PLYMOUTH, Mich. – USA Hockey today named 25 players to the 2021 U.S. National Junior Team set to compete in the 2021 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship from Dec. 25, 2020 – Jan. 5, 2021, in Edmonton, Alberta.
The group features eight members of the 2020 U.S. National Junior Team, including both goaltenders Spencer Knight (Darien, Conn.) and Dustin Wolf (Gilroy, Calif.), defenseman Cam York (Anaheim, Calif.), and forwards Bobby Brink (Minnetonka, Minn.), Cole Caufield (Stevens Point, Wis.), Arthur Kaliyev (Staten Island, N.Y.), Alex Turcotte (Chicago, Ill.) and Trevor Zegras (Bedford, N.Y.). Knight was also a member of the silver medal-winning 2019 U.S. National Junior Team.
“Our players and staff have done everything we’ve asked of them, all of the safety protocols and considerations, in order to make hockey the focus of our training camp,” said John Vanbiesbrouck, general manager of the 2021 U.S. National Junior Team and also the assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey. “We had a great week of camp and we have certainly faced adversity, but we believe in these 25 players and we all have the same goal.”
The roster is comprised of players born in 2001 or later, come from 17 different states. A total of 22 players are currently playing or previously played college hockey.
Team USA will face Russia in its first preliminary matchup Dec. 25 at Rogers Place with opening faceoff set for 7:30 p.m. local time/9:30 p.m. ET. In its 13th year televising the tournament, NHL Network will provide live game telecasts of all U.S. games, including the team’s two pre-tournament matchups, plus comprehensive previews, highlights, analysis and interviews within its studio programming.
NOTES: Nate Leaman (Providence, Rhode Island) is the head coach of the 2021 U.S. National Junior Team with Ted Donato (Cambridge, Massachusetts), Kris Mayotte (Ann Arbor, Michigan), and Steve Miller (Columbus, Ohio) serving as assistant coaches, and Theresa Feaster (Providence, R.I.) as video coach … The United States enters the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship seeking its fifth medal in six years after earning a record four consecutive medals: gold in 2017, silver in 2019, and bronze in both 2018 and 2016 … Team USA will play its preliminary games against Group B opponents Austria, Czech Republic, Russia and Sweden … For more information about the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship click here.