Tuesday, August 5, 2014

U.S. Trims Evaluation Camp Roster

20 NCAA players or recruits among those remaining in Lake Placid at National Junior Evaluation Camp.


U.S. Trims Evaluation Camp Roster
Michael Downing is among five Wolverines who remain at USA Hockey’s National Junior Evaluation Camp (Photo by Larry Radloff).

Twenty players representing 11 NCAA schools are among the 27 remaining at the USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp. That group will face the Czech Republic, Finland and Sweden the rest of this week in Lake Placid, N.Y., as evaluations continue for the U.S. National Junior Team that will compete in the 2015 World Junior Championship.

USA Hockey Announcement

Five current or future Michigan players are among those 20, led by sophomores J.T. Compher, Michael Downing and Tyler Motte. Boston College (four), Miami (two) and Minnesota (two) also have multiple representatives remaining in camp. Another BC player, sophomore Ian McCoshen, will no longer be participating in this week’s camp for precautionary reasons.

The remaining U.S. players will face Sweden on Wednesday, Finland on Thursday and the Czech Republic on Saturday. Those teams include at least three future NCAA players: Sweden’s Leon Bristedt (Minnesota) and Finland’s Erik Autio (Penn State) and Mika Ilvonen (St. Cloud State).

“As a staff, we have been very pleased with the effort and competitiveness of the 42 players in camp,” said former Wisconsin star Jim Johansson, USA Hockey’s assistant executive director of hockey operations and the general manager of the 2015 U.S. National Junior Team. “The three remaining games this week provide an opportunity for additional assessment of the players who are staying. We will continue to evaluate the players released today throughout the fall.”

NCAA Players at National Junior Evaluation Camps

United States
Louie Belpedio Miami
Anders Bjork Notre Dame
Will Butcher Denver
Ryan Collins Minnesota
J.T. Compher Michigan
Kyle Connor Michigan
Thatcher Demko Boston College
Jack Dougherty Wisconsin
Michael Downing Michigan
Jack Eichel Boston University
Hudson Fasching Minnesota
Anthony Florentino Providence
John Hayden Yale
Dylan Larkin Michigan
Anthony Louis Miami
Auston Matthews Uncommitted
Sonny Milano Boston College
Tyler Motte Michigan
Steve Santini Boston College
Nick Schmaltz North Dakota
Alex Tuch Boston College
Finland
Erik Autio Penn State
Mika Ilvonen St. Cloud State
Sweden
Leon Bristedt Minnesota