U.S. to hold World Junior camp in Minneapolis

USA Hockey announced Wednesday that the coaching staff for the U.S. National Junior Team will hold a four-day training camp from Dec. 15-18 in Minneapolis to help determine the roster for the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship.

The United States, the defending WJC gold medalist, will join seven other countries at the 2014 WJC in Malmo, Sweden, from Dec. 26-Jan. 5, 2014. The final 23-player roster for the 2014 U.S. National Junior Team will be announced Dec. 23.

Five practices are scheduled at the University of Minnesota's Mariucci Arena and a pre-tournament game at Minnesota State University is slated for Dec. 17. After training camp in Minneapolis is complete, the remaining players and coaches will travel to Angelholm, Sweden, from Dec. 19-23 to continue the evaluation process.

There, the U.S. will play pre-tournament games Dec. 20 against Sweden and Dec. 22 against Finland.

The United States has medaled in three of the last four World Junior Championships, claiming gold in 2010 and 2013, and bronze in 2011. The Americans will be coached by University of Minnesota coach Don Lucia.