Dean Blais, coach of the U.S. team in the World Junior Championships, said Thursday he was real excited for the 10-team tournament in Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta, to start.
He and his staff cut the roster of the team down from 27 to 22 on Thursday morning. By position there are two goalies -- although three are listed -- seven defensemen and 13 forwards. There were 29 players invited, but the Carolina Hurricanes didn't allow defenseman Justin Faulk to join the team and Seth Jones, another defenseman, suffered an upper body injury in the U.S. team's 6-3 exhibition loss to Russia.
There are actually 23 names listed, but Cornell sophomore Andy Iles, the emergency goalie, is not at the pre-tournament camp and won't be at the World Junior Championships unless one of the top two goalies is injured.
That should clear up any confusion on why 23 names are listed a 22-player roster..
Blais, the coach at Nebraska Omaha, has an experienced staff with Scott Sandelin, coach of defending NCAA champion Minnesota Duluth and Tom Ward, director of hockey at Shattuck St. Mary's, and Joe Exter, an assistant at Ohio State who works with the goalies, as his assistants.
The U.S. team has a third and final exhibition game on Friday against Slovakia and then is off until Monday when it faces Denmark in its first game in the World Junior Championships.
"Everyone looks in good physical condition," said Blais, adding that the talent level keeps improving. "Fifteen years ago, we hoped to get to the medal round, and now we expect it."
