All U.S. and Canada games during the eight-team tournament will be broadcast on NHL Network in the United States.
Cooley, a center from the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 Team, is No. 2 in NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters. He scored 63 points (23 goals, 40 assists), six power-play goals and three shorthanded goals in 43 games this season.
Cooley (5-foot-10, 174 pounds) and three other U.S. teammates are projected to be selected among the top 15 of the 2022 draft. Cooley will be joined by forwards Cutter Gauthier (No. 6), Jimmy Snuggerud (No. 8) and Isaac Howard (No. 12).
A record eight NTDP players, including seven in the top 15, were selected in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena in Vancouver.
The 2022 draft is scheduled to be held at Bell Centre in Montreal, July 7-8.
Canada, the defending tournament champion, has two defensemen listed among the top 25 in Central Scouting's midterm rankings, including Owen Pickering (No. 21) of Swift Current of the Western Hockey League and Rieger Lorenz (No. 24) of Okotoks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
Forwards Connor Bedard of Regina (WHL) and Adam Fantilli of Chicago of the United States Hockey League will also represent Canada. Each is a projected top-five pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Bedard, who helped Canada finish first at the 2021 U-18 Worlds, was fourth in the WHL in scoring this season with 100 points (51 goals, 49 assists) in 62 games. He set the Regina record for most goals in a season by a 16-year-old (Jeff Friesen, 45, 1992-93) and points in a season for a 16-year-old (Doug Wickenheiser, 88, 1977-78).
Bedard scored 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) in 15 games as a 15-year-old in 2020-21 after becoming the first player to be granted exceptional player status into the WHL in March 2020.
Fantilli was seventh in the USHL during the regular season with 74 points (37 goals, 37 assists) in 54 games.
Canada has won four championships at the U-18 Worlds and the United States has won 10.
The preliminary round runs April 23-26. The quarterfinal round is April 28, the semifinals are April 30 and the championship and third-place games are May 1.
