Hughes, possible No. 1 pick, highlights World Junior Summer Showcase
Center at camp for United States; Canada strong at forward with Glass, Rasmussen
The event features practices and games against the United States, Sweden and Finland. It's the first step in picking the rosters for the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, 2019.
Canada will have 43 players at the camp, three who were part of the team that defeated Sweden in the gold-medal game in Buffalo at the 2018 WJC: forwards Max Comtois (Anaheim Ducks), Alex Formenton (Ottawa Senators) and Robert Thomas (St. Louis Blues). Thomas will be unable to participate in on-ice activities because of a high ankle sprain.
Coach Tim Hunter, who moves into the lead job for the first time after being an assistant on Dominique Ducharme's staff at the 2017 and 2018 WJC, said he isn't concerned about the lack of experience.
"The one thing that we're going to do is try to write our own story and paint our own picture," he said. "It's our chance to be our own team, not the past two years where we've had silver (2017 WJC) and gold. We're going to do it our way."
Hunter believes a strength is the group of forwards selected in the 2017 NHL Draft, including first-round picks Cody Glass (No. 6, Vegas Golden Knights), Michael Rasmussen (No. 9, Detroit Red Wings), Owen Tippett (No. 10, Florida Panthers), Gabriel Vilardi (No. 11, Los Angeles Kings); Nick Suzuki (No. 13, Golden Knights), Thomas (No. 20, Blues), Morgan Frost (No. 27, Philadelphia Flyers), and Shane Bowers (No. 28, traded to Colorado Avalanche).
"The whole 1999 (born) forward group is really skilled and really fast, and that's what excites me," he said.
Michael DiPietro (Vancouver Canucks) is the frontrunner to start for Canada at the WJC. He was at the 2017 WJSS but did not make the World Junior team. Playing with Windsor in the Ontario Hockey League last season, he was named the league's best goaltender after going 29-21-3 with a 2.79 goals-against average, .910 save percentage and an OHL-best seven shutouts.
Other goalies at the camp will be Olivier Rodrigue (Edmonton Oilers), Matt Villalta (Kings) and Matthew Welsh (2019 draft eligible).
"We don't want to anoint (DiPietro) the No. 1 goalie but he's a real level-headed kid, he's got a great pedigree, winning a Memorial Cup (2017)," Hunter said. "He's a super-competitive kid, really matured as a goalie. … You hope there's competition at all positions and some other guys show they can compete right alongside him and push him. That's what you want. But I would say he's a guy we're looking at right now to be the leader in there."
Goaltending for the United States will be an open competition. Cayden Primeau (Montreal Canadiens) could have an early edge after he had a 1.92 GAA and .931 save percentage in 34 games as a freshman at Northeastern University last season. Also at the camp will be Keith Petruzzelli (Red Wings), Kyle Keyser (Boston Bruins) and Spencer Knight, a top prospect for the 2019 NHL Draft.
"Because there's really not been anybody in this position before to carry the mail in a tournament like this, I think our goaltending is wide open," U.S. coach Mike Hastings said. "We're bringing in some talented goalies. We're going to allow their play to dictate how we'll move forward."
Hastings said the strength of the U.S. is at center, a group that includes Jack Hughes, who could be the No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft.
Hughes (5-foot-9, 157 pounds), had 116 points (40 goals, 76 assists) in 60 games with USA Hockey's National Team Development Program last season, one point off the single-season NTDP record set by Auston Matthews in 2014-15. He also helped the U.S. to a silver medal at the 2018 IIHF World Under-18 Championship with a tournament-high 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in seven games, and was named the event's best forward and most valuable player.
© Dave Reginek/Getty Images
"It's his elusiveness, creativity," Hastings said. "He's an all-around player. He makes the people around him better. Hard to defend, tough to match up against. He's a special talent."
Other top 2019 draft prospects attending include forward Kaapo Kakko and defenseman Anttoni Honka for Finland. Honka is the younger brother of Dallas Stars defenseman Julius Honka.
Kakko (6-1, 187) had 55 points (25 goals, 30 assists) in 38 games for TPS in Finland's junior league and helped Finland to a gold medal at the 2018 World U-18 Championship with 10 points (four goals, six assists) in seven games.
"He's a very mature young man, plays a mature game," NHL Director of European Scouting Goran Stubb said. "He has speed, skills, size and hockey sense. He is a very good playmaker and passer who also knows how to score."
WORLD JUNIOR SUMMER SHOWCASE ROSTERS
UNITED STATES
GOALIES:Kyle Keyser, Oshawa, OHL (Boston Bruins); Spencer Knight, USA U-18, USHL (2019 draft eligible); Keith Petruzzelli, Quinnipiac, ECAC (Detroit Red Wings); Cayden Primeau, Northeastern, H-EAST (Montreal Canadiens)
DEFENSEMEN: Matt Anderson, Minnesota-Duluth, NCHC (2019 draft eligible); Michael Anderson, Minnesota-Duluth, NCHC (Los Angeles Kings); Joshua Ess, Wisconsin, BIG10 (Chicago Blackhawks); David Farrance, Boston University, H-EAST (Nashville Predators); Maxwell Gildon, New Hampshire, H-EAST (Florida Panthers); Quintin Hughes, Michigan, BIG10 (Vancouver Canucks); Joey Keane, Barrie, OHL (New York Rangers); Philip Kemp, Yale, ECAC (Edmonton Oilers); Benjamin Mirageas, Providence, H-EAST (New York Islanders); ^K'Andre Miller, Wisconsin, BIG10 (New York Rangers); Thomas Miller, Michigan State, BIG10 (2019 draft eligible); Alec Regula, London, OHL (Detroit Red Wings); Dylan Samberg, Minnesota-Duluth, NCHC (Winnipeg Jets); Mattias Samuelsson, Western Michigan, NCHC (Buffalo Sabres); Reilly Walsh, Harvard, ECAC (New Jersey Devils)
FORWARDS:Evan Barratt, Penn State, BIG10 (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); Cole Coskey, Saginaw, OHL (2019 draft eligible); Paul Cotter, Western Michigan, NCHC (Vegas Golden Knights); Sean Dhooghe, Wisconsin, BIG10 (2019 draft eligible); Jack Drury, Harvard, ECAC (Carolina Hurricanes); Joel Farabee, Boston University, H-EAST (Philadelphia Flyers); Jonathan Gruden, Miami, NCHC (Ottawa Senators); Curtis Hall, Yale, ECAC (Boston Bruins); Jack Hughes, USA U-18, USHL (2019 draft eligible); Logan Hutsko, Boston College, H-EAST (Florida Panthers); Brandon Kruse, Bowling Green State, WCHA (Vegas Golden Knights); Ivan Lodnia, Erie, OHL (Minnesota Wild); Jacob McGrew, Spokane, WHL (San Jose Sharks); Grant Mismash, North Dakota, NCHC (Nashville Predators); Joshua Norris, Michigan, BIG10 (San Jose Sharks); Jay O'Brien, Providence, H-EAST (Philadelphia Flyers); Ryan Poehling, St. Cloud State, NCHC (Montreal Canadiens); Jason Robertson, Kingston, OHL (Dallas Stars); Brady Tkachuk, Boston University, H-EAST (Ottawa Senators); Oliver Wahlstrom, Boston College, H-EAST (New York Islanders); Jake Wise, Boston University, H-EAST (Chicago Blackhawks)
^- unable to participate because of illness/injury
CANADA
GOALIES:Michael DiPietro, Windsor, OHL (Vancouver Canucks); Olivier Rodrigue, Drummondville, QMJHL (Edmonton Oilers); Matthew Villalta, Sault. Ste. Marie, OHL (Los Angeles Kings); Matthew Welsh, Charlottetown, QMJHL (2019 draft eligible)
DEFENSEMEN:Calen Addison, Lethbridge, WHL (Pittsburgh Penguins); Kevin Bahl, Ottawa, OHL (Arizona Coyotes); Nicolas Beaudin, Drummondville, QMJHL (Chicago Blackhawks); Jacob Bernard-Docker, North Dakota, NCHC (Ottawa Senators); Evan Bouchard, London, OHL (Edmonton Oilers); ^Josh Brook, Moose Jaw, WHL (Montreal Canadiens); Noah Dobson, Acadie-Bathurst, QMJHL (New York Islanders); Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Charlottetown, QMJHL (Arizona Coyotes); Jared McIsaac, Halifax, QMJHL (Detroit Red Wings); Ian Mitchell, Denver, NCHC (Chicago Blackhawks); Markus Phillips, Owen Sound, OHL (Los Angeles Kings); Ty Smith, Spokane, WHL (New Jersey Devils); Jett Woo, Moose Jaw, WHL (Vancouver Canucks)
FORWARDS:^Justin Almeida, Moose Jaw, WHL (Pittsburgh Penguins); Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Spokane, WHL (Los Angeles Kings); ^Jordan Bellerive, Lethbridge, WHL (Pittsburgh Penguins); Shane Bowers, Boston University, H-EAST (Colorado Avalanche); Max Comtois, Drummondville, QMJHL (Anaheim Ducks); Ty Dellandrea, Flint, OHL (Dallas Stars); Connor Dewar, Everett, WHL (Minnesota Wild); MacKenzie Entwistle, Hamilton, OHL (Chicago Blackhawks); Alex Formenton, London, OHL (Ottawa Senators); Liam Foudy, London, OHL (Columbus Blue Jackets; Morgan Frost, Sault Ste. Marie, OHL (Philadelphia Flyers); Cody Glass, Portland, WHL (Vegas Golden Knights); Barrett Hayton, Sault Ste. Marie, OHL (Arizona Coyotes); Stelio Mattheos, Brandon, WHL (Carolina Hurricanes); Ryan McLeod, Mississauga, OHL (Edmonton Oilers); Antoine Morand, Halifax, QMJHL (Anaheim Ducks); Serron Noel, Oshawa, OHL (Florida Panthers); Michael Rasmussen, Tri-City, WHL (Detroit Red Wings); Isaac Ratcliffe, Guelph, OHL (Philadelphia Flyers); Jack Studnicka, Oshawa, OHL (Boston Bruins); Nick Suzuki, Owen Sound, OHL (Vegas Golden Knights); Joel Teasdale, Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL (2019 draft eligible); ^Robert Thomas, Hamilton, OHL (St. Louis Blues); Owen Tippett, Mississauga, OHL (Florida Panthers); Akil Thomas, Niagara, OHL (Los Angeles Kings); Joseph Veleno, Drummondville, QMJHL (Detroit Red Wings); Gabriel Vilardi, Kingston, OHL (Los Angeles Kings)
^- unable to participate because of illness/injury
SWEDEN
GOALIES: Adam Ahman, Oskarshamn, SWE-2 (2019 draft eligible); Samuel Ersson, Vasteras, SWE-2 (Philadelphia Flyers); Olle Eriksson Ek, Farjestad, SWE (Anaheim Ducks)
DEFENSEMEN:Adam Boqvist, London, OHL (Chicago Blackhawks); Adam Ginning, Linkoping, SWE (Philadelphia Flyers); Tom Hedberg, Modo, SWE-2 (2019 draft eligible); Simon Johansson, Djurgarden, SWE (Minnesota Wild); Nils Lundkvist, Lulea, SWE (New York Rangers); Rasmus Sandin, Rogle, SWE (Toronto Maple Leafs); Sebastian Walfridsson, Modo, SWE-2 (Washington Capitals); Filip Westerlund, Frolunda, SWE (Arizona Coyotes)
FORWARDS:Erik Aterius, Leksand, SWE-2 (2019 draft eligible); Oskar Back, Karlskoga, SWE-2 (Dallas Stars); Emil Bemstrom, Djurgarden, SWE (Columbus Blue Jackets); Jonatan Berggren, Skelleftea, SWE (Detroit Red Wings); Lucas Elvenes, Rogle, SWE (Vegas Golden Knights); David Gustafsson, HV 71, SWE (Winnipeg Jets); Filip Hallander, Timra, SWE (Pittsburgh Penguins); Rickard Hugg, Kitchener, OHL (2019 draft eligible); Linus Karlsson, Karlskrona, SWE-2 (San Jose Sharks); Isac Lundestrom, Lulea, SWE (Anaheim Ducks); Olle Lycksell, Linkoping, SWE (Philadelphia Flyers); Jacob Olofsson, Timra, SWE (Montreal Canadiens); Marcus Sylvegard, Malmo, SWE (2019 draft eligible); Fabian Zetterlund, Farjestad, SWE (New Jersey Devils)
FINLAND
GOALIES:Justus Annunen, Karpat, FIN (Colorado Avalanche); Lassi Lehtinen, Lukko, FIN (2019 draft eligible); Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, HPK, FIN (Buffalo Sabres)
DEFENSEMEN:Aleksi Anttalainen, Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL (2019 draft eligible); Anttoni Honka, JYP, FIN (2019 draft eligible); Bernard Isiguzo, TPS, FIN (2019 draft eligible); Henri Jokiharju, Portland, WHL (Chicago Blackhawks); Oskari Laaksonen, Ilves, FIN (Buffalo Sabres); Otto Latvala, HPK, FIN (2019 draft eligible); Eemeli Rasanen, Jokerit, RUS (Toronto Maple Leafs); Joona Riekkinen, Kalpa, FIN (2019 draft eligible); Santeri Salmela, Kookoo, FIN, (2019 draft eligible); Eero Teravainen, HIFK, FIN (2019 draft eligible); Toni Utunen, Tappara, FIN (Vancouver Canucks); Urho Vaakanainen, Providence, AHL (Boston Bruins); Saku Vesterinen, Kalpa, FIN (2019 draft eligible)
FORWARDS:Teemu Engberg, HIFK, FIN (2019 draft eligible); Janne Jokinen, HPK, FIN (2019 draft eligible); Kaapo Kakko, TPS, FIN (2019 draft eligible); Aleksi Klemetti, Kalpa Jr., FIN-JR (2019 draft eligible); Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Assat, FIN (Montreal Canadiens); Rasmus Kupari, Karpat, FIN (Los Angeles Kings); Olli Maansaari, HPK, FIN (2019 draft eligible); Sami Moilanen, Seattle, WHL (2019 draft eligible); Niklas Nordgren, HIFK, FIN (Chicago Blackhawks); Linus Nyman, Lukko, FIN (2019 draft eligible); Lauri Pajuniemi, TPS, FIN (New York Rangers); Sampo Ranta, Wisconsin, BIG10 (Colorado Avalanche); Erkka Seppala, HPK, FIN (2019 draft eligible); Aarne Talvitie, Penn State, BIG10 (New Jersey Devils); Kristian Vesalainen, Manitoba, AHL (Winnipeg Jets); Santeri Virtanen, Dubuque, USHL (Winnipeg Jets); Jesse Ylonen, Pelicans, FIN (Montreal Canadiens)
GAME SCHEDULE
JULY 30
United States Blue vs. Sweden, 7 p.m. ET
United States White vs. Finland, 10 p.m. ET
JULY 31
Sweden vs. Finland, 4 p.m. ET
Canada White vs. United States Blue, 7 p.m. ET
Canada Red vs. United States White, 10:30 p.m. ET
AUG. 2
United States vs. Sweden, 4 p.m. ET, NHLN, TSN
Canada vs. Finland, 9 p.m. ET, NHLN, TSN2
AUG. 3
United States vs. Finland, 4 p.m. ET, NHLN, TSN
Canada vs. Sweden, 9 p.m. ET, NHLN, TSN2
AUG. 4
Canada vs. United States, 5 p.m. ET, NHLN, TSN
Finland vs. Sweden, 8 p.m. ET, NHLN (TSN2 tape delay, 11 p.m. ET)
