Johansson said Tkachuk will remain at camp through Tuesday to continue getting to know United States coach Bob Motzko and his staff and potential future teammates. The National Junior Evaluation Camp, which runs through Aug. 6 at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich., is the first step in picking the team that will play for the U.S. at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship.
"The biggest thing is get to know the players," Motzko told NHL.com prior to camp. "That's first and foremost. Throughout the summer, whether we have some phone conversations or emails, that's what you're doing. It's all a mystery; it's all online or in conversation. Now we actually get to put a face to a name. … It's a starting point that starts to put us all in the same room together, puts us on the same ice sheet together, and we can start to get some familiarity with who we have and what we have and the direction that we want to go."
Tkachuk, 18, was expected to be a key part of a forward group at the camp that included 11 first-round NHL draft picks and two who are expected to be high picks in the 2017 NHL Draft: Kailer Yamamoto of Spokane of the Western Hockey League and Casey Mittelstadt of Eden Prairie (Minn.) High School.
Tkachuk (6-foot-1, 202 pounds) is one of three forwards who helped the United States win the bronze medal at the 2016 WJC, along with Alexander DeBrincat (Chicago Blackhawks) and Brock Boeser (Vancouver Canucks). Tkachuk tied Columbus Blue Jackets prospects Zach Werenski and Sonny Milano for the U.S. lead with seven assists, and shared the scoring lead with Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs) with 11 points.
Johannson said forward Colin White (Ottawa Senators) will join the camp Aug. 4 but will be held off the ice while he recovers from wrist surgery. White also played on the 2016 WJC team and had seven points in seven games.
UNITED STATES NATIONAL JUNIOR EVALUATION CAMP ROSTER
GOALIES:Jake Oettinger, Boston University, H-EAST (2017 draft eligible); Tyler Parsons, London, OHL (Calgary Flames); Evan Sarthou, Tri-City, WHL (2017 draft eligible); Joseph Woll, Boston College, H-EAST (Toronto Maple Leafs)
DEFENSEMEN:Jack Ahcan, St. Cloud State, NCHC (2017 draft eligible); Nicholas Boka, Michigan, BIG10 (Minnesota Wild); Joseph Cecconi, Michigan, BIG10 (Dallas Stars); Sean Day, Mississauga, OHL (New York Rangers); Casey Fitzgerald, Boston College, H-EAST (Buffalo Sabres); Adam Fox, Harvard, ECAC (Calgary Flames); James Greenway, Wisconsin, BIG10 (Toronto Maple Leafs); Caleb Jones, Portland, WHL (Edmonton Oilers); Chad Krys, Boston University, H-EAST (Chicago Blackhawks); Ryan Lindgren, Minnesota, BIG10 (Boston Bruins); Luke Martin, Michigan, BIG10 (2017 draft eligible); Joseph Masonius, Connecticut, H-EAST (Pittsburgh Penguins); Charlie McAvoy, Boston University, H-EAST (Boston Bruins); Jack Sadek, Minnesota, BIG10 (Minnesota Wild)
FORWARDS:Joseph Anderson, Minnesota-Duluth, NCHC (New Jersey Devils); Kieffer Bellows, Boston University, H-EAST (New York Islanders); Brock Boeser, North Dakota, NCHC (Vancouver Canucks); Jeremy Bracco, Kitchener, OHL (Toronto Maple Leafs); Logan Brown, Windsor, OHL (Ottawa Senators); Alexander DeBrincat, Erie, OHL (Chicago Blackhawks); Christian Fischer, Windsor, OHL (Arizona Coyotes); Erik Foley, Providence, H-EAST (Winnipeg Jets); Trent Frederic, Wisconsin, BIG10 (Boston Bruins); Jordan Greenway, Boston University, H-EAST (Minnesota Wild); Max Jones, London, OHL (Anaheim Ducks); Clayton Keller, Boston University, H-EAST (Arizona Coyotes); Luke Kunin, Wisconsin, BIG10 (Minnesota Wild); Tanner Laczynski, Ohio State, BIG10 (Philadelphia Flyers); Casey Mittelstadt, Eden Prairie, HIGH-MN (2017 draft eligible); Thomas Novak, Minnesota, BIG10 (Nashville Predators); Rem Pitlick, Minnesota, BIG10 (Nashville Predators); Jack Roslovic, London, OHL (Winnipeg Jets); Troy Terry, Denver, NCHC (Anaheim Ducks); Tage Thompson, Connecticut, H-EAST (St. Louis Blues); \Matthew Tkachuk, London, OHL (Calgary Flames); Riley Tufte, Minnesota-Duluth, NCHC (Dallas Stars); Brendan Warren, Michigan, BIG10 (2017 draft eligible); Kailer Yamamoto, Spokane, WHL (2017 draft eligible); \Colin White, Boston College H-EAST (Ottawa Senators)
*- not skating
