Robertson, Caufield headline USA's preliminary WJHC roster
The United States announced its preliminary roster for the 2021 world juniors on Monday.
The 29 selected players - 10 returnees from the 2020 squad - will convene in Plymouth, Michigan, for training camp beginning Dec. 6. The tournament starts Christmas Day in Edmonton.
"We have a talented group and we'll have some tough decisions to make," general manager John Vanbiesbrouck said. "We continue to benefit from a deep player pool, and that's credit to all of the organizations and volunteers developing the next wave of American talent."
Forwards| Player | NHL rights |
|---|---|
| John Beecher | Bruins |
| Matthew Beniers | 2021 draft eligible |
| Brett Berard | Rangers |
| Matthew Boldy | Wild |
| Thomas Bordeleau | Sharks |
| Bobby Brink | Flyers |
| Brendan Brisson | Golden Knights |
| Cole Caufield | Canadiens |
| Sam Colangelo | Ducks |
| John Farinacci | Coyotes |
| Arthur Kaliyev | Kings |
| Robert Mastrosimone | Red Wings |
| Patrick Moynihan | Devils |
| Nick Robertson | Maple Leafs |
| Landon Slaggert | Blackhawks |
| Alex Turcotte | Kings |
| Trevor Zegras | Ducks |
The United States have plenty of first-round talent up front; the group is headlined by blue-chip prospects Robertson, Caufield, and Turcotte. Zegras is another player to watch, as he led the club in scoring at last year's tournament with nine assists in five games.
Defense| Player | NHL rights |
|---|---|
| Brock Faber | Kings |
| Drew Helleson | Avalanche |
| Ryan Johnson | Sabres |
| Jackson LaCombe | Ducks |
| Cam McDonald | N/A |
| Jake Sanderson | Senators |
| Henry Thrun | Ducks |
| Alex Vlasic | Blackhawks |
| Cam York | Flyers |
The American defensive corps is also ripe with promising prospects, primarily Sandersson - the fifth overall pick in 2020 - as well as York, and Thrun.
Goalies| Player | NHL rights |
|---|---|
| Drew Commesso | Blackhawks |
| Spencer Knight | Panthers |
| Dustin Wolf | Flames |
USA's greatest strength may be in goal. Knight posted a .931 save percentage in 33 games at Boston College last season and is expected to take the No. 1 spot. Meanwhile, Wolf won CHL Goaltender of the Year in 2020 after a dominant campaign with the Everett Silvertips that saw him post a 34-10-2 record along with a .935 clip and 1.88 goals-against average.
The United States is coming off a disappointing sixth-place finish at last year's event in Ostrava, Czech Republic. USA's quest for redemption starts on Christmas with a heavyweight tilt versus Russia.
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