Logan Cooley was one of four first-round picks of the NHL Draft selected on Sunday to represent the United States at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Cooley, a center and number 3 pick of the Arizona Coyotes in the 2022 NHL Draft, was second on the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under 18 team with 75 points (27 goals, 48 assists) in 51 games last season.
WJC 2022 will be held August 9-20 in Edmonton; each game will be televised on NHL Network in the US and on TSN and RDS in Canada. The tournament was originally scheduled for December 26-January. 5 in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta, but was postponed to December 29 due to coronavirus concerns.
“I think we just have to come together as a group, play as a team, and then I think the rest will take care of themselves,” Cooley said.
[RELATED: Junior World Championship Program | Preview Group A | Group B preview]
Other first-round NHL draft selections on the US roster include defender Luke Hughes (New Jersey Devils, # 4, NHL 2021 Draft) and forwards Mackie Samoskevich (Florida Panthers, # 24, 2021) and Matt Coronato ( Calgary Flames, no.13, 2021).
“It’s an honor to wear the jersey whenever you can,” said Hughes. “To go back there, obviously we won last year … going back and trying to defend is very important for USA Hockey and our country. I think it’s really exciting and we’ll do our best. Go game after game and we really are. enthusiastic as a team “.
Two players were excluded from the 25-man roster on Sunday: striker Frank Nazar (Chicago Blackhawks, # 13, 2022) and defender Aidan Hreschuk (Columbus Blue Jackets).
“We had a great week on the pitch followed by a couple of good pre-tournament games to help us finalize our roster,” said John Vanbiesbrouck, general manager of the US junior national team. “We had some places to fill since December and we have filled them well. These are difficult decisions, but we believe these are the 25 best players to reach our goal.”
The United States will try to win consecutive titles for the first time after beating Canada 2-0 in the 2021 championship match. Canada were the last team to do so, winning five straight wins in 2005-09.
There are four returning players on the roster of the team that won the WJC 2021: forwards Brett Berard (New York Rangers) and Landon Slaggert (Chicago Blackhawks) and defenders Tyler Kleven (Ottawa Senators) and Brock Faber (Minnesota Wild). Faber is the captain; Slaggert and Thomas Bordeleau (San Jose Sharks) will be alternate captains.
Striker Charlie Stramel, who is eligible for the 2023 NHL Draft, scored 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 26 games for the USA U18 squad last season.
Ten teams will take part in WJC 2022: Canada, Finland, Czechia, Slovakia and Latvia will play in Group A. The United States, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland and Austria will play in Group B.
Latvia was added to replace Russia, which was banned from international play due to the invasion of Ukraine.
GOALKEEPERS: Kaiden Mbereko, Lincoln, USHL (eligible for the 2023 draft); Andrew Oke, Saginaw, OHL (2023 draft eligible); Remington Keopple, Des Moines, USHL (2023 draft admissible)
DEFENSIONS: Sean Behrens, Denver, NCAA (Colorado Avalanche); Brock Faber, Minnesota, NCAA (wild); Luke Hughes, Michigan, NCAA (Devils); Wyatt Kaiser, Minnesota-Duluth, NCAA (Blackhawks); Tyler Kleven, North Dakota, NCAA (senators); Ian Moore, Harvard, NCAA (Anaheim Ducks); Jack Peart, St. Cloud State, NCAA (wild); Jacob Truscott, Michigan, NCAA (Vancouver Canucks)
FORWARD: Brett Berard, Providence, NCAA (Rangers); Thomas Bordeleau, Michigan, NCAA (sharks); Logan Cooley, Michigan, NCAA (Coyote); Matt Coronato, Harvard, NCAA (Flames); Riley Duran, Providence, NCAA (Boston Bruins); Dominic James, Minnesota-Duluth, NCAA (Blackhawks); Matthew Knies, Minnesota, NCAA (Toronto Maple Leafs); Carter Mazur, Denver, NCAA (Detroit Red Wings); Hunter McKown, Colorado, NCAA (2023 draft eligible); Sasha Pastujov, Guelph, OHL (ducks); Mackie Samoskevich, Michigan, NCAA (Panthers); Redmond Savage, Miami, NCAA (Red Wings); Landon Slaggert, Notre Dame, NCAA (Blackhawks); Charlie Stramel, USA U-18, NTDP (2023 project eligible)
