MINNEAPOLIS — The night before the start of the World Junior Summer Showcase, Bob Motzko, head coach of the U.S. National Junior Team, brought in a guest to speak to the team.

Brock Faber made perfect sense to address the team.

On top of his two full seasons of NHL experience with the Minnesota Wild, the defenseman has represented the U.S. in two World Junior Championships, the 2022 Olympic Winter Games and at the 4 Nations Face-Off this past February.

When Motzko asked Faber to be an Alumni Ambassador for the Summer Showcase, which is taking place at the University of Minnesota’s Ridder Arena July 27 – Aug. 2, Faber couldn’t think of a reason to turn down the opportunity.

“It’s a 10-minute drive for me, so of course I said yes,” the former Golden Gopher said. “Being able to just hang around these guys, and just knowing that I’ve been in their shoes, it’s cool and it’s definitely a privilege.”   

Faber, who grew up in Maple Grove, Minnesota, joined fellow Minnesota natives and NHL players Drew Helleson, Matthew Knies and Jackson LaCombe as Alumni Ambassadors for the Summer Showcase.

The Summer Showcase includes the U.S., Canada, Finland and Sweden. The event allows each team the chance to evaluate its talent pool ahead of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, taking place Dec. 26, 2025, through Jan. 5, 2026, back in the Twin Cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.   

Speaking in front of the players wasn’t originally a part of the deal for Faber. Motzko sprung it on him when the whole team met together on July 24, the night before practices began.

Putting Faber on the spot, Motzko was impressed with the defenseman he coached at the University of Minnesota for three years.

“[It was] amazing; the young man’s growing up,” Motzko said of the 22-year-old. “Brock did a great job. You can tell he’s getting used to it.”

Instead of a rousing speech to fire up the U.S. players, Faber told the group that this week wouldn’t define each player’s international career.

He told the players that Motzko and his coaching staff would be watching them play for their respective teams throughout the fall, so they didn’t need to put a ton of pressure on themselves to make the team right now.

The final U.S. roster will be announced in December. Forty-two U.S. players are competing at the Showcase and only 25 will make the World Juniors roster.

Faber also told the players to help each other out during the Showcase instead of focusing too much on competing for a roster spot.

“The 42 guys that are here, you’re a team and you get to play against other countries, so support each other [and] work as hard as you can,” he said. “Be a good teammate; be a good person.”

The U.S. roster started the tournament divided into two squads — Team Blue and Team White. After each played on Sunday and Monday, the U.S. pared down to a single roster for the remaining games.

Faber attended Team Blue’s practice on July 25. After spending early parts of the session talking with Motzko on the ice, Faber helped with drills and worked specifically with the defensemen.

He joked after the practice that the defensemen were being overworked. And Faber would know. His 25:31 of average ice time this past season ranked fifth in the NHL.

Asked about Faber’s opinion, Motzko had a simple response.

“Soft,” he deadpanned.

Regardless of his former coach’s quips, Faber said he’s grateful to be able to help the country’s best prospects.   

“[I’m trying] to be one of them, like I’m one of their teammates,” Faber said. “There’s a good chance I’ll be playing with or against them, a lot of them someday … so [I’m trying] to set them on the right path, do what I can and answer any questions.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc