Lucius hoping for chance to finally play for U.S. at World Juniors

Tuesday was the second day of USA Hockey selection camp to help determine the final 23-player roster for the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship to be held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Moncton, New Brunswick, from Dec. 26-Jan. 5.
The camp, which includes four goalies, 10 defensemen and 18 forwards, runs through Saturday.

PLYMOUTH, Mich. -- Rand Pecknold, coach of the United States National Junior Team, is looking forward to dividing the players into two teams for a controlled scrimmage at USA Hockey Arena on Wednesday.
"It's going to be a big day ... the first period will be practice, second period will be a 5-on-5 scrimmage and the third period will be special teams," Pecknold said. "So we'll get a good evaluation tomorrow."
It's all part of the process that Pecknold knows is vital to finalizing the roster.
The U.S. will have pre-tournament games against Finland at QPlex in Quispamsis, New Brunswick, on Dec. 19 and against Sweden at Avenir Centre in Moncton on Dec. 21 (2:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN). They open the 2023 WJC against Latvia in Moncton on Dec. 26 (4 p.m. ET; NHLN).
"We can't just evaluate, we got to get ready to play Finland and then Sweden in those exhibition games before opening the tournament against Latvia," Pecknold said. "I think the evaluation is going to come as we go. There's plenty of drills we're working on. We'll have a setup on Wednesday for an evaluation, but to me, more than that, we'll get great teaching clips. Guys are going to make mistakes so we'll be able to show them, teach them and they'll get better."
Here are three other things learned at select camp Tuesday:

Lucius gets another shot

Chaz Lucius
(Winnipeg Jets) continues to wear a non-contact jersey as he recovers from a shoulder injury sustained with Manitoba of the American Hockey League on Nov. 26.
"I got hit from behind, but I'll be back for the tournament, so it'll be good," Lucius said. "I'm talking with the trainers and coaches and there's no need to rush it right now. Just take my time and get healthy for the tournament."
The 19-year-old right-shot center signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Jets on April 27 after he had 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) in 24 games as a freshman at the University of Minnesota last season. He has five points (two goals, three assists) in 12 AHL games this season.
"He looks great," Pecknold said. "He's close and should be good to go soon."
Lucius hopes to finally play a significant role for the U.S. at an international tournament. He was supposed to play in the 2020 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, but that event was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak. He played one game in the 2022 World Juniors in December before that tournament also was canceled due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus, and he didn't play when it was held in August.
"I think a big reason I want to make this U.S. team is because I didn't get to take part in that first one with the COVID, and then from a development standpoint and playing here, I think the biggest thing for me this time around is I really want to win a gold medal," he said. "I think we've got the team to do it and I'm really grateful that Winnipeg is letting me tryout and play in the tournament."

Hutson keeping it honest

Lane Hutson
(Montreal Canadiens), despite his 5-foot-8, 148-pound frame, has the look of a defenseman ready to have a major impact for the United States at the 2023 WJC.
Hutson, selected by the Canadiens in the second round (No. 62) in the 2022 NHL Draft, has excelled as a freshman at Boston University this season. The 18-year-old is second on the team in goals (seven) and points (18) in 16 games.
"I've been in contact with [Montreal] often because [general manager] Kent Hughes has his son (Jack Hughes) playing at Northeastern, so I see him once in a while, and (Canadiens director of player development) Rob Ramage has been coming out a few weekends, so it's been good to talk to them," Hutson said. "They just tell me to keep working hard, do what I do well and just kind of keep building."
Hutson also is third at BU with 20 blocked shots.
"I would say from the time I had him on the ice and from what I've watched of him at BU and the NTDP [in 2021-22], it's his hockey IQ that is elite amongst the elite," Pecknold said.

Stunned by a six-minute shift

Sacrifice and determination are words players and coaches use to describe the effort needed to have any measure of success at the World Junior Championship.
Defenseman
Luke Hughes
(New Jersey Devils) and forward William Smith (2023 NHL Draft eligible) were asked for their thoughts on the recent NHL record-setting shift by Devils center Jack Hughes and the effort it required to deliver when needed.
Hughes played the final 6:02 of a 6-4 loss to the New York Islanders on Dec. 9. It is the longest shift since the NHL began tracking the stat in 2009-10.
"The guy has iron lungs," said Luke, Jack's younger brother. "He's a horse. I was on FaceTime with him on Sunday and was like, 'So were you just like flowing on the ice for the six minutes?' and he said 'No, I was slinging it around and made a lot of plays.'"
Luke Hughes is one of eight returning players from the 2022 WJC, when the U.S. finished fifth.
Smith, an A-rated skater on NHL Central Scouting's preliminary players to watch list for the 2023 NHL Draft, is one of three members of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team looking to earn a tournament roster spot, along with goalie Trey Augustine and forward Ryan Leonard.
"It's crazy," Smith said. "I mean, when you come to the end of the game and your team's down, you're kind of like, 'Oh, I want to be out here. I want to help the team.' So I think that's probably what his thought process was. And I mean, the coach wanted him out there, so he stayed out."

USA HOCKEY SELECT CAMP ROSTER

GOALIES: Trey Augustine, USA U-18, NTDP (2023 eligible); Kaidan Mbereko, Colorado College, NCHC (2023 eligible); Tyler Muszelik, New Hampshire, NCAA (Florida Panthers); Andrew Oke, Saginaw, OHL (2023 eligible)
DEFENSEMEN:Sean Behrens, Denver, NCAA (Colorado Avalanche); Shai Buium, Denver, NCAA (Detroit Red Wings); Seamus Casey, Michigan, NCAA (New Jersey Devils); Ryan Chesley, Minnesota, NCAA (Washington Capitals); Aidan Hreschuk, Boston College, NCAA (Columbus Blue Jackets); Luke Hughes, Michigan, NCAA (Devils); Lane Hutson, Boston University, NCAA (Montreal Canadiens); Luke Mittelstadt, Minnesota, NCAA (2023 eligible); Jack Peart, St. Cloud State, NCAA (Minnesota Wild); Ryan Ufko, Massachusetts, NCAA (Nashville Predators).
FORWARDS: Jackson Blake, North Dakota NCAA (Carolina Hurricanes); Gavin Brindley, Michigan, NCAA (2023 eligible); Tyler Boucher, Ottawa, OHL (Ottawa Senators); Kenny Connors, Massachusetts, NCAA (Los Angeles Kings); Logan Cooley, Minnesota, NCAA (Arizona Coyotes); Jack Devine, Denver, NCAA (Florida Panthers); Dylan Duke, Michigan, NCAA (Tampa Bay Lightning); Cutter Gauthier, Boston College, NCAA (Philadelphia Flyers); Noah Laba, Colorado College, NCAA (New York Rangers); Ryan Leonard, USA-18, NTDP (2023 eligible); Samuel Lipkin, Quinnipiac, NCAA (Coyotes); Chaz Lucius, Manitoba, AHL (Winnipeg Jets); Cameron Lund, Northeastern, NCAA(San Jose Sharks); Rutger McGroarty, Michigan, NCAA (Jets); Redmond Savage, Miami University, NCAA (Detroit Red Wings); William Smith, USA U-18, NTDP (2023 eligible); Jimmy Snuggerud, Minnesota, NCAA (St. Louis Blues); Charlie Stramel, Wisconsin, NCAA (2023 eligible)