College Hockey Inc.
Hendricks Wears 'C' for USA Hockey
Former St. Cloud State star leads U.S. into World Championship.

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Matt Hendricks was a co-captain at St. Cloud State as a senior.

On a roster filled with talented current and former NCAA stars, outsiders may not see Matt Hendricks as an obvious choice as team captain.

But players in the NHL and executives at USA Hockey have learned what people at St. Cloud State found out in the early 2000s - Hendricks is a tremendous leader. He's wearing the 'C' for the U.S., which began play Friday with a 5-1 win against Finland.

USA Hockey: U.S. 5, Finland 1 | U.S. Schedule

Hendricks' leadership extended to the ice as well, where he had two goals and an assist in the first game.

"I didn't coach Matt, but I have gotten to know him as he has returned to campus the past few years for golf tournaments, or just to visit," current Husky head coach Bob Motzko said.

"He oozes character from the moment you meet him, and it's clear that he's a terrific young leader. It's pretty impressive that he's thought of that highly at that level and we, as a program, couldn't be prouder of Matt's success."

Hendricks, 33, is on his fourth NHL team, now in Edmonton. He captains a young U.S. team at the World Championship in the Czech Republic, one that includes five current NCAA players. One of those five - Michigan's Nick Larkin - had an assist Friday on Hendricks's second goal.

Current and Former NCAA Players on Team USA

Player Current Team NCAA Team
Mark Arcobello Arizona Coyotes Yale
Nick Bonino Vancouver Canucks Boston University
Jack Eichel Boston University Boston University
Justin Faulk Carolina Hurricanes Minnesota Duluth
Jake Gardiner Toronto Maple Leafs Wisconsin
Connor Hellebuyck St. John's (AHL) UMass Lowell
Matt Hendricks Edmonton Oilers St. Cloud State
Torey Krug Boston Bruins Michigan State
Dylan Larkin U. of Michigan Michigan
Anders Lee NY Islanders Notre Dame
Alex Lyon Yale U. Yale
Steve Moses Jokerit (KHL) New Hampshire
Brock Nelson NY Islanders North Dakota
Zach Redmond Colorado Avalanche Ferris State
Mike Reilly U. of Minnesota Minnesota
Dan Sexton Nizhmekansk (KHL) Bowling Green
Ben Smith San Jose Sharks Boston College
Jimmy Vesey Harvard U. Harvard