(Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
U.S. world junior preliminary roster features Gophers' Ryan Johnson, three Minnesotans
Denver's Bobby Brink, Wisconsin's K'Andre Miller and Notre Dame's Trevor Janicke also made the 28-player roster, which participate in a training camp Dec. 16-17.
December 9, 2019 at 10:08PM
Four players with Minnesota ties -- Gophers defenseman Ryan Johnson, Denver forward Bobby Brink of Minnetonka, Wisconsin defenseman K'Andre Miller of Minnetonka and Notre Dame forward Trevor Janicke of Maple Grove -- were among 28 players named Monday to the preliminary roster for the U.S. national junior team that will play in the World Junior Championship from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in the Czech Republic.
The U.S. team, which is coached by Minnesota Duluth's Scott Sandelin and features St. Cloud State's Brett Larson as an assistant coach, will participate in a training camp on Dec. 16-17 in Plymouth, Mich., where the staff will trim the roster to 23 players. "I know Scott Sandelin and his staff are excited to bring these players together at camp as we begin the challenge of creating a final roster that will give us the best chance to bring home a gold medal," John Vanbiesbrouck, the team's general manager, said in a statement.
Twenty-three of the players on the preliminary roster are playing college hockey. Wisconsin has the most, with forwards Cole Caufield and Alex Turcotte and defenseman Ty Emberson joining Miller.
The U.S. team will try to add to its four-year medal streak in the premier tournament for players born in 2000 or later. The Americans won the gold medal in 2017 under coach Bob Motzko, earned bronze in 2016 and 2018, and won sliver in 2019.
The complete roster can be found here.
In addition, Gophers forward Sampo Ranta has been invited to Finland's world junior training camp.
The 39-year-old was a standout player at Grand Rapids and with the Gophers, and won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2009.
