The camp, which will include 18 forwards, 10 defensemen and four goalies, will be held at the USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan, from Dec. 12-17. The roster consists of players from 15 different states, led by Minnesota (five), Michigan (four), and Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Illinois (three each).
Cooley, a freshman forward at the University of Minnesota, was selected No. 3 by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2022 NHL Draft. He has 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) and a plus-12 rating in 17 games. Hughes, a defenseman, was selected No. 4 by the New Jersey Devils in the 2021 NHL Draft. The University of Michigan sophomore has 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) in 18 games. He’s the younger brother of Devils forward Jack Hughes and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes.
Other first-round selections invited to camp are forwards Tyler Boucher (Ottawa Senators, No. 10, 2021), Cutter Gauthier (Philadelphia Flyers, No. 5, 2022), Chaz Lucius (Winnipeg Jets, No. 18, 2021), Rutger McGroarty (Winnipeg Jets, No. 14, 2022) and Jimmy Snuggerud (St. Louis Blues, No. 23, 2022).
“It’s amazing to see the talent we have around the country, and, as always, we’ll have some difficult decisions to make to get to our final roster,” US National Junior Team general manager John Vanbiesbrouck said. “When we get into selecting players for any of our national teams, I’m always reminded of the thousands of volunteers at the grassroots level who have played a big part in helping our players reach their potential during their youth hockey years and we’re thankful to all of them.”
The team will play exhibition games against Finland at QPlex in Quispamsis, New Brunswick, on Dec. 19 and against Sweden at Avenir Center in Moncton, New Brunswick, on Dec. 21. The United States is expected to finalize its 23-man roster (including three goalies) after its final exhibition game.
The 2023 WJC will be held in Moncton and Halifax, Nova Scotia, from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5. The United States, which finished fifth in the 2022 WJC, will participate in Group B with Finland, Switzerland, Slovakia and Latvia at the Avenir Center. Group A consists of defending champion Canada, along with Sweden, Czechia, Germany and Austria at the Scotiabank Center in Halifax.
The United States opens the WJC against Latvia at 4 pm ET on Dec. 26.
[RELATED: 2023 World Junior schedule]
Cooley and Hughes are two of eight returning players from the 2022 WJC team in camp, joining goalies Kaidan Mbereko (2023 NHL Draft eligible) and Andrew Oke (2023 eligible), defensemen Sean Behrens (Colorado Avalanche, No. 61, 2021) and Jack Peart (Minnesota Wild, No. 54, 2021), and forwards Redmond Savage (Detroit Red Wings, No. 114, 2021) and Charlie Stramel (2023 eligible).
Mbereko was the starting goalie for the United States at the 2022 WJC. The 19-year-old was 3-1 with a 1.76 goals-against average and .920 save percentage in four games (all starts). He is 4-6-1 with a 2.31 GAA and .924 save percentage in 12 games with Colorado College this season.
Forwards Stramel, Will Smith (USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team), Ryan Leonard (USA U-18) and Gavin Brindley (University of Michigan) are the only first-year draft eligible players invited to camp.
The United States failed to finish among the top three at the World Juniors for the second time in seven years after a 4-2 loss to Czechia in the quarterfinals of the 2022 WJC. It won the gold medal with a 2-0 win against Canada in the 2021 final after finishing sixth in 2020.
USA HOCKEY SELECT CAMP ROSTER
GOALIES: Trey Augustine, USA U-18, NTDP (2023 eligible); Kaidan Mbereko, Colorado College, NCHC (2023 eligible); Tyler Muszelik, University of New Hampshire, HE (Florida Panthers); Andrew Oke, Saginaw, OHL (2023 eligible)
DEFENSEMEN: Sean Behrens, University of Denver (Colorado Avalanche); Shai Buium, University of Denver (Detroit Red Wings); Seamus Casey, University of Michigan (New Jersey Devils); Ryan Chesley, University of Minnesota (Washington Capitals); Aidan Hreshuk, Boston College (Columbus Blue Jackets); Luke Hughes, University of Michigan (Devils); Lane Hutson, Boston University (Montreal Canadiens); Luke Mittelstadt, University of Minnesota (2023 eligible); Jack Peart, St. Cloud State University (Minnesota Wild); Ryan Ufko, University of Massachusetts (Nashville Predators).
FORWARDS: Jackson Blake, University of North Dakota (Carolina Hurricanes); Gavin Brindley, University of Michigan (2023 eligible); Tyler Boucher, Ottawa (Ottawa Senators); Kenny Connors, University of Massachusetts (Los Angeles Kings); Logan Cooley, University of Minnesota (Arizona Coyotes); Jack Devine, University of Denver (Florida Panthers); Dylan Duke, University of Michigan (Tampa Bay Lightning); Cutter Gauthier, Boston College (Philadelphia Flyers); Noah Laba, Colorado College (New York Rangers); Ryan Leonard, USA-18, NTDP (2023 eligible); Sam Lipkin, Quinnipiac University (Coyotes); Chaz Lucius, Manitoba (Winnipeg Jets); Cam Lund, Northeastern University (San Jose Sharks); Rutger McGroarty, University of Michigan (Jets); Redmond Savage, University of Miami (Detroit Red Wings); Will Smith, USA U-18, NTDP (2023 eligible); Jimmy Snuggerud, University of Minnesota (St. Louis Blues); Charlie Stramel, University of Wisconsin (2023 eligible).
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