CHN Staff Report
USA Hockey announced the names of 29 players selected for this year’s World Junior Championships roster, including seven current Boston College players.
Of the 29, only three are currently playing in Major Junior, and one is on the U.S. Under-18 team, James Hagens, a forward who is also committed to Boston College. Left off was Boston University recruit Cole Eiserman, who many project to go in the top five of next year’s NHL Draft. He’s only playing for the Under-18 team, which he leads in goals; Hagens is second on the team in goals.
The players will gather for training camp in Plymouth, Mich., Dec. 14-16, where the team will be whittled to the final 25. The World Junior tourmament takes place this year Dec. 26 – Jan. 5 in Gothenburg, Sweden.
The 10 defensemen include BC freshmen Aram Minnetian and Drew Fortescue, Minnesota’s Sam Rinzel and Ryan Chesley, and Lane Hutson (BU), Zeei Buium (Denver), Jake Livanavage (North Dakota), Eric Pohlkamp (Bemidji State), Patrick Geary (Michigan State) and Seamus Casey (Michigan).
Among the 16 forwards are BC’s all-freshman unit of Will Smith, Gabe Perrault and Ryan Leonard, all of whom were taken in the first round in last year’s NHL Draft; plus BC’s top goal scorer Cutter Gauthier, a sophomore. Michigan is represented by three sophomores — Frank Nazar, Gavin Brindley and Rutger McGroarty, who was recently injured and is expected to miss the tournament. Among the others are two from Minnesota — Jimmy Snuggerud and Oliver Moore; two from Wisconsin — William Whitelaw and Quinn Finley; plus Isaac Howard (Michigan State), and Danny Nelson (Notre Dame).
In goal, Trey Augustine of Michigan State and Jacob Fowler of Boston College were selected. They were the two highest goalies selected in last year’s NHL Draft, and as freshmen, both have played almost exclusively for their team’s so far.
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