Beniers, Hughes highlight Team USA's 25-man world junior roster
Team USA has revealed its 25-man roster for the upcoming 2022 World Junior Hockey Championship in Alberta.
The roster boasts a powerful blue line that features three players - Jake Sanderson, Brock Faber, and Tyler Kleven - who helped Team USA beat Team Canada for the gold medal last tournament, as well as 2021 fourth overall pick Luke Hughes.
Six first-round picks from 2020 and 2021 will feature for the defending champs, including forwards Matty Beniers, Mackie Samoskevich, Matt Coronato, and Chaz Lucius, as well as Sanderson and Hughes.
Logan Cooley, 17, will also play for the U.S. as the youngest skater on the team. He projects to be a first-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.
However, not a single player on Team USA has suited up for an NHL game. Fellow contender Team Canada, by comparison, boasts a trio of skaters who've played in the NHL this season.
Here's the full roster:
*Denotes returning player
Forwards
| Player | Current team | NHL rights |
|---|---|---|
| Matty Beniers* | Michigan (NCAA) | SEA |
| Brett Berard* | Providence (NCAA) | NYR |
| Logan Cooley | USNTDP Juniors (USHL) | 2022 eligible |
| Matt Coronato | Harvard (NCAA) | CGY |
| Tanner Dickinson | Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) | STL |
| Dominic James | Minnesota Duluth (NCAA) | 2022 eligible |
| Matthew Knies | Minnesota (NCAA) | TOR |
| Chaz Lucius | Minnesota (NCAA) | WPG |
| Carter Mazur | Denver (NCAA) | DET |
| Sasha Pastujov | Guelph (OHL) | ANA |
| Mackie Samoskevich | Michigan (NCAA) | FLA |
| Red Savage | Miami (Ohio) (NCAA) | DET |
| Landon Slaggert* | Notre Dame (NCAA) | CHI |
| Ty Smilanic | Quinnipiac (NCAA) | FLA |
Defense
| Player | Current team | NHL rights |
|---|---|---|
| Brock Faber* | Minnesota (NCAA) | LAK |
| Luke Hughes | Michigan (NCAA) | NJD |
| Wyatt Kaiser | Minnesota Duluth (NCAA) | CHI |
| Tyler Kleven* | North Dakota (NCAA) | OTT |
| Ian Moore | Harvard (NCAA) | ANA |
| Scott Morrow | Massachusetts (NCAA) | CAR |
| Jack Peart | St. Cloud (NCAA) | MIN |
| Jake Sanderson* | North Dakota (NCAA) | OTT |
Goalies
| Player | Current team | NHL rights |
|---|---|---|
| Drew Commesso | Boston (NCAA) | CHI |
| Kaidan Mbereko | Lincoln (USHL) | 2022 eligible |
| Dylan Silverstein | USNTDP Juniors (USHL) | 2022 eligible |
Forwards Declan McDonnell and Dylan Peterson, defensemen Connor Kelley and Jacob Truscott, and goalie Luke Pavicich didn't make the final cuts.
Since 2013, either Canada, the United States, or Finland has claimed the gold medal. The U.S. has won it five times and medaled 13 times total.
Team USA will face Slovakia in its first preliminary matchup Dec. 26.