USA Names First 18 Players To World Championship Roster

USA
Hockey has named the first 18 players to its roster at the 2025 IIHF
World Championship, which runs from May 9 to 25 in Stockholm, Sweden
and Herning Denmark. The USA plays in Group B
in Herning.

The
team so far includes 17 players from NHL teams that missed the
Stanley Cup playoffs and one – goaltender Hampton Slukynsky –
from Western Michigan University.

Three
players have been named from each the Boston
Bruins and Utah HC,
two
each from the Anaheim
Ducks, Chicago
Blackhawks, Nashville
Predators, Seattle
Kraken and Vancouver
Canucks and one from the Buffalo
Sabres.

Unlike
past seasons, no current
AHL players have
been chosen and
only one – Chicago’s Frank Nazar – spent any time in the league
this season.
The
USA might start the tournament with this roster but more players will
likely be named as teams start getting eliminated from the playoffs.

The
head coach of the team is Ryan Warsofsky from the San
Jose Sharks. His
assistants are Kevin Dean, Adam Nightingale and Mike Vellucci. The
team’s director of hockey operations is former NHL goaltender John
Vanbiesbrouck.

Five Swedish NHLers (So Far) Say Yes To World Championship At Home

Five players have so far confirmed their spots on the Swedish roster
for this year’s IIHF World Championship, which
the Swedes will co-host with Denmark at the
newly-renovated Avicii Arena in Stockholm.

While
the USA has not won a standalone World Championship since 1933, this
roster includes many players that have had success at the World
Junior and U-18 World levels.

Goaltenders (3):
Joey
Daccord (Seattle, NHL), Jeremy Swayman (Boston,
NHL), Hampton Slukynsky (Western Michigan University,
NCAA).

Defensemen (6): Michael
Kesselring (Utah,
NHL), Jackson
LaCombe (Anaheim,
NHL), Andrew
Peeke, Mason
Lohrei (both
Boston, NHL), Brady
Skjei (Nashville,
NHL), Alex
Vlasic (Chicago,
NHL).

Forwards (9): Matty
Beniers (Seattle,
NHL), Clayton
Keller, Logan
Cooley (both
Utah, NHL), Drew
O’Connor, Conor
Garland (both
Vancouver, NHL), Cutter
Gauthier (Anaheim,
NHL), Michael
McCarron (Nashville,
NHL), Frank
Nazar (Chicago,
NHL), Tage
Thompson (Buffalo,
NHL).

Brady Tkachuk: "I don't think anyone can get under my skin"In the third game for each team, Slovakia built up a 4-1 lead after two periods but the USA stormed back with three straight in the third to force overtime. Miloš Kelemen, who had opened the scoring in the fourth minute, ended it in overtime to claim two points for Slovakia. However, the late comeback allowed the Americans to get one. They now have four points after three games but have the group’s toughest opponents now seemingly out of the way.


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