21 USHL Players Named to U.S. Junior Select Team
November 16, 2022 - United States Hockey League (USHL) News Release
Colorado Springs, Colo. - USA Hockey today announced the first 21 players for the U.S. Junior Select Team that will compete in the 2022 World Junior A Challenge from Dec. 11-18 in Cornwall, Ontario.
The group includes 12 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders. All players currently compete in the United States Hockey League (USHL), the only Tier I junior hockey league in the U.S.
"The United States Hockey League is thrilled to have such a strong presence on and off the ice at the World Junior A Challenge representing the United States in developmental partnership with USA Hockey come Dec. 11-18 in Cornwall, Ontario Canada with the announcement of the players selected today," said USHL President and Commissioner Bill Robertson. "Our USHL players, coaches and support staff will also have the ability to showcase their talents on the world stage against some of the strongest junior hockey talent in the world. We are excited to see this tournament unfold and watch all our USHL players perform at the highest levels."
The roster includes five players selected in the 2022 NHL Draft, including Chicago Blackhawks first-rounder Sam Rinzel (Chanhassen, Minn./Waterloo Black Hawks), New York Islanders third-rounder Quinn Finley (Suamico, Wis./Madison Capitols), Winnipeg Jets fourth-rounder Garret Brown (San Jose, Calif./Sioux City Musketeers), Philadelphia Flyers fifth-rounder Alex Bump (Prior Lake, Minn./Omaha Lancers) and Buffalo Sabres sixth-rounder Jake Richard (Jacksonville, Fla./Muskegon Lumberjacks).
Several players have represented the U.S. at previous international events. Ryan St. Louis (Burlington, Vt./Dubuque Fighting Saints) competed at the 2021 IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship, the 2020 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament, 2019 Under-17 Four Nations Tournament and 2019 World Under-17 Challenge. Additionally, Gavin McCarthy (Clarence Center, N.Y./Muskegon Lumberjacks), Andrew Strathmann (Beach Park, Ill./Youngstown Phantoms) and Tanner Adams (Northport, N.Y./Tri-City Storm) competed together for the U.S. at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and 2021 Five Nations Tournament.
Five of the rostered players also competed in the BioSteel All-American Game, an annual event featuring the top American players eligible for the NHL Draft. Maddox Fleming (Rochester, Minn./Sioux Falls Stampede), Cole Knuble (Grand Rapids, Mich./Fargo Force), Brown and Rinzel in the 2022 game, while St. Louis took part in the 2021 event.
The U.S. will play a pre-tournament game against Canada East at 7 p.m. ET on Dec. 9 at the Cornwall Civic Complex in Cornwall, Ontario. Team USA will kick off tournament play at 5 p.m. ET on Dec. 11 against Canada West. The U.S. has won five of the last eight tournaments (2018, 2016, 2012-14).
Notes: All games of the World Junior A Challenge will be streamed live and the link will be available ... Twelve USHL teams are represented on the roster ... The Muskegon Lumberjacks lead the way with four players ... The 21 players come from 10 different states ... Minnesota boasts the most representatives with eight ... Marc Boxer (Hancock, Mich.) is the general manager of the 2022 U.S. Junior Select Team. Eric Rud (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Sioux Falls Stampede) will serve as head coach, with assistant coaches Evan Dixon (Novi, Mich./Dubuque Fighting Saints), Mike Leone (Dearborn Heights, Mich./Green Bay Gamblers) and Matt Smaby (Minneapolis, Minn./Waterloo Black Hawks). Additionally, Spenser Popinga (Waterloo, Iowa/Waterloo Black Hawks) will serve as strength & conditioning coach/equipment manager; Corey Courtney (Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Stars) as trainer/equipment manager; and Dr. Kevin Murray (San Jose, Calif.) as team doctor ... The 2022 World Junior A Challenge field includes Canada East, Canada West, Czechia, Latvia, Sweden and the United States.
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