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21 USHL Players Named to U.S. Junior Select Team

Published on November 22, 2016 under United States Hockey League (USHL) News Release


USA Hockey unveiled the U.S. Junior Select Team set to compete in the World Junior A Challenge from December 11-17 in Bonnyville, Alberta. All 21 players selected currently play in the USHL. The team includes 12 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders. An additional player will be added to the roster at a later date.

12 different USHL teams are represented, including five teams with multiple players: Fargo Force (3), Lincoln Stars (3), Tri-City Storm (3), Waterloo Black Hawks (3) and Chicago Steel (2).

20 of the 21 players are currently committed to NCAA Division I schools, including seven programs with two commits: Cornell University, Northeastern University, University of Minnesota, University of Minnesota Duluth, University of North Dakota, University of Wisconsin and Western Michigan University.

The roster also includes two players that were selected in the 2016 NHL Draft. New York Islanders prospect Collin Adams (Muskegon Lumberjacks) and Chicago Blackhawks prospect Jake Ryczek (Waterloo Black Hawks) were both named to the team. 10 players selected to the roster were named to last week's NHL Central Scouting Players to Watch List in preparation for the 2017 NHL Draft.

Defenseman Matt Hellickson (Sioux City Musketeers) was a member of the 2016 U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team that earned a bronze medal at the IIHF U18 Men's World Championship last April in Grand Forks, ND. He will be led by his current head coach Jay Varady (Sioux City Musketeers).

The World Junior A Challenge is in its eleventh year, and the United States is competing for the tenth time. The United States will be joined by Canada East, Canada West, Czech Republic, Russia and Switzerland in 2016. The United States have captured the World Junior A Challenge title six times, including most recently in 2014.

Six NHL Draft first round selections from the USHL have played in the WJAC for the U.S. Select Team all-time: Brock Boeser (Waterloo Black Hawks), John Carlson (Indiana Ice), Kyle Connor (Youngstown Phantoms), John Moore (Chicago Steel), Jordan Schmaltz (Green Bay Gamblers) and Nick Schmaltz (Green Bay Gamblers).

NHL DRAFT HISTORY: 80 NHL Draft picks from the USHL have participated in the WJAC Tournament for the U.S. Select Team: Seth Ambroz (Columbus Blue Jackets), Anthony Angello (Pittsburgh Penguins), Robbie Baillargeon (Ottawa Senators), Ryan Bednard (Florida Panthers), Mac Bennett (Montreal Canadiens), Josh Birkholz (Florida Panthers), Ben Blood (Ottawa Senators), Brock Boeser (Vancouver Canucks), Connor Brickley (Florida Panthers), Alex Broadhurst (Chicago Blackhawks), Greg Burke (Washington Capitals), Tony Cameranesi (Toronto Maple Leafs), Taylor Cammarata (New York Islanders), John Carlson (Washington Capitals), Mike Cichy (Montreal Canadiens), Ross Colton (Tampa Bay Lightning), Kyle Connor (Winnipeg Jets), Brian Cooper (Anaheim Ducks), Jeff Costello (Ottawa Senators), Chris Crane (San Jose Sharks), Matt Donovan (New York Islanders), Nic Dowd (Los Angeles Kings), Michael Downing (Florida Panthers), Ryan Dzingel (Ottawa Senators), Shane Eiserman (Ottawa Senators), C.J. Franklin (Winnipeg Jets), Max Gaede (San Jose Sharks), Shane Gersich (Washington Capitals), Kevin Gravel(Los Angeles Kings), Aaron Harstad (Winnipeg Jets), Jimmy Hayes (Toronto Maple Leafs), Blake Heinrich (Washington Capitals), Seth Helgeson (New Jersey Devils), Caleb Herbert (Washington Capitals), Vince Hinostroza (Chicago Blackhawks), Connor Hurley (Buffalo Sabres), Josh Jacobs (New Jersey Devils), Nick Jensen (Detroit Red Wings), Steven Johnson (Los Angeles Kings), Luke Johnson (Chicago Blackhawks), Dakota Joshua (Toronto Maple Leafs), Blake Kessel (New York Islanders), Teemu Kivihalme (Nashville Predators), Danny Kristo (Montreal Canadiens), Sean Kuraly (San Jose Sharks), Tanner Laczynski (Philadelphia Flyers), Nick Larson (Calgary Flames), Mike Lee (Arizona Coyotes), John Lee (Florida Panthers), Kevin Lind (Anaheim Ducks), Mario Lucia (Minnesota Wild), Ryan Mantha (New York Rangers), Nick Mattson (Chicago Blackhawks), John Marino (Edmonton Oilers), Scott Mayfield (New York Islanders), Eamon McAdam (New York Islanders), Max McCormick (Ottawa Senators), Ian McCoshen (Florida Panthers), Zane McIntyre (Boston Bruins), Lee Moffie (San Jose Sharks), John Moore (Columbus Blue Jackets), Jimmy Mullin (Tampa Bay Lighting), Max Nicastro (Detroit Red Wings), Thomas Novak (Nashville Predators), Kris Oldham (Tampa Bay Lightning), Mike Parks (Philadelphia Flyers), Chase Pearson (Detroit Red Wings), Andrew Peeke (Green Bay Gamblers), Cal Petersen (Buffalo Sabres), Rem Pitlick (Nashville Predators), Austin Poganski (St. Louis Blues), Nico Sacchetti (Dallas Stars), Nick Schmaltz (Chicago Blackhawks), Jordan Schmaltz (St. Louis Blues), Jaccob Slavin (Carolina Hurricanes), Craig Smith (Nashville Predators), Zach Stepan (Nashville Predators), Andy Welinski (Anaheim Ducks), Christian Wolanin (Ottawa Senators), Max Zimmer (Carolina Hurricanes) and Ryan Zuhlsdorf (Tampa Bay Lightning).

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