Final 2018 U.S. National Junior Team Roster Announced

BUFFALO, N.Y. — USA Hockey today announced the final 23-player roster for the 2018 U.S. National Junior Team that will compete in the 2018 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in Buffalo, New York, from Dec. 26, 2017 - Jan. 5, 2018.

The final player roster is below:

FORWARDS

Joey Anderson
Kieffer Bellowa
Logan Brown
Trenr Frederic
Patrick Harper
Max Jones
Will Lockwood
Casey Mittelstadt
Josh Norris
Ryab Poehling
Brady Tkachuk
Riley Tufte
Kailer Yamamoto

DEFENSEMEN

Mikey Anderson
Adam Fox
Quinn Hughes
Ryab Lindgren
Andrew Peeke
Scott Perunovich
Dylan Samberg

GOALTENDERS

Jame Oettinger
Jeremy Swayman
Joseph Woll

"We're excited about these 23 players that will represent the United States on home ice in Buffalo," said Jim Johannson, general manager of the 2018 U.S. National Junior Team and also the assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey. "With depth at every position, the decisions we made today were very difficult and that is a credit to development of talent throughout the country. Our players and staff are excited to be in Buffalo and for the tournament to get underway."

The final roster features three goaltenders, seven defensemen and 13 forwards. Of the 23 players named to the roster, 16 have previously represented the United States in IIHF tournament play, including seven who skated for the gold medal-winning 2017 U.S. National Junior Team last year. Additionally, five players helped the U.S. earn a gold medal as a member of the 2017 U.S. Under-18 Men's National Team while 11 players skated for the 2016 U.S. Under-18 Men's National Team that earned a bronze medal last year.

In addition, forward Kieffer Bellows (Edina, Minn./Portland Winterhawks) and defensemen Adam Fox (Jericho, N.Y./Harvard University) and Ryan Lindgren (Minneapolis, Minn./University of Minnesota) have been tabbed alternate captains of the squad. Forward Joey Anderson (Roseville, Minn./University of Minnesota Duluth) was named captain of the 2018 U.S. National Junior Team on Dec. 18.

"We're excited about our veteran leadership group here in Buffalo," said Bob Motzko, head coach of the 2018 U.S. National Junior Team. "Joey, Kieffer, Ryan and Adam have the respect of everybody in the room and we have complete confidence that they can lead this group of players to a gold medal here on home ice."

Bellows, Fox and Lindgren were all members of last year's U.S. National Junior Team that captured the gold medal at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship in Montreal and Toronto, Canada. Additionally, Lindgren was captain for the bronze medal-winning 2016 U.S. Under-18 Men's National Team that competed in the IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship in Grand Forks, North Dakota while Bellows and Fox will be serving as alternate captains on a U.S. team for the first time.

Team USA will begin play in the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship next Tuesday, Dec. 26, against Denmark. Puck drop is set for 8:00 p.m. ET and can be seen live on NHL Network.

NOTES: The U.S. National Junior Team released defenseman Phil Kemp (Greenwich, Conn./Yale University) and forwards Jack Badini (Old Greenwich, Conn./Harvard University) and Hugh McGing (Chicago, Ill./Western Michigan University) ... The final 23-player roster consists of eight states, including Minnesota (10), Missouri (4), Michigan (3), Florida (2), Alaska (1), Connecticut (1), New York (1) and Washington (1) ... The U.S. will play in the first ever outdoor game in tournament history when it takes on Canada at New Era Field on Dec. 29, 2017. Tickets for that game, as well as all other tournament games, are available here ... Jim Johannson (Colorado Springs, Colo.) is serving as the general manager of Team USA for the ninth consecutive year ... Bob Motzko (St. Cloud, Minn.) is serving as head coach for the 2018 U.S. National Junior Team and joined behind the bench by assistant coaches Greg Brown (Scituate, Mass.), Grant Potulny (Grand Forks, N.D.), Kris Mayotte (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Steve Miller (Littleton, Colo.) ... USA Hockey’s international council, chaired by Gavin Regan (Potsdam, N.Y.), vice president of USA Hockey, has oversight responsibilities for all U.S. national teams ... All U.S. games will be broadcast live on NHL Network.