The International Ice Hockey Federation has ruled U.S. national junior yeam candidate Stefan Noesen of Plano, Texas, ineligible for the 2013 World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia.
Noesen, who plays for the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League, was suspended for 10 games by the OHL for a hit in a game on Dec. 8. The IIHF recognizes suspensions from certified leagues in member federations. There will be seven games left in Noesen's suspension going into the IIHF World Junior Championship.
"We don't feel the process is equitable," said Dave Ogrean, executive director of USA Hockey. "Moving forward, we'll work with the IIHF and other federations to address the situation."
The IIHF World Junior Championship features the top men's ice hockey players in the world under age 20. It is one of the top events on the world hockey calendar.
The 10 participating nations this year are Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.
The U.S. team has earned a medal in two of the last three IIHF World Junior Championships, winning gold in 2010 and bronze in 2011.
