U18 Men's Worlds team set

Press Release

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - USA Hockey today announced its 22-player roster for the U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team that will compete at the 2012 International Ice Hockey Federation Men's World Under-18 Championship from April 12-22, in Brno and Znojmo, Czech Republic.

 

All U.S. games in the tournament will be streamed live on USAHockey.FASTHockey.com.

 

Team USA will look to win its fourth consecutive gold medal in the event. The U.S. captured the world title a year ago in Dresden and Crimmitschau, Germany, as well as in 2010 in Minsk and Bobruisk, Belarus, and in 2009 in Fargo, N.D., and Moorhead, Minn.

Highlighting the roster are three returnees from last year's team, including forward Nicolas Kerdiles (Irvine, Calif.) and defensemen Seth Jones (Plano, Texas) and Jacob Trouba (Rochester, Mich.).

The U.S. roster has seven defensemen, including Will Butcher (Sun Prairie, Wis.), Connor Carrick (Orland Park, Ill.), Jones, Matt Grzelcyk (Charlestown, Mass.), Patrick Sieloff (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Brady Skjei (Lakeville, Minn.) and Trouba.

Kerdiles is among the group of 13 forwards, which also includes Riley Barber (Livonia, Mich.), J.T. Compher (Northbrook, Ill.), Andrew Copp (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Cameron Darcy (South Boston, Mass.), Thomas Di Pauli (Woodridge, Ill.), Ryan Hartman (West Dundee, Ill.), Matthew Lane (Rochester, N.Y.), Stefan Matteau (Chicago, Ill.), Daniel O'Regan (Needham, Mass.), Kyle Osterberg (Lakeville, Minn.), Quentin Shore (Denver, Colo.) and Frankie Vatrano (East Longmeadow, Mass.).

 

Backstopping Team USA will be goaltenders Collin Olson (Apple Valley, Minn.) and Jared Rutledge (Chicago, Ill.).

For the complete U.S. roster, click here.

The U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team will play one pre-tournament game against Sweden on April 9 in Znojmo, Czech Republic, before opening tournament play on April 12 against Finland at Rondo Arena at 8 p.m. local time (2 p.m. EDT). Team USA's complete schedule can be found below.

NOTES: The U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team will be led by Danton Cole, who is serving as head coach at his first IIHF Men’s World Under-18 Championship. Cole is currently in his second season as head coach at USA Hockey's National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich. ... John Gruden, Tim Taylor, Mike Ayers and Tyler Eaves, all coaches with USA Hockey's NTDP, will serve as assistant coaches for Team USA … Twenty-one players on the U.S. roster come from USA Hockey’s NTDP … The roster includes 20 players born in 1994 and two from the 1995 birth year. Forward J.T. Compher, born April 8, 1995, is Team USA’s youngest player, while defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, born Jan. 5, 1994, is the oldest … Nine different states are represented on the roster. Illinois leads the way with six skaters, while Massachusetts and Michigan have four each ... The U.S. enters the tournament having captured a record eight consecutive medals, including back-to-back gold medals in 2005-06, three straight gold medals from 2009-11, two silver medals (2004, 2007) and one bronze medal (2008). Team USA’s six gold medals are the most of any country in IIHF Men's World Under-18 Championship history (event began in 1999). Team USA earned its first gold medal in 2002 … The U.S. is in Group A with Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark and Finland. Group B consists of Germany, Latvia, Russia, Sweden and Switzerland ... Follow @USAHockeyScores on Twitter for live scoring updates during the tournament. Scores will be designated with #U18MWC ... For additional coverage, visit USA Hockey's National Team Development Program Facebook page ... More information about the 2011 IIHF World Men's U18 Championship can be found here.

Team USA 2012 IIHF Men's World Under-18 Championship Schedule
April 12-22 • Brno/Znojmo, Czech Republic

Date	Opponent	Time (Local/EDT)	Live Webcast
Mon., April 9	Sweden (exhibition)	8 p.m./2 p.m.
Thu., April 12	Finland	8 p.m./2 p.m.	FASTHockey.com
Sat., April 14	Czech Republic	1 p.m./7 a.m.	FASTHockey.com
Sun., April 15	Denmark	2 p.m./8 a.m.	FASTHockey.com
Tue., April 17	Canada	8 p.m./2 p.m.	FASTHockey.com
Thu., April 19	Quarterfinals	TBD
Fri., April 20	Semifinals	TBD
Sun., April 22	Bronze-Medal Game	12 p.m./6 a.m.
Sun., April 22	Gold-Medal Game	4 p.m./10 a.m.

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)