The United States begins its quest for Gold at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship on Monday night against Latvia (5:00 p.m. ET, NHL Network).
The Americans have won five Gold Medals, including most recently in 2021. USA Hockey’s entrant failed to medal in 2022 but got to the podium in four straight from 2016 through 2019.
The man tasked with leading the U.S. back to Gold is Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold (Bedford, N.H.). He’s the bench boss for a group of 25 men born in 2003, 2004 and 2005 who have traveled to Moncton, New Brunswick for this year’s edition of the World Juniors. The quarterfinals, semifinals and medal games will be played at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The 2023 U.S. National Junior Team will be the first since 2007 without a single player from New England on the roster. There were a few players from the region up for consideration, most notably Northeastern sophomore center Jack Hughes (Westwood, Mass.) and U.S. NTDP U18 first-liners Will Smith (Lexington, Mass.) and Ryan Leonard (Amherst, Mass.).
It is undoubtedly disappointing for a region with such hockey tradition to be shut out of the World Juniors, but it isn’t the doom and gloom some would have you believe. Everyone involved in hockey in this region should strive to create a better product and improve the development model. However, plenty of talented players are still produced throughout New England.
Canada is the heavy favorite with top two projected picks Connor Bedard and Adam Fantilli, formerly of Kimball Union, leading a star-studded lineup on home soil. The Americans, and the rest of the world, will have their hands full in taking down Canada in 2023.
What will it take for Pecknold’s group to come away with Gold or even a medal? The strength of the U.S. team is on the blue line where Michigan sophomore Luke Hughes, the New Jersey Devils’ fourth overall pick in 2021, leads the way. The Canton, Mich., native will wear the ‘C’ for the red, white and blue. Among the other seven defensemen on the roster, five are second-round picks, including Montreal Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson, a freshman at Boston University. The only other defenseman with New England ties is UMass sophomore Ryan Ufko, a fourth-round pick of the Nashville Predators.
NHL STAR: Inside Matt Boldy's path to finding success with the Wild
Up front, the top six is solidified with Minnesota freshman center Logan Cooley as the top gun. The third overall pick of the Arizona Coyotes will be the marked man up front. Other players expected to be in the top six are Boston College rookie Cutter Gauthier, Michigan freshman Rutger McGroarty, Minnesota freshman Jimmy Snuggerud, North Dakota freshman Jackson Blake, and Manitoba Moose rookie Chaz Lucius.
Two players in the bottom six with New England ties who are expected to play a pivotal role are former Boston University right wing Tyler Boucher, now in the OHL with the Ottawa 67s, and Quinnipiac freshman center Sam Lipkin. Boucher’s skating and physical style make him an intriguing player at this event. Lipkin is versatile and is scoring at a point per game as a rookie with the Bobcats. His head coach is Pecknold so there is familiarity and trust when Lipkin climbs over the boards.
In goal, the U.S. will go with Colorado College freshman Kaidan Mbereko, who has posted a .927 save percentage through his first 14 games in the NCHC. The double-overager for the 2023 draft is undersized but has proven he can get the job done at the collegiate level. He’s also a returning member of the U.S. team from 2022 where he went 3-1 with a .921 save percentage. Backing him up will be Michigan State commit and NTDP U18 star Trey Augustine, the only '05 on the roster.
After Monday night’s tournament opener against Latvia, the Americans have a day off before facing Slovakia on Wednesday. The preliminary round ends with games against Switzerland and Finland on Thursday and Saturday.
All U.S. games at the World Junior Championship will be live on NHL Network.
