USA Hockey releases six players from WJC camp

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. -- Forwards Ryan MacInnis, Jordan Greenway, Conor Garland and Christian Fischer and defensemen Jack Dougherty and Joshua Jacobs were released from USA Hockey's National Junior Evaluation Camp roster on Tuesday.

Defenseman Johnathon Macleod was also returned home for precautionary reasons, leaving 18 forwards, 11 defensemen and four goalies at the camp to help determine the final roster for the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship in Finland.

All the players released will continue to be evaluated with their respective teams.

"As a staff, we have been very pleased with the competitiveness of the 39 players in camp," said Jim Johannson, USA Hockey's assistant executive director of hockey operations. "The three remaining games this week provide an opportunity for our head coach, Ron Wilson, to be on the bench with the players to continue to grow our identity and team principles. We will continue to evaluate the players released today along with some others not in Lake Placid throughout the fall."

MacInnis, who was cut from the 2014 evaluation camp roster, is the son of former NHL defenseman and Hockey Hall of Fame member Al MacInnis. The younger MacInnis, who plays for the Kitchener Rangers in the Ontario Hockey League, was selected in the second round (No. 43) by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2014 NHL Draft.

Greenway (Minnesota Wild) will play for Boston University; Garland (Arizona Coyotes) will return for a third full season with the Moncton Wildcats in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League; Fischer (Arizona Coyotes) will play for the University of Notre Dame.

Dougherty (Nashville Predators) will join the Portland Winterhawks in the Western Hockey League after one season at the University of Wisconsin, and Jacobs (New Jersey Devils) will play for the OHL's Sarnia Sting after one season at Michigan State University. No explanation was given as to why Macleod (Tampa Bay Lighning) had to leave, but he will rejoin Boston University.

There could be another round of cuts made prior to the conclusion of camp on Saturday.

2015 U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp

Goaltenders: Brandon Halverson, Sault Ste. Marie, OHL (New York Rangers); Kris Oldham, Omaha, USHL (Tampa Bay Lightning); Luke Opilka, NTDP, USHL (St. Louis Blues); Evan Sarthou, NTDP, USHL (2016 draft eligible)

Defense: Ryan Collins, University of Minnesota, Big Ten (Columbus Blue Jackets); Brandon Fortunato, Boston University, HEA (free agent); Noah Hanifin, Boston College, HEA (Carolina Hurricanes); Caleb Jones, NTDP, USHL (Edmonton Oilers); Louie Belpedio, Miami University, NCHC (Minnesota Wild); Brandon Carlo, Tri-City, WHL (Boston Bruins); Chad Krys, NTDP, USHL (2016 eligible); Charlie McAvoy, NTDP, USHL (2016 eligible); Jake Walman, Providence College, HEA (St. Louis Blues); Zachary Werenski, University of Michigan, Big Ten (Columbus Blue Jackets)

Forwards: Paul Bittner, Portland, WHL (Columbus Blue Jackets); Jeremy Bracco, NTDP, USHL (Toronto Maple Leafs); Kyle Connor, Youngstown Phantoms, USHL (Winnipeg Jets); Christian Dvorak, London, OHL (Arizona Coyotes); Erik Foley, Cedar Rapids, USHL (Winnipeg Jets); Alex Tuch, Boston College, HEA (Minnesota Wild); Dominic Turgeon, Portland, WHL (Detroit Red Wings); Colin White, NTDP, USHL (Ottawa Senators); Anders Bjork, University of Notre Dame, HEA (Boston Bruins); Brock Boeser, Waterloo, USHL (Vancouver Canucks); Scott Eansor, Seattle, WHL (2016 eligible); Ryan Hitchcock, Yale University, ECAC (free agent); Dylan Larkin, University of Michigan, Big Ten (Detroit Red Wings); Auston Matthews, NTDP, USHL (2016 eligible); Sonny Milano, Plymouth, OHL (Columbus Blue Jackets); Jack Roslovic, NTDP, USHL (Winnipeg Jets); Nick Schmaltz, University of North Dakota, NCHC (Chicago Blackhawks); Matthew Tkachuk, NTDP, USHL (2016 draft eligible)