USA roster, how to watch hockey championship

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 at Boston College.

Other A-rated skaters at this tournament include USA defenseman Logan Hensler, Canada forward Porter Martone and Canada defenseman Matthew Schaeffer.

Forward Viktor 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

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