Not surprisingly, the Montreal Canadiens’ Lane Hutson will be part of Team USA at the World Junior Hockey Championship.
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The United States squad was announced on Friday after training camp.
Despite being 18 and being selected in the 62nd season of the National Hockey League’s final draft, Hutson has become a must for the Rand Pecknold-led squad.
In his first season with the Boston University Terriers, the small offensive character is amazing. He was named NCAA Hockey East Most Outstanding Defenseman for the past two months.
In 16 games this season he has seven goals and 18 points.
Hutson should logically develop to the left of the second pair of defenders and on the second wave of numerical superiority as a certain Luke Hughes has also received Uncle Sam’s reputation.
The American team will have four players eligible for the next amateur auction at Bettman Circuit. Joining them are forwards Charlie Stramel and Gavin Brindley, goaltender Trey Augustine and defender Luke Mittelstadt.
Note that the United States roster includes 25 players eligible to take part in the tournament, but two of them will serve only as reserves in the event of injury.
With Hutson, the CH will be represented with six of their hopefuls at the tournament in Halifax and Moncton. Invited are Joshua Roy (Canada), Oliver Kapanen (Finland), Vinzenz Rohrer (Austria), Filip Mesar (Slovakia) and Adam Engstrom (Sweden).
Alignment of the United States
Guardian:
- Trey Augustine
- Kaiden Mbereko
- Andrew Oke
- Defender:
- Sean Behrens
- Seamus Casey
- Ryan Chesley
- Luke Hughes
- Lane Hutson
- Luke Mittelstadt
- Ryan Ufko
Forward:
- Jackson Blake
- Gavin Brindley
- Tyler Boucher
- Kenny Connors
- Logan Cooley
- Dylan Duke
- Tailor Gauthier
- Noah Laba
- Sam Lipkins
- Chaz Lucius
- Rutger McGroarty
- Redmond Savage
- Jimmy Snuggerud
- Charlie Stramel