Three New Englanders to represent USA Hockey at U18 World Championship

Three New England natives will compete with Team USA at the 2018 IIHF U18 World Championship that begins later this month in Chelyabinsk and Magnitogorsk, Russia.

Forwards Oliver Wahlstrom (Quincy, Mass.) and Jake Wise (North Andover, Mass.) and goaltender Spencer Knight (Darien, Conn.) will skate for the U.S. as it looks to defend its Gold Medal.

Wahlstrom, a projected first round pick in this summer’s NHL Draft, is one of two returnees from last year’s team. The explosive right wing has a terrific shot and is one of the best finishers in this year’s draft class.

Wise has been on a torrent scoring pace with the U.S. NTDP since returning from injury in December. The Boston University commit has great hockey sense and skating to match. He played high school hockey for Central Catholic before joining the NTDP.

Knight, who played one year at Avon Old Farms, is one of five call-ups from the NTDP U-17 team to make the roster. The Boston College recruit has size, fundamentals and athleticism to be a dominant goaltender for years to come.

The region’s college teams are well represented with six recruits on the roster in addition to the two locals who are committed. Forwards Jack DeBoer (Boston University), Joel Farabee (Boston University), Patrick Giles (Boston College) and Tyler Weiss (Boston University) and defensemen Adam Samuelsson (Boston College) and Cam York (Boston Colege) all made the roster.

Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold (Bedford, N.H.) and NTDP assistant coach and Middlebury alum Mason Graddock (Stowe, Vt.) are part of the coaching staff headed up by NTDP U-18 head coach Seth Appert.

All Team USA games will be broadcast on NHL Network. For the full schedule, click here.