearances, seven conference tournament titles and five regular-season league championships during his time with St. Mary's University, Miami University, University of Denver, Providence College, Air Force Academy and Ohio State University. Miller played three seasons (1985-88) for St. Mary's University and in 1988 helped the Cardinals to a school-record 22 wins and the school's first Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference crown in 23 years.

About Lassonde

David Lassonde, associate head coach for the Dartmouth College men's ice hockey team, will serve on a U.S. National Junior Team staff for the second straight year and fourth time overall after also doing so for Team USA's gold medal-winning entry in 2013. Additionally, Lassonde helped the U.S. capture a gold medal at the 2017 World Deaf Ice Hockey Championship that took place in Buffalo, New York, and has also served on two U.S. men's select teams, helping the U.S. Under-17 Men's Select Team to a championship at the 2015 U17 Five Nations Cup before serving on the U.S. Under-18 Select Team staff that finished in second-place finish at the 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup. Over his 31-year NCAA Division I men's hockey coaching career that has included stops at the University of New Hampshire, University of Denver, University of Wisconsin and Miami University, Lassonde's college resume includes 20 trips to the NCAA Tournament with five appearances in the Frozen Four, three conference tournament titles and six regular-season championships. Lassonde played collegiately for two seasons (1981-83) as a goaltender for Providence College.

About Keefe

Jerry Keefe, associate head coach for the Northeastern University men's ice hockey team, returns to the U.S. National Junior Team coaching staff for the second straight year after serving on Team USA's silver-medal entry a year ago. The 2018-19 campaign was Keefe's eighth season at Northeastern and fifth as associate head coach. Since joining the Huskies as an assistant coach in 2011-12, Keefe has been instrumental in Northeastern's notable successes that includes two Hockey East titles (2015-16, 2018-19), two Beanpot titles (2017-18, 2018-19). Prior to joining Northeastern, Keefe served two seasons (2009-11) as an assistant coach for Brown University and three seasons in the NCAA Division III ranks, including two seasons (2007-09) as head coach for Westfield State University and one season (2006-07) as an assistant coach for the University of Massachusetts Boston. A four-year letterwinner at Providence College (1996-2000), Keefe enjoyed a five-year professional career across the AHL, ECHL and Europe. Prior to Providence, Keefe was twice named a USHL All-Star for the Omaha Lancers and also skated for the U.S. National Under-17 Team in 1994 and the U.S. National Under-16 Team.

About Larson

Brett Larson, who just completed his first season as head coach of the St. Cloud State University men's ice hockey team, will be behind a U.S. bench for the second time and his first in IIHF competition. In 2012, Larson served as the head coach for the U.S. Junior Select Team that captured the World Junior A Challenge. Larson is in his eighth season in the collegiate hockey coaching ranks. In his first campaign as head coach, Larson led St. Cloud to the Penrose Cup as the NCHC's regular-season champion and a runner-up finish in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff. Larson will be part of a Sandelin-led staff for the third time after his first two stints (2008-11, 2015-18) - both at Minnesota Duluth - culminated in NCAA national championships (2011, 2018). In between his time with his alma mater, Larson spent two seasons (2011-13) as head coach of the United States Hockey League's Sioux City Musketeers and two seasons (2013-15) as an associate head coach at Ohio State University. A Duluth native, Larson was an 11th round pick of the NHL's Detroit Red Wings in 1990 and played at Minnesota Duluth for four seasons (1991-95) where he was tabbed captain his senior year and earned WCHA All-Academic honors three times.

NOTESJohn Vanbiesbrouck, assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey, is serving as general manager of the 2020 National Junior Team ... Scott Sandelin was revealed as head coach for the 2020 U.S. National Junior Team on NHL Network's NHL Now on April 16 ... NHL Network is the exclusive U.S. home of the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship … The 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship will take place in Ostrava and Trinec, Czech Republic, from Dec. 26, 2019 - Jan. 5, 2020 ... The United States enters the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship having medaled in four straight World Junior Championships for the first time in U.S. history after earning gold in 2017, silver in 2019 and bronze in 2018 and 2016 … To date, the U.S. National Junior Team has claimed 12 medals, including four gold medals (2017, 2013, 2010, 2004), two silver medals (2019, 1997) and six bronze medals (2018, 2016, 2011, 2007, 1992, 1986) … For more information on the U.S. National Junior Team, click here … USA Hockey’s international council, chaired by Gavin Regan (Potsdam, N.Y.), vice president of USA Hockey, has oversight responsibilities for all U.S. national teams.

2020 U.S. Schedule

Date Opponent Location Time (Local/ET)
Thurs., Dec. 26 Canada Ostravar Arena 7 p.m./2 p.m.
Fri., Dec. 27 Germany Ostravar Arena 7 p.m./2 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 29 Russia Ostravar Arena 7 p.m./2 p.m.
Mon., Dec. 30 Czech Republic Ostravar Arena 7 p.m./2 p.m.
Thurs., Jan. 2 Quarterfinals TBD TBD
Sat., Jan. 4 Semifinals Ostravar Arena TBD
Sun., Jan. 5 Bronze-Medal Game Ostravar Arena 3 p.m./10 a.m.
Gold-Medal Game Ostravar Arena 7 p.m./2 p.m.

2020 Groups

Group A Group B
Finland United States
Kazakhstan Canada
Slovakia Czech Republic
Sweden Germany
Switzerland Russia

World Junior Summer Showcase

2020 World Juniors


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