USA Hockey announced today the final 23-player roster for the 2019 U.S. National Junior Team that will compete in the 2019 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, from Dec. 26, 2018 - Jan. 5, 2019.

"We've said from day one that this is a selection process, and as a staff we're thrilled with the 23 players selected to represent the United States in one of the greatest tournaments on the hockey calendar," said John Vanbiesbrouck, general manager of the 2019 U.S. National Junior Team and also the assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey. "By no means did we come to this decision easily, and that's a credit to the players. It's easy to say our talent pool is deeper than it's ever been, but so too is the character of these young players, and now it's time for these 23 selected players to come together and represent our country with pride."

The final roster, which can be found here, features three goaltenders, seven defensemen and 13 forwards. Of the 23 players named to the roster, 21 hold development ties to U.S. junior hockey leagues, including 11 products of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program. Additionally, 15 have previously represented the United States in IIHF tournament play, including five returnees from last year's bronze medal-winning U.S. National Junior Team and a total of nine players who helped the U.S. earn a gold medal as a member of the 2017 U.S. Under-18 Men's National Team.

Team USA will begin play in the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship next Wednesday (Dec. 26) in Victoria, B.C., against Slovakia. Puck drop is set for 6:30 p.m. ET and can be seen live on NHL Network.

NOTES: The U.S. National Junior Team released six players, including defensemen Michael Callahan (Franklin, Mass./Providence College), Ty Emberson (Eau Claire, Wis./University of Wisconsin), Joey Keane (Chicago, Ill./Barrie Colts) and forwards Cole Coskey (Zion, Ill./Saginaw Spirit), Sean Dhooghe (Aurora, Ill./University of Wisconsin), and Sammy Walker (Minneapolis, Minn./University of Michigan) ... The final 23-player roster consists of 10 states, including California (1), Connecticut (3), Florida (3), Illinois (1), Massachusetts (2), Michigan (4), Minnesota (5), New Jersey (2), New York (1) and Pennsylvania (1) ... Mike Hastings (Crookston, Minn./Minnesota State University) is the head coach of Team USA and is joined by assistant coaches David Lassonde (Durham, N.H./Dartmouth College), Steve Miller (Sun Prairie, Wis./Ohio State University), Scott Sandelin (Hibbing, Minn./University of Minnesota Duluth) and Jerry Keefe (Saugus, Mass./Northeastern University) ... 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.