Osiecki pleased with first day of U.S. selection camp

United States National Junior Team coach Mark Osiecki joined NHL Live to discuss the first day of USA Hockey selection camp on the campus of Boston University at Walter Brown Arena. Osiecki and his staff are evaluating which 23 players will compete for the U.S. at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship.

The U.S. begins tournament play Dec. 26 against defending champion Finland in the preliminary round.

"First day was outstanding, the kids were very, very good," Osiecki said. "We thought as a staff going in there might be a few jitters, especially with eight new guys that were not in the Lake Placid camp. But they were all calm, they all played to their abilities and it was fun to get out on the ice. The one thing you noticed right away is the speed factor."

The United States has medaled in three of the past five WJC tournaments, including winning gold medals in 2010 and 2013. Last season, however, the Americans lost 5-4 to Russia in the quarterfinal round.

"The one thing that we talked about as a group, and just being a part of it in the past, there's going to be adversity," Osiecki said. "How resilient is this group going to be? Are they going to be able to turn the page after some tough breaks, tough losses, and learn from it and move forward?

"The best thing you have to have happen in the tournament, you have to have tremendously short memories. I look back at prior tournaments, I think our guys did a great job with that in the past, just having that short memory, turn the page and get ready for the next day."