The 22-year-old Buffalo Sabres center, who had 82 points (28 goals, 54 assists) in 77 games, is one of 23 players named to the roster by USA Hockey.
Other 23-or-younger players named were Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko, 23; Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin, 22; Ottawa Senators center Colin White, 22; Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin, 22; Chicago Blackhawks left wing Alex DeBrincat, 21; New York Rangers defenseman prospect
Adam Fox
, 21; Arizona Coyotes center Clayton Keller, 20; Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes, 19; Montreal Canadiens goalie prospect
Cayden Primeau
, 19; and Jack Hughes, the 17-year-old forward expected to be chosen with the No. 1 pick of the 2019 NHL Draft. Hughes will be the youngest ever to play for the U.S. at the World Championship.
"We're excited about our team, and it's fun to hear the passion our players have when I've talked to them about representing our country," said Chris Drury, general manager of the U.S. and assistant GM of the New York Rangers. "We have one objective, and that is to come home with the gold medal."
USA Hockey also named forwards Patrick Kane (Blackhawks), Johnny Gaudreau (Flames), Derek Ryan (Flames), Frank Vatrano (Florida Panthers), Luke Glendening (Red Wings), James van Riemsdyk (Philadelphia Flyers) and Chris Kreider (Rangers); defensemen Ryan Suter (Minnesota Wild), Brady Skjei (Rangers), Alec Martinez (Los Angeles Kings), and
Christian Wolanin
(Ottawa Senators); and goalie Cory Schneider (New Jersey Devils).
Kane will be captain. He, along with DeBrincat, Larkin, Kreider, Martinez, White and Quinn Hughes each played for the U.S. when it finished third at the 2018 IIHF World Championship.
The U.S. will open preliminary-round play against Slovakia at Steel Arena in Kosice on May 10. Joining them in Group A are Canada, Finland, Germany, Denmark, France and Great Britain.
All U.S. games will be televised on NHL Network.
Group B consists of Sweden, Russia, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Norway, Latvia, Austria and Italy.
