2009 U.S. National Junior Team Roster Announced

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - USA Hockey today announced the 22-player roster for its 2009 U.S. National Junior Team. The squad will participate at the 2009 International Ice Hockey Federation World Under-20 Championship, commonly referred to as the World Junior Championship, in Ottawa, Ontario, Dec. 26, 2008-Jan. 5, 2009.

Among the 13 forwards on the roster, four played for the 2008 U.S. National Junior Team that finished fourth at the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship in Pardubice and Liberec, Czech Republic. They include Matt Rust (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Univ. of Michigan), Jordan Schroeder (Prior Lake, Minn./Univ. of Minnesota),James van Riemsdyk (Middletown, N.J./Univ. of New Hampshire) and Colin Wilson (Greenwich, Conn./Boston University).

Wilson, who was selected seventh overall in the 2008 National Hockey League Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators, currently ranks second in NCAA I in points per game (1.54) and leads Boston University with 20 points (7-13) in 13 contests. Schroeder and van Riemsdyk, who was selected second overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers and was a member of the 2007 U.S. National Junior Team that won a bronze medal at the 2007 IIHF World Junior Championship in Leksand and Mora, Sweden, are tied for 11th nationally in points per game at 1.36.

The seven-man defense is highlighted by three returnees from the 2008 U.S. National Junior Team including Jonathon Blum (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif./Vancouver Giants), Ian Cole (Ann Arbor, Mich./Univ. of Notre Dame) and Cade Fairchild (Duluth, Minn./Univ. of Minnesota).

Blum leads all Western Hockey League defensemen with 34 points (13-21) in 22 games, while Fairchild's 12 points (2-10) through 14 games tops all University of Minnesota defensemen.

Minding the nets for Team USA will be Thomas McCollum (Sanborn, N.Y./Guelph Storm) and Josh Unice (Holland, Ohio/Kitchener Rangers). McCollum ranks second in the Ontario Hockey League with a .924 save percentage and 2.29 goals-against average through 24 games. Unice, who helped Team USA to the silver medal at the 2007 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, has appeared in 12 games for the Kitchener Rangers and posted an .891 save percentage.

NOTES: Ron Rolston (Ann Arbor, Mich.), head coach of the U.S. National Under-18 Team within USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, will serve as head coach of the 2009 U.S. National Junior Team. Nate Leaman (Clifton Park, N.Y./Union College) and P.K. O'Handley (Waterloo, Iowa/Waterloo Black Hawks) will serve as assistant coaches, while Jeff Blashill (Indianapolis, Ind./Indiana Ice) will serve as the goaltending coach ... The NHL Network will broadcast live all Team USA games in the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship ... Team USA finished fourth at the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship and has played for a medal in the event each of the last six years ... Schroeder, born Sept. 29, 1990, is the youngest member of Team USA, while Fairchild, born Jan. 15, 1989, is the oldest ... The United States will play two pre-tournament games prior to the 2009 World Junior Championship, including December 21 against Latvia and December 23 against Russia in Kingston, Ontario ... The University of Minnesota leads all NCAA teams with three players on the 2009 U.S. National Junior Team ... A total of five players currently play in the Hockey East Association, four play in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and four compete in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association ... Thirteen members of the 2008 U.S. National Junior Team spent time with USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, including Cole, Fairchild, Jimmy Hayes, Mike Hoeffel, Danny Kristo, Jim O'Brien, Rust, Teddy Ruth, Schroeder, Kevin Shattenkirk, Unice, van Riemsdyk and Wilson ... Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie, Minn.), a member of the Omaha Lancers, is the only member of the 2009 U.S. National Junior Team that is currently playing for a United States Hockey League team, however, three other players have formerly played in the USHL, including Aaron Palushaj (Des Moines), Blake Kessel (Waterloo) and Jimmy Hayes (Lincoln). The USHL is the only Tier I junior league in the United States ... The 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship will feature the best athletes under the age of 20 on international teams including the United States, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Russia, Slovakia and Sweden ... Linesman David Brown (Wall Township, N.J.) and referee Robert Ritchie (Scott Plains, N.J.) are the two officials from the United States who have been selected by the IIHF to officiate the 2009 World Junior Championship.

Team USA 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship Schedule
Dec. 26-Jan. 5

• Ottawa, Ontario

*exhibition

Venue Locations: K-Rock Centre (Kingston, Ontario), SBP (Scotia Bank Place) Arena (Ottawa, Ontario).