United States finalizes roster for World Junior Championship

The United States National Junior Team finalized its 23-player roster for the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship following a 6-2 exhibition win against Czech Republic at Langley Events Centre in Langley, British Columbia, on Saturday.

Forwards Sean Dhooghe (2019 NHL Draft eligible) of the University of Wisconsin, Cole Coskey (2019 draft eligible) of Saginaw in the Ontario Hockey League and Samuel Walker (Tampa Bay Lightning) of the University of Minnesota, and defensemen Michael Callahan (Arizona Coyotes) of Providence College, Ty Emberson (Arizona Coyotes) of the University of Wisconsin and Joey Keane (New York Rangers) of Barrie (OHL) were the six players released.
\[Complete World Junior Championship schedule\]
U.S. general manager John Vanbiesbrouck will maintain three goalies on the final roster for the seventh time in the past eight WJC events, with 2016 being the exception.
The 2019 WJC will be held at Rogers Centre in Vancouver and Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria, British Columbia, starting Wednesday to Jan. 5. The United States will play preliminary-round games in Victoria in Group B with Finland, Kazakhstan, Slovakia and Sweden.
The United States seeks a fourth straight medal after winning gold at the 2017 WJC and bronze in 2016 and 2018. It will open the tournament against Slovakia on Wednesday (6:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN).
"We've said from day one that this is a selection process, and as a staff we're thrilled with the 23 players selected to represent the United States in one of the greatest tournaments on the hockey calendar," said Vanbiesbrouck. "By no means did we come to this decision easily, and that's a credit to the players. It's easy to say our talent pool is deeper than it's ever been, but so too is the character of these young players, and now it's time for these 23 selected players to come together and represent our country with pride."

UNITED STATES NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM 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); Quinn Hughes, Michigan, Big Ten (Vancouver Canucks); 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); 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)