The 2020 U.S. National Junior Team will be vying for a fifth consecutive medal when it takes to the ice next December in the Czech Republic at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Next year’s edition will be look vastly different from this year’s team that earned a Silver Medal in Vancouver. Of the 23 rostered players that lost to Finland in the Gold Medal game, 16 were born in 1999, meaning they’ll be too old to play in 2020.
Then, there’s the issue of whether or not Jack Hughes or Oliver Wahlstrom will be in the NHL next season. Hughes is the likely first overall pick at the 2019 NHL Draft in Vancouver. Depending on which NHL team drafts him, there’s a high likelihood he will be a full-time player in the NHL.Â
Wahlstrom clearly wants to move on from Boston College and begin his pro career, but whether or not he can play at the pace necessary to succeed at the game’s highest level is right now is still up for debate.
With that being said, there are five players from the 2019 team that will almost certainly be back in 2020. They are Harvard center Jack Drury, Boston University left wing Joel Farabee, U.S. NTDP U-18 goaltender and Darien, Conn., native Spencer Knight (read the NEHJ cover story on Knight), Wisconsin defenseman K’Andre Miller, and Western Michigan defenseman Mattias Samuelsson.
There’s a lot of time between now and next December when the roster will have to be finalized, but here’s my early prognostication, assuming Hughes and Wahlstrom both are playing.
Forwards
’00 Oliver Wahlstrom, RW, Boston College
’00 Jack Drury, C, Harvard
’00 Joel Farabee, LW, Boston University
’00 Shane Pinto, C, Lincoln Stars (North Dakota)
’01 Jack Hughes, C, U.S. NTDP U-18
’01 Trevor Zegras, U.S. NTDP U-18 (Boston University)
’01 Bobby Brink, RW, Sioux City Musketeers (Denver)
’01 Matt Boldy, LW, U.S. NTDP U-18 (Boston College)
’01 Alex Turcotte, C, U.S. NTDP U-18 (Wisconsin)
’01 Cole Caufield, RW, U.S. NTDP U-18 (Wisconsin)
’01 Ryder Rolston, RW, U.S. NTDP U-18 (Notre Dame)
’01 Arthur Kaliyev, LW, Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
’01 Sam Colangelo, RW, Lawrence Academy (Northeastern)
Obviously, the forward group will be significantly more explosive offensively if Hughes and Wahlstrom return. Kaliyev and Colangelo (Stoneham, Mass.) would provide the U.S. with lethal goal-scoring ability, despite both players being having their limitations away from the puck. There are plenty of options up the middle with Drury being a reliable bottom six center. If Hughes and Wahlstrom aren’t available due to playing full-time in the NHL, Chicago Steel ’01 center Robert Mastrosimone and Minnesota ’01 left wing Blake McLaughlin would seem to be obvious choices for next man up.
The only issue with this group of forwards is that it lacks a lot of true bottom six type players outside of Drury. Adding U.S. NTDP U-18 wing Patrick Moynihan (Millis, Mass.) could alleviate some of that concern.
Defensemen
’00 Mattias Samuelsson, LD, Western Michigan
’00 K’Andre Miller, LD, Wisconsin
’00 Ty Emberson, RD, Wisconsin
’00 Jordan Harris, LD, Northeastern
’00 Stanislav Demin, LD, Denver
’00 Alec Regula, RD, London Knights (OHL)
’01 Cam York, LD, U.S. NTDP U-18 (Michigan)
This defensive group will have plenty of size and would be on the older side with just one ’01. York and Miller would be the most adept at providing that two-way ability. USA Hockey and Saginaw Spirit ’00 defenseman Bode Wilde have seemingly had a falling out, but he’d provide another option from the right side. Otherwise, the U.S. would be left-shot leaning.
Goaltenders
’00 Isaiah Saville, Tri-City Storm (Nebraska-Omaha)
’00 Drew DeRidder, Michigan State
’01 Spencer Knight, U.S. NTDP U-18 (Boston College)
Knight is the only returning goaltender from this year’s team. He obviously didn’t play with Cayden Primeau taking charge. However, he’s considered a first round talent and could be a difference maker for the U.S. in 2020. DeRidder is a viable backup. He's on the smaller side, but he consistently stops pucks. Saville is having a terrific year in Tri-City of the USHL.
