Six Terriers Set to Skate at World Junior Summer Showcase

Six members of the Boston University men’s ice hockey team have been invited to skate for their country at the 2024 World Junior Summer Showcase, which will take place July 26-Aug. 3 at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan.

Rising sophomore Tom Willander will skate for Sweden while rising sophomore Gavin McCarthy will join incoming freshmen Kamil Bednarik, Cole Eiserman, Cole Hutson and Brandon Svoboda on the United States’ roster. The annual event serves as an evaluation for athletes seeking to make their respective national teams for the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, which will be held Dec. 26, 2024, through Jan. 5, 2025, in Ottawa, Ontario. 

Both McCarthy and Willander were excellent in their rookie seasons with the Terriers. McCarthy was a plus-12 after recording five points on one goal and four assists. Willander, who won silver with Sweden at the 2024 World Junior Championship, was named a Hockey East Second Team All-Star and a New England Division I All-Star after finishing his debut campaign as a plus-28, scoring four goals and adding 21 assists for 25 points.

Svoboda is a two-time USHL Clark Cup champion, including this season with the Fargo Force. A third-round draft pick of the San Jose Sharks in 2023, Svoboda totaled 29 goals and 18 assists for 47 points in 102 USHL regular-season games.

Bednarik, Eiserman and Hutson were teammates on the U.S. National Under-18 Team this past season, with the trio winning silver at the 2024 World Under-18 Championship. Bednarik recorded 65 points (26g, 39a) in 61 games for Team USA this past season. Eiserman totaled 58 goals and 31 assists for 89 points in 57 games this past year en route to setting the NTDP record for career goals (127). Hutson set an NTDP record for career points by a defenseman with 119 (25g, 94a), including 51 points (15g, 36a) in 51 games in 2023-24. All three are expected to be selected in next week’s NHL Draft.