On Tuesday, June 28th, USA Hockey announced it had invited 44 players to its Summer Showcase in order to prepare for the upcoming World Juniors Championship, which will be held in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta from December 26th to January 5th, 2022.
The Showcase is an 11 game mini-tournament during an eight-day span, which allows players from various leagues to show off their skills both on and off the ice. Both Sweden and Finland will also be present.
Only six players from last year’s gold medal team are returning to this year’s camp, and they are defensemen Brock Faber, Tyler Kleven and Jake Sanderson, as well as forwards Landon Slaggert, Brett Berard and Matthew Beniers. The rest are ineligible, as they turn 20 prior to the start of the tournament. Of the 44 players invited, 17 have represented the United States internationally before.
Some of the top 2021 NHL Draft eligible prospects are among the players attending the showcase. The list includes 2021 gold medalist Matthew Beniers, who is one of the top prospects eligible for the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Included as well are Chaz Lucius and Sasha Pastujov, who both played for the U.S. National Development Program and are among the top offensive weapons available for selection this year. Defensemen Luke Hughes, who is the younger brother of Quinn and Jack Hughes, is also set to join the American roster. Both of his brothers have seen time previously representing the U.S. at the IIHF World Junior Championship.
The full 44-player list can be found on USA Hockey’s official website.