USHL U.S. National Team

21 Players Named to U.S. Junior Select Team

Published on November 22, 2016 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - USA Hockey today announced 21 players for the 2016 U.S. Junior Select Team that will compete at the World Junior A Challenge from Dec. 11-17 in Bonnyville, Alberta.

The group includes 12 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders. An additional player will be added to the roster at a later date.

All players currently play in the United States Hockey League, the lone Tier I junior hockey league in the U.S.

The roster includes two players that were selected in the 2016 NHL Draft. Collin Adams (Brighton, Mich./Muskegon Lumberjacks) was drafted by the New York Islanders in the sixth round (170th), and Jake Ryczek (Ludlow, Mass./Waterloo Black Hawks) was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the seventh round (203rd). Nine other players are eligible for the NHL Draft for the first time in 2017.

Defenseman Matt Hellickson (St. Louis Park, Minn./Sioux City Musketeers), was a member of the 2016 U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team that earned a bronze medal at the International Ice Hockey Federation Under-18 Men's World Championship last April in Grand Forks, N.D.

In addition, six players have competed in the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game, an annual event featuring the top American players eligible for the NHL Draft. Mikey Anderson (Roseville, Minn./Waterloo Black Hawks), Brannon McManus (Huntington Beach, Calif./Omaha Lancers), Mick Messner (Madison, Wis./Madison Capitols), Clayton Phillips (Edina, Minn./Fargo Force) and Cayden Primeau (Voorhees, N.J./Lincoln Stars) took part in the 2016 event, while Alex Green (Chicago, Ill./Lincoln Stars) played in the 2015 game.

Team USA will play a pre-tournament game against Canada West at 9:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 9 at the Cold Lake Energy Centre in Cold Lake, Alberta. The U.S. opens the tournament against the Czech Republic at 5:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 12 at R.J. Lalonde Arena.

All World Junior A Challenge games will be streamed live at HockeyTV. For complete coverage of Team USA at the 2016 World Junior A Challenge, click here.

NOTES: Twelve USHL teams are represented on the roster. The Fargo Force, Lincoln Stars, Tri-City Storm and Waterloo Black Hawks lead the way with three players each ... The 21 players represent 11 different states. Minnesota has the most representatives with nine, while Michigan and Wisconsin each have two ... Marc Boxer (Colorado Springs, Colo.) will serve as general manager of the 2016 U.S. Junior Select Team ... Jay Varady (Sioux City, Iowa/Sioux City Musketeers) will serve as head coach, while JB Bittner (Dubuque, Iowa/Dubuque Fighting Saints) and Chris Hartsburg (Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Stars) will be assistant coaches ... The World Junior A Challenge is in its eleventh year, and the U.S. is competing for the tenth time ... The 2016 field includes Canada East, Canada West, Czech Republic, Russia, Switzerland and the United States ... Team USA has captured the World Junior A Challenge title six times (2008-10, 2012-14).

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United States Hockey League Stories from November 22, 2016


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