United States invites 28 to final World Junior evaluation camp

Boston University center Brady Tkachuk and University of Michigan defenseman Quintin Hughes, each a projected first-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, were among 28 players invited to United States selection camp, the final step toward picking the United States roster for the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship.
The camp, which includes 15 forwards, 10 defensemen and three goaltenders, will be held at Nationwide Arena and OhioHealth Ice Haus in Columbus, Ohio, from Dec. 15-19. The U.S. will be coached by Bob Motzko, who led the U.S. to the gold medal at the 2017 WJC.

Tkachuk and Hughes are A-rated skaters on NHL Central Scouting's November players to watch list.
"I'm going to try to work my hardest, try to impress the coaches with my skill and hard work," Tkachuk said. "I want them to know I can play at any position and play in any situation, and I'll focus on every shift."
Two other 2018 Draft-eligible players, University of Minnesota-Duluth defenseman Scott Perunovich and Western Michigan University forward Hugh McGing, also were invited to the five-day camp.
Perunovich, who was eligible but not selected in the 2017 NHL Draft, is one of five players invited from Minnesota-Duluth. Joining him will be defensemen Michael Anderson (Los Angeles Kings) and Dylan Samberg (Winnipeg Jets), and forwards Joseph Anderson (New Jersey Devils) and Riley Tufte (Dallas Stars).
Invited to camp were 10 first-round draft picks, among them forward Kailer Yamamoto, who selected by the Edmonton Oilers at No. 22 in the 2017 NHL Draft and had three assists in nine games before being returned to Spokane of the Western Hockey League.

Other first-round picks attending are forwards Casey Mittelstadt (Buffalo Sabres, No. 8, 2017), Joshua Norris (San Jose Sharks, No. 19, 2017), Ryan Poehling (Montreal Canadiens, No. 25, 2017), Logan Brown (Ottawa Senators, No. 11, 2016), Kieffer Bellows (New York Islanders, No. 19, 2016), Max Jones (Anaheim Ducks, No. 24, 2016), Riley Tufte (Dallas Stars, No. 25, 2016) and Trent Frederic (Boston Bruins, No. 29, 2016), and goaltender Jake Oettinger (Stars, No. 26, 2017).
The roster also includes seven players from the U.S. team that won the gold medal at the 2017 WJC in Montreal: Goaltenders Oettinger and Joseph Woll (Toronto Maple Leafs), defensemen Adam Fox (Calgary Flames) and Ryan Lindgren (Boston Bruins), and forwards Bellows, Patrick Harper (Nashville Predators) and Joseph Anderson (New Jersey Devils).
"This is an accomplished, versatile group of players that has experience winning across all levels of hockey," said U.S. national junior team general manager Jim Johannson. "There is a specific style of play Motzko and his staff intend to utilize, and while there are still some difficult decisions to make, our staff is excited to begin identifying a roster that can ultimately win a gold medal."

The United States has a chance to win a medal for the third straight tournament for the first time. It won the bronze medal in 2016.
The U.S. will play exhibition games against Belarus at Northwest Arena in Jamestown, New York, on Dec. 20, and against Sweden at Erie Insurance Arena in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Dec. 22. The U.S. hopes to have a 23-player tournament roster (three goaltenders, seven defensemen, 13 forwards) set by the end of the game against Belarus.
The 2018 WJC will be held in Buffalo from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, 2018. The U.S. will open the tournament against Denmark in a Group A preliminary-round game at KeyBank Center on Dec. 26. Also in Group A are Canada, Finland and Slovakia. The U.S. will play Canada in a preliminary-round game at New Era Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills of the NFL, at 3 p.m. ET on Dec. 29.
Group B consists of Russia, Sweden, Czech Republic, Switzerland and Belarus.

USA HOCKEY SELECT CAMP ROSTER

GOALTENDERS: Jake Oettinger, Boston University, H-EAST (Dallas Stars); Jeremy Swayman, Maine, H-EAST (Boston Bruins); Joseph Woll, Boston College, H-EAST (Toronto Maple Leafs)
DEFENSEMEN: Michael Anderson, Minnesota-Duluth, NCHC (Los Angeles Kings); Adam Fox, Harvard, ECAC (Calgary Flames); Quintin Hughes, Michigan, BIG10 (2018 draft eligible); Cole Hults, Penn State, BIG10 (Los Angeles Kings); Philip Kemp, Yale, ECAC (Edmonton Oilers); Ryan Lindgren, Minnesota, BIG10 (Boston Bruins); Andrew Peeke, Notre Dame, H-EAST (Columbus Blue Jackets); Scott Perunovich, Minnesota-Duluth, NCHC (2018 draft eligible); Dylan Samberg, Minnesota-Duluth, NCHC (Winnipeg Jets); Reilly Walsh, Harvard, ECAC (New Jersey Devils)
FORWARDS: Joey Anderson, Minnesota-Duluth, NCHC (New Jersey Devils); Jack Badini, Harvard, ECAC (Anaheim Ducks); Kieffer Bellows, Portland, WHL (New York Islanders); Logan Brown, Windsor, OHL (Ottawa Senators); Trent Frederic, Wisconsin, BIG10 (Boston Bruins); Patrick Harper, Boston University, H-EAST (Nashville Predators); Max Jones, London, OHL (Anaheim Ducks); William Lockwood, Michigan, BIG10 (Vancouver Canucks); Hugh McGing, Western Michigan, WCHA (2018 draft eligible); Casey Mittelstadt, Minnesota, BIG10 (Buffalo Sabres); Joshua Norris, Michigan, BIG10 (San Jose Sharks); Ryan Poehling, St. Cloud State, NCHC (Montreal Canadiens); Brady Tkachuk, Boston University, H-EAST (2018 draft eligible); Riley Tufte, Minnesota-Duluth, NCHC (Dallas Stars); Kailer Yamamoto, Spokane, WHL (Edmonton Oilers)