Tuesday, August 6, 2013

U.S. Junior Camp Narrows Roster

25 NCAA representatives from 14 schools remain among 31 at National Junior Evaluation Camp.

U.S. Junior Camp Narrows Roster
Wisconsin’s Nic Kerdiles is one of 12 players who were college freshmen last season remaining in camp (Photo by Larry Radloff).

USA Hockey narrowed its list of players in attendance at the 2013 National Junior Evaluation Camp to 31 Tuesday, 25 of whom are current or former college players representing 14 Division I programs.

Michigan and Minnesota each have four players among the remaining 31, including rising sophomores Brady Skjei (Minnesota), Andrew Copp (Michigan) and Cristoval Nieves (Michigan). In all, 12 of the remaining players played college hockey last season, while 13 will be freshmen in the fall.

USA Hockey Release | Full Roster

The remaining roster will play three games this week at the Olympic Center’s 1980 Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, N.Y.: vs. Sweden (Wed., Aug. 7), Finland (Thurs., Aug. 8) and Canada (Sat., Aug. 10). The Canadian roster features a pair of U.S. college players in Mark Jankowski (Providence) and Mike Matheson (Boston College).

The players are auditioning for a spot on their respective national junior teams that will take part in the 2014 World Junior Championship, Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Malmo, Sweden.

“As a staff, we have been happy with the players’ intensity and compete level,” said Wisconsin alum Jim Johansson, USA Hockey’s assistant executive director of hockey operations and the general manager of the 2014 U.S. National Junior Team. “The players released today will continue to be evaluated this fall for Team USA. For the players that are staying, the games this week will give us an opportunity to continue assessing them.”

Minnesota head coach Don Lucia is the head coach of the U.S. team, while Boston College assistant Greg Brown, St. Cloud State head coach Bob Motzko and Denver assistant David Lassonde are his assistant coaches. Yale assistant coach Dan Muse is the team’s video coach.

NCAA Players Remaining in U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp

Goaltenders
Thatcher Demko Boston College*
Jon Gillies Providence
Anthony Stolarz Nebraska-Omaha#
Denfese
Mike Brodzinski Minnesota*
Will Butcher Denver*
Connor Clifton Quinnipiac*
Matt Grzelcyk Boston University
Ian McCoshen Boston College*
Brett Pesce New Hampshire
Steve Santini Boston College*
Brady Skjei Minnesota
Forwards
Riley Barber Miami
Taylor Cammarata Minnesota*
J.T. Compher Michigan*
Andrew Copp Michigan
Thomas DiPauli Notre Dame
Hudson Fasching Minnesota*
Jake Guentzel Nebraska-Omaha*
Nic Kerdiles Wisconsin
Tyler Motte Michigan*
Cristoval Nieves Michigan
Dan O’Regan Boston University
Quentin Shore Denver
Zach Stepan Minnesota State*
Dominic Toninato Minnesota Duluth*

* Enrolling this fall
# Has left school