With just over a month until the start of the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship, now is a good time to take a look at what the roster could look like for the U.S. National Junior Team.
This year’s World Junior Championship takes place from Dec. 26, 2019, through Jan. 5, 2020, in Czech Republic. This will be the fourth time Czech Republic has hosted hockey’s premier junior event.
For those unfamiliar with the World Juniors, it’s a U-20 tournament, meaning most of the players competing in this year’s event will be born in 2000 and 2001. Some countries could conceivably bring ’02s and ’03s, as well.
The ’01 birth year was a strong one for the Americans, but the red, white, and blue will be missing the top player in the birth group as Jack Hughes is already playing in the NHL with the New Jersey Devils. A few top ‘00s also will likely be missing come December as Oliver Wahlstrom (Quincy, Mass.) and Joel Farabee are playing pro hockey, as well.
Looking at the potential roster, the U.S. should be able to put the puck in the net with the likes of Wisconsin freshman Cole Caufield and Hamilton Bulldogs winger Arthur Kaliyev leading the way. Down the middle, the Americans should be strong with plenty of options at center. Alex Turcotte and Trevor Zegras are the headliners, but the U.S. should have good centers at each forward line.
The defense is somewhat of a question mark, especially with very few right-shot options. Still, there should be a mix of some big blue liners and smaller, puck-movers.
The goaltending position is the one I’m most confident in picking. I believe Boston College freshman Spencer Knight (Darien, Conn.) will be the starter with Isaiah Saville and Dustin Wolf battling for the backup spot.
Coaching the U.S. entry will be Minnesota Duluth head coach Scott Sandelin. He’ll be assisted by four other college hockey coaches, including two with ties to the New England region. Northeastern associate head coach Jerry Keefe (Saugus, Mass.) and Dartmouth associate head coach David Lassonde (Durham, N.H.) will be joined by St. Cloud State head coach Brett Larson and Ohio State associate head coach Steve Miller on the staff.
Forwards
John Beecher
Michigan, 4/5/01, C/LW, left shot, 6-3/209
Boston Bruins (2019, 1st round, 30th overall)
Beecher has a goal and three assists through his first eight college games with the Wolverines. The Elmira, N.Y., native has some versatility in that he can play center or wing for likely the third line with the U.S.
Matthew Boldy
Boston College, 4/5/01, LW, left shot, 6-2/192
Minnesota Wild (2019, 1st round, 12th overall)
Boldy is scoreless in his last six games after scoring a goal in his collegiate debut. However, against Providence last Saturday night, the Millis, Mass., native made some plays that just narrowly missed finding the back of the net. His hockey sense, with and without the puck, are a valued asset. He’ll likely be a left wing on the second line.
Bobby Brink
Denver, 7/8/01, RW, right shot, 5-8/159
Philadelphia Flyers (2019, 2nd round, 34th overall)
Brink’s college career is off to a great start for top-ranked Denver. The Minnetonka, Minn., native has four goals and three assists. Having seen Brink more in junior hockey, he’s just a winner. He simply gets the job done. Brink will likely be the second line right wing, unless he plays his offside, ending up at left wing on the first line.
Cole Caufield
Wisconsin, 1/2/01, RW, right shot, 5-7/163
Montreal Canadiens (2019, 1st round, 15th overall)
Caufield just scores goals. It’s as simple as that. He has eight tallies in his first eight games with the Badgers after scoring 72 of them last season with the NTDP. Against BC back in October, he scored two from the same exact spot right above the goal line. He will be the team’s first line right wing, no questions asked.
Jack Drury
Harvard, 2/3/00, C, left shot, 6-0/185
Carolina Hurricanes (2018, 2nd round, 42nd overall)
Drury had a goal in the Crimson’s only game of the season, but his value to the U.S. is his play without the puck on his stick. The Winnetka, Ill., native will do whatever it takes to win hockey games, whether it be winning face-offs, blocking shots, killing penalties, and being responsible in all three zones. He’ll likely center one of the team’s bottom six lines.
Parker Ford
Providence, 7/20/00, C/RW, right shot, 6-0/176
2020 NHL Draft eligible
Ford has three goals and six assists in his first eight games for the Friars. From Wakefield, R.I., he will almost certainly take on less of a scoring role with the U.S. He’s very good on puck pursuit, can create havoc on the forecheck, and he plays with structure and high compete.
Curtis Hall
Yale, 4/26/00, C, right shot, 6-3/196
Boston Bruins (2018, 4th round, 119th overall)
Hall has always been a versatile center with size. The Chagrin Falls, Ohio, native will be a bottom six center or wing for the U.S., but he can shoot it and drive the net, in order to contribute offensively.
Arthur Kaliyev
Hamilton Bulldogs, 6/26/01, LW, left shot, 6-2/190
Los Angeles Kings (2019, 2nd round, 33rd overall)
Say what you want about Kaliyev’s skating and play away from the puck, but his production is undeniable. He has 19 goals in his first 18 OHL games this season a year after putting up 51 goals in 67 regular season games. He can shoot it and find the back of the net from anywhere. Sure, an olympic sheet could prove tough on his skating, but his inclusion on this roster is a no-brainer.
Owen Lindmark
Wisconsin, 5/17/01, C/RW, right shot, 6-0/192
Florida Panthers (2019, 5th round, 137th overall)
Lindmark wasn’t at the World Junior Summer Showcase, but I think he deserves a shot to compete with Trevor Janicke, who I would have seen having a similar role on this team. Lindmark impressed in UW’s game against Boston College. He’s a 200-foot forward who blocks shots and competes hard. He draws penalties and he’s having some success in terms of production, as well. He has four goals and three assists in his first eight games.
Shane Pinto
North Dakota, 11/12/00, C, right shot, 6-2/192
Ottawa Senators (2019, 2nd round, 32nd overall)
Pinto has two goals and three assists in his first seven games for the Fighting Hawks. The Franklin Square, N.Y., native is a big center who can drive the net and be a force below the dots. He’s likely a third liner for this team, but one who can add secondary scoring.
Nick Robertson
Peterborough Petes, 9/11/01, C/LW, left shot, 5-9/161
Toronto Maple Leafs (2019, 2nd round, 53rd overall)
Robertson brings a lot to the table in terms of his effectiveness on the forecheck, puck pursuit and skill level. He’s a scorer who has 19 goals in his first 17 OHL games this season, but he can do equally as good of a job making plays for his linemates.
Alex Turcotte
Wisconsin, 2/26/01, C, left shot, 5-11/185
Los Angeles Kings (2019, 1st round, 5th overall)
Turcotte plays like a pro. He sees the ice well in all three zones and can be an impactful 200-foot center. He makes plays and does a lot of the little things to generate time and space for his linemates. He has three goals and five assists in six games with Wisconsin.
Trevor Zegras
Boston University, 3/20/01, C, left shot, 6-0/170
Anaheim Ducks (2019, 1st round, 9th overall)
Zegras can play both center and wing so it will be interesting to see what the U.S. staff does with him. The Bedford, N.Y., native is an elite playmaker who sees the ice very well and has the skill to make those plays happen.
Defensemen
Jordan Harris
Northeastern, 7/7/00, D, left shot, 5-11/179
Montreal Canadiens (2018, 3rd round, 71st overall)
Harris is very good at puck retrievals. He does a good job going back and quickly transitioning from defense to offense. While he doesn’t look overly big in stature, he’s tough and hard to knock off pucks. The Haverhill, Mass., native has added more of an offensive element to his game as a sophomore for the Huskies.
Drew Helleson
Boston College, 3/26/01, D, right shot, 6-3/194
Colorado Avalanche (2019, 2nd round, 47th overall)
Helleson is the other player on my projected roster who didn’t make the World Junior Summer Showcase. He’s on here because he deserves to be, but he also fills a much needed role as a righty on the blue line. He skates well, makes simple breakout passes, and can defend. His lack of flash keeps him underrated.
Zac Jones
UMass, 10/18/00, D, left shot, 5-10/176
New York Rangers (2019, 3rd round, 68th overall)
Jones is an extremely smart, puck-moving defenseman. In his first seven games with the Minutemen, he has two goals and six assists. While most smaller defenders get knocked for their lack of defensive ability, Jones is great defending, positionally, with his feet, and a good stick.
K’Andre Miller
Wisconsin, 1/21/00, D, left shot, 6-4/207
New York Rangers (2018, 1st round, 22nd overall)
Miller is a big defenseman who will bring a presence in all three zones. He’s intimidating and can deliver some big hits, but he can also jump into the offense.
Mattias Samuelsson
Western Michigan, 3/14/00, D, left shot, 6-4/220
Buffalo Sabres (2018, 2nd round, 32nd overall)
Samuelsson is a big, pro-style defender who has two assists in four games for the Broncos. He’s a solid, reliable defender who can be used to shut down opposing teams’ top lines. He’s also known as a tremendous leader, having captained the U.S. entry at the U-18 World Championship in 2018 and wearing the ‘C’ for WMU as a sophomore in 2019-20.
Spencer Stastney
Notre Dame, 1/4/00, D, left shot, 5-10/179
Nashville Predators (2018, 5th round, 131st overall)
Stastney has two goals and four assists in six games so far for the Fighting Irish. He’s a solid, puck-moving defenseman who played for Chicago Mission and the NTDP en route to South Bend.
Cam York
Michigan, 1/5/01, D, left shot, 5-11/174
Philadelphia Flyers (2019, 1st round, 14th overall)
York is a dynamic two-way defenseman with a ton of skill. He’s best known for his offense as he sees the ice really well, has feet and skating to sidestep forecheckers, and the touch on passes to make great breakouts. He also gaps well and has the confidence to be aggressive and stop the rush.
Goaltenders
Spencer Knight
Boston College, 4/19/01, G, catches left, 6-3/192
Florida Panthers (2019, 1st round, 13th overall)
A first round pick who excelled with USA Hockey’s NTDP, Knight being the starter seems like a mere formality. He has a .913 save percentage through his first seven collegiate games for the Eagles.
Isaiah Saville
Nebraska-Omaha, 9/21/00, G, catches left, 6-1/194
Vegas Golden Knights (2019, 5th round, 135th overall)
Saville’s college career is off to a strong start as he has a .919 save percentage for the 4-1-1 Mavericks. The Anchorage, Alaska, native was a key part of Tri-City Storm’s brilliant regular season last year.
Dustin Wolf
Everett Silvertips, 4/16/01, G, catches left, 6-0/161
Calgary Flames (2019, 7th round, 214th overall)
Wolf plays major junior in the WHL so I’ve only seen him at national camps, but his numbers speak for themselves. He posted a .936 save percentage in 61 regular season games during the 2018-19 season. He’s at .938 through the first 13 games of the 2019-20 season. If I had to pick right now, Wolf takes the second spot ahead of Saville.
