With the World Junior Championships just a few weeks away, the USA has announced their preliminary roster for the tournament. The 27 players will be cut down to 23 in time for the first matchup that starts December 26th with a game against Latvia at the Air Canada Center in Toronto. The initial roster is as follows:
F Luke Kunin (MIN, 15th overall 2016)
F Tanner Laczynski (PHI, 169th overall 2016)
F Patrick Harper (NSH, 138th overall 2016)
F Jordan Greenway (MIN, 50th overall 2015)
F Joey Anderson (NJD, 73rd overall 2016)
F Erik Foley (WPG, 78th overall 2015)
F Brock Boeser (VAN, 23rd overall 2015)
F Jeremy Bracco (TOR, 61st overall 2015)
F Colin White (OTT, 21st overall 2015)
F Clayton Keller (ARI, 7th overall 2016)
F Troy Terry (ANA, 148th overall 2015)
F Logan Brown (OTT, 11th overall 2016)
F Kieffer Bellows (NYI, 19th overall 2016)
F Alex DeBrincat (CHI, 39th overall 2016)
F Jack Roslovic (WPG, 25th overall 2015)
F Tage Thompson (STL, 26th overall 2016)
D Ryan Lindgren (BOS, 49th overall 2016)
D Jack Ahcan (2017 eligible)
D Caleb Jones (EDM, 117th overall 2015)
D Chad Krys (CHI, 45th overall 2016)
D Casey Fitzgerald (BUF, 86th overall 2016)
D Adam Fox (CGY, 66th overall 2016)
D Charlie McAvoy (BOS, 14th overall 2016)
D Joe Cecconi (DAL, 133rd overall 2015)
G Tyler Parsons (CGY, 54th overall 2016)
G Jake Oettinger (2017 eligible)
G Joseph Woll (TOR, 62nd overall 2016)
The first exhibition match for the team will be on December 21st when they take on Switzerland in Oshawa, Ontario. The US team is coming off a bronze medal finish in 2016 and looking to climb back onto the podium before hosting the tournament in 2018 (Buffalo).
Bob McKenzie of TSN gave us a look at both Team Sweden and Team Finland, while Team Canada announced a few days ago.