The United States will look to defend its title when the world junior hockey championship begins on Thursday in Ottawa.
The Americans are bringing 10 players from that championship team to this year’s tournament, which features the world’s best under-20 players, including drafted and draft-eligible NHL prospects.
The 25-player U.S. team (14 forwards, eight defenseman and three goaltenders) features six NHL first-round picks, eight second-round picks and eight others drafted in other rounds. Twenty-two of the players are on college hockey teams.
The USA is in Group A with Canada, Finland, Germany and Latvia. Group B features Czechia, Kazakhstan, Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland.
Here’s what to know about the Dec. 26-Jan. 5 world junior championships:
How can I watch the world junior championships?
The games will be aired on NHL Network in the United States and on TSN in Canada.
World junior championships Team USA roster
Goaltenders
Number, player, team
*-played on last year’s team
1 Trey Augustine, Michigan State*
30 Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan
31 Sam Hillebrandt, Barrie Colts*
Defensemen
Number, player, team
3 Logan Hensler, Wisconsin
4 Colin Ralph, St. Cloud State
5 Drew Fortescue, Boston College*
6 Adam Kleber, Minnesota Duluth
14 Aram Minnetian, Boston College*
16 Paul Fischer, Notre Dame
24 Cole Hutson, Boston University
28 Zeev Buium, University of Denver*
Forwards
Number, player, team
2 Teddy Stiga, Boston College
8 Brandon Svoboda, Boston University
9 Ryan Leonard, Boston College*
10 Carey Terrance, Erie Otters*
11 Oliver Moore, University of Minnesota*
12 James Hagens, Boston College
17 Danny Nelson, Notre Dame*
19 Trevor Connelly, Providence College
20 Joey Willis, Saginaw Spirit
22 Max Plante, Minnesota Duluth
23 Austin Burnevik, St. Cloud State
34 Gabe Perreault, Boston College*
74 Brodie Ziemer, University of Minnesota
91 Cole Eiserman, Boston University
2025 draft eligible players to watch
Team USA’s James Hagens was listed among Central Scouting’s early season top prospects to watch. He has 20 points in 16 games and is expected to play with Boston College linemates Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault.
Other A-rated skaters at this tournament include USA defenseman Logan Hensler, Canada forward Porter Martone and Canada defenseman Matthew Schaeffer.
Forward Victor Eklund, brother of the San Jose Sharks’ William Eklund, will play for Sweden.
World junior championships schedule
All times p.m. ET
Dec. 26
Sweden vs. Slovakia, noon, NHLN, TSN
Germany vs. United States, 2:30, NHLN, TSN
Switzerland vs. Czechia, 5, NHLN, TSN
Canada vs. Finland, 7:30; NHLN, TSN
Dec. 27
Slovakia vs. Switzerland, 1, NHLN, TSN
Finland vs. Germany, 3:30; NHLN, TSN4
Kazakhstan vs. Sweden, 5; TSN, NHLN will air at 11
Canada vs. Latvia, 7:30, NHLN, TSN
Dec. 28
Czechia vs. Kazakhstan, 1, NHLN, TSN
United States vs. Latvia, 3:30, NHLN, TSN
Dec. 29
Sweden vs. Switzerland, noon, NHLN, TSN
Finland vs. United States, 2:30, NHLN, TSN4
Slovakia vs. Czechia, 5 ET, NHLN, TSN
Germany vs. Canada, 7:30, NHLN, TSN
Dec. 30
Kazakhstan vs. Slovakia, 1 ET, NHLN, TSN
Latvia vs. Germany, 3:30, NHLN, TSN
Dec. 31
Switzerland vs. Kazakhstan, noon, NHLN, TSN
Latvia vs. Finland, 2:30, TSN4. NHLN will air at 3:30 on Jan. 1
Czechia vs. Sweden, 5, NHLN, TSN
United States vs. Canada, 8, NHLN, TSN
Jan. 2
Quarterfinal 1, noon, NHLN, TSN
Quarterfinal 2, 2:30, NHLN, TSN3, TSN4, TSN5
Quarterfinal 3, 5, NHLN, TSN
Quarterfinal 4, 7:30, NHLN, TSN
Jan. 4
Semifinal 1 3:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN
Semifinal 2 7:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN
Jan. 5
Third-place game, 3:30, NHLN, TSN
Championship game, 7:30, NHLN, TSN
This story has been updated to add new information.
