Plymouth — At long last, it’s time for the IIHF World Junior Championship.
Several Detroit Red Wings and University of Michigan prospects will be wearing the red, white and blue, as Team USA on Monday announced its preliminary roster for the 2022 event, which is set to be held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada from Aug. 9-20.
Wings prospects Shai Buium (University of Denver), Carter Mazur (Denver) and Red Savage (Miami of Ohio) all made the 27-man preliminary roster. Wolverine standouts Luke Hughes, Jacob Truscott, Mackie Samoskevich and Frank Nazar, as well as former Michigan forward Thomas Bordeleau, also made the cut.
“It’s an honor to come here and try to make a team to represent your country,” Buium told The Detroit News last week. “Everyone wants to do that all over the world. So for me, I just don’t want to take it for granted. I’m here to make the most of it.”
The team will carry 27 players as it makes the trip to Edmonton before whittling down the roster to 25, following a pair of pre-tournament games on Friday and Saturday.
The Americans, which upset a Canadian team dubbed by many to be the best ever in 2021, are still defending champions at the tournament. This year’s event was originally scheduled for its regular slot in late December 2021 through January, but the tournament was postponed on Dec. 29 when several teams were forced to forfeit games due to positive COVID-19 tests.
Team USA 2022 WJC roster
► Forwards: Brett Berard, Thomas Bordeleau, Logan Cooley, Matt Coronato, Riley Duran, Dominic James, Matt Knies, Carter Mazur, Hunter McKown, Frank Nazar, Sasha Pastujov, Mackie Samoskevich, Red Savage, Landon Slaggert, Charlie Stramel
► Defensemen: Sean Behrens, Brock Faber, Aidan Hreschuk, Luke Hughes, Wyatt Kaiser, Tyler Kleven, Ian Moore, Jack Peart, Jacob Truscott
► Goaltenders: Remington Koepple, Kaidan Mbereko, Andrew Oke
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Twitter: @nolanbianchi