Hughes among 29 invited to U.S. World Junior selection camp

Jack Hughes, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, was among 29 players invited to United States National Junior Team selection camp to help determine the roster for the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship, USA Hockey announced Wednesday on NHL Network.

The camp, which includes 16 forwards, 10 defensemen and three goaltenders, will open at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington, from Dec. 15-17, and continue at Sandman Centre in Kamloops, British Columbia, Dec. 18-20.
"As a staff, we've grown more and more excited about this player pool as we've gone through evaluations this fall and we're thrilled to have these 29 players coming to Everett next week," U.S. National Junior Team general manager John Vanbiesbrouck said. "The player pool is deeper than it has ever been, and that's a credit to all the organizations and volunteers developing the next wave of U.S. hockey stars."
The United States has a chance to win a medal for the fourth straight tournament. It won the gold medal in 2017, and bronze medal in 2016 and 2018.

The U.S. will compete in exhibition games against Russia at Sandman Centre on Dec. 20 (10 p.m. ET), and Czech Republic at George Preston Recreation Centre in Langley, B.C., on Dec. 22 (10 p.m. ET). Coach Mike Hastings will likely have the 23-player roster set by the end of the game against Czech Republic.
"I know Coach Hastings and his staff are excited to bring these players together as we begin the challenge of getting to a final roster that will give us the best chance to bring home a gold medal," Vanbiesbrouck said.
The 2019 WJC will be held in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5. The United States is in Group B with Finland, Kazakhstan, Slovakia and Sweden. Canada, which won the 2018 WJC, is in Group A with Czech Republic, Denmark, Russia and Switzerland.
Hastings will have five players in camp who played a part in the bronze medal-winning effort at the 2018 WJC in Buffalo: defensemen Quinn Hughes (Vancouver Canucks), Dylan Samberg (Winnipeg Jets) and Michael Anderson (Los Angeles Kings); and forwards Joshua Norris (Ottawa Senators) and Ryan Poehling (Montreal Canadiens).

Jack Hughes, a 17-year-old forward, was an A rated skater in NHL Central Scouting's November Players to Watch list for the 2019 draft in Vancouver on June 21-22. He leads USA Hockey's National Team Development Program under-18 team with 45 points (nine goals, 36 assists) in 23 games.
In addition to Hughes, three other players invited to camp are eligible for the 2019 draft: Goalie Spencer Knight (USA U-18), and forwards Cole Coskey (Saginaw) and Sean Dhooghe (University of Wisconsin).
Hughes (5-foot-10, 168 pounds) could be the third United States-born player in the past 13 years to be chosen No. 1 in the NHL Draft after center Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs) in 2016, and Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks) in 2007.
"There's a phrase in hockey used to describe some elite players as 'someone who makes other players around him better' and it's a phrase that is reserved for the truly elite, and Jack Hughes has earned that level of recognition already as a 17-year-old," said Dan Marr, director of NHL Central Scouting.

Quinn Hughes, the older brother of Jack Hughes, is a sophomore defenseman at the University of Michigan. He has 15 points (three goals, 12 assists) in 13 games.
There will be seven NHL first-round picks at selection camp: defensemen Quinn Hughes (2018 Draft, No. 7, Canucks) and K'Andre Miller (2018, No. 22, New York Rangers) and forwards Joel Farabee (2018, No. 14, Philadelphia Flyers), Jay O'Brien (2018, No. 19, Flyers), Oliver Wahlstrom (2018, No. 11, New York Islanders), Ryan Poehling (2017, No. 25, Montreal Canadiens) and Joshua Norris (2017, No. 19, San Jose Sharks).

USA HOCKEY SELECT CAMP ROSTER

GOALIES:Kyle Keyser, Oshawa, OHL (Boston Bruins); Spencer Knight, USA U-18, USHL (2019 draft eligible); Cayden Primeau, Northeastern, H-East (Montreal Canadiens)
DEFENSEMEN:Michael Anderson, Minnesota-Duluth, NCHC (Los Angeles Kings); Michael Callahan, Providence, H-East (Arizona Coyotes); Ty Emberson, Wisconsin, Big Ten (Arizong Coyotes); Quinn Hughes, Michigan, Big Ten (Vancouver Canucks); Joey Keane, Barrie, OHL (New York Rangers); Philip Kemp, Yale, ECAC (Edmonton Oilers); K'Andre Miller, Wisconsin, Big Ten (New York Rangers); Dylan Samberg, Minnesota-Duluth, NCHC (Winnipeg Jets); Mattias Samuelsson, Western Michigan, NCHC (Buffalo Sabres); Jack St. Ivany, Yale, ECAC (Philadelphia Flyers)
FORWARDS:Evan Barratt, Penn State, Big Ten (Chicago Blackhawks); Noah Cates, Minnesota-Duluth, NCHC (Philadelphia Flyers); Alexander Chmelevski, Ottawa, OHL (San Jose Sharks); Logan Cockerill, Boston University, H-East (New York Islanders); Cole Coskey, Saginaw, OHL (2019 draft eligible); Sean Dhooghe, Wisconsin, Big Ten (2019 draft eligible); Jack Drury, Harvard, ECAC (Carolina Hurricanes); Joel Farabee, Boston University, H-East (Philadelphia Flyers); Jack Hughes, USA U-18, USHL (2019 draft eligible); Tyler Madden, Northeastern, H-East (Vancouver Canucks); Joshua Norris, Michigan, Big Ten (Ottawa Senators); Jay O'Brien, Providence, H-East (Philadelphia Flyers); Ryan Poehling, St. Cloud State, NCHC (Montreal Canadiens); Jason Robertson, Niagara, OHL (Dallas Stars); Oliver Wahlstrom, Boston College, H-East (New York Islanders); Samuel Walker, Minnesota, Big Ten (Tampa Bay Lightning)