USA Hockey announces World Junior evaluation camp roster

 

By @MichaelCaples –

USA Hockey has announced the players receiving invites to this year’s World Junior camp, with six Michigan natives being selected.

The 2016 National Junior Evaluation Camp will be held at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, with Team USA competing against Sweden, Finland and Canada. For more information on the event, click here.

A pair of Michigan natives will be helping run the evaluation camp, as well; Grand Rapids native Mike Knuble and Fenton native Ron Rolston will serve as guest coaches.

Knuble, a University of Michigan alum and veteran of 1,068 NHL games, currently works for the Grand Rapids Griffins. A five-time Team USA alum, Knuble is also helping coach Michigan Nationals AAA teams.

Rolston, a Michigan Tech alum and former head coach of the NTDP and Buffalo Sabres, is currently working as the head coach of the AHL’s Springfield Falcons.

USA Hockey also noted that three players not attending the camp – Auston Matthews, Noah Hanifin and Grosse Pointe native/University of Michigan product Zach Werenski – are still eligible for the 2017 World Junior Team if they are made available by their NHL clubs.

 

Michigan players invited:

Tyler Parsons – Chesterfield – London Knights

Parsons, 18, just backstopped the London Knights to a Memorial Cup championship. In his second season with the OHL club, he recorded a 37-9-3 record with a .921 save percentage and 2.33 goals-against average. He is eligible for this summer’s NHL Draft.

Nick Boka – Plymouth – University of Michigan

Boka, 18, played in 38 games as a freshman with the University of Michigan last season. A NTDP alum, Boka produced 10 assists, 19 penalty minutes, and an impressive +17 rating as a rookie on the blue line for the Wolverines. He is a Minnesota Wild prospect (sixth round, 2015), as well.

Sean Day – Rochester – Mississauga Steelheads

Day, 18, is a dual citizen between the U.S. and Canada, and he grew up in Rochester. In his third season as a defenseman with the Mississauga Steelheads of the OHL, Day recorded six goals and 16 assists for 22 points in 57 games. He is eligible for this summer’s NHL Draft.

Alex DeBrincat – Farmington Hills – Erie Otters

DeBrincat, 18, was on the U.S. roster for last year’s World Junior tournament, and there’s no reason to think he wouldn’t be included once again. The Farmington Hills native – a possible first-rounder in this year’s NHL Draft – racked up 101 points in 60 games with the OHL’s Erie Otters this past season, which is actually three points less than his impressive rookie season in 2014-15. Yes, 205 points in two seasons in the OHL – not bad.

Max Jones – Rochester – London Knights

Jones, 18, is fresh off a Memorial Cup victory with the London Knights. An expected first-round pick in this summer’s NHL Draft, the Rochester native and NTDP alum racked up 28 goals and 24 assists – along with 106 penalty minutes – in 63 games with the OHL’s Knights this past season.

Brendan Warren – Carleton – University of Michigan

Warren, 19, recorded five goals and 12 assists for 17 points in 38 games as a freshman with the Wolverines. A third-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes in 2015, Warren spent two seasons with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program.

Michigan connections invited:

Joe Cecconi – University of Michigan

Luke Martin – University of Michigan

Rem Pitlick – Muskegon Lumberjacks

For a full roster, click here