The World Junior Summer Showcase starts on Thursday in Plymouth, Michigan, with Team USA White and Team USA Blue facing off vs. teams from Sweden and Finland at USA Hockey Arena.
After two days’ worth of practices on Thursday and Friday, the squads will square off for four days’ worth of games on July 29th, July 31st, August 2nd and August 4th.
Red Wings prospects Trey Augustine (USA White), Axel Sandin Pellikka and Anton Johansson (Sweden) are taking part in the event, and NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman sets up the event this evening with an article discussing the WJSS’s importance to Team USA, as well as some of the bigger names to watch this week and next at USA Hockey Arena:
The event will be held at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan, from July 29 to Aug. 4. It’s the first step toward those countries selecting their teams for the 2024 WJC, which is scheduled for Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Sweden.
The U.S. will have 45 players taking part, among them nine players from the team that finished third at the 2023 WJC in Halifax, Nova Scotia: goalies Trey Augustine (Detroit Red Wings), Tyler Muszelik (Florida Panthers) and Andrew Oke (2024 NHL Draft eligible); defensemen Ryan Chesley (Washington Capitals) and Lane Hutson (Montreal Canadiens); and forwards Gavin Brindley (Columbus Blue Jackets), Cutter Gauthier (Philadelphia Flyers), Rutger McGroarty (Winnipeg Jets) and Jimmy Snuggerud (St. Louis Blues).
Snuggerud was second for the U.S. with 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in seven games, and Gauthier tied for third with 10 points (four goals, six assists) in seven games.
“I think experience is important,” U.S. coach David Carle said. “Those nine, for them to have that experience of coming up short a year ago, I think is a motivating factor in speaking with some of them. They are very excited to help build this team and to have the opportunity to be a part of it potentially again and try and go further and do what we want to do right.”
Carle, who is entering his sixth season as coach at the University of Denver, said what has impressed him is the speed, skill and depth of the group that will be in Michigan.
“I’m excited to get on the ice with them and to work on that and use our speed to create that transition when we don’t have the puck as well by taking away time and space, and then being able to quick-strike from those moments,” he said.
