When the United States assembled its roster for the 2009 World Junior Championship, team officials wanted a mature, experienced group.

The squad USA Hockey unveiled Wednesday consists of seven holdovers from the 2008 team that finished fourth, but the two netminders for '09 are not among that group.

Thomas McCollum and Josh Unice don't have significant international pedigrees, but USA Hockey Assistant Executive Director of Hockey Operations Jim Johansson, the man who put together the team, felt that if he wanted going to go with inexperience at any position, goaltender was the place.

"The experience factor, I think it matters more for the defensemen and forwards," Johansson told NHL.com. "I think goaltending is to such a degree a game-by-game scenario."

In McCollum and Unice, Johansson feels either one can find a groove that can carry a team a long way.

"We're confident in both their abilities," Johansson said.

McCollum was the last pick in the first round of the 2008 Entry Draft by the Detroit Red Wings. Playing with the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League, he ranks second in the league with a 2.29 goals-against average and fourth with a .924 save percentage.

"He's a big goaltender, he's positionally sound, he's had a great year for Guelph," U.S. coach Ron Rolston said. "The thing that we like about him was the same thing that Detroit saw in him when they drafted him: He's very calm, and no matter what happens, he really seems to be even-keeled about the situation on the ice surface. He seems to really handle those adversities well. We think that certainly will be important up in Ottawa in that environment."

McCollum said going into hostile OHL towns like London and Kitchener will benefit him when he wears the U.S. sweater in Canada's capital and plays before a packed house at Scotiabank Place, which will be house rabid Canadian fans, especially for the Americans final match of group play against the host country.

"I'd say the games that helped me the most are playing in London or playing in Kitchener, where every time we play it's sold out and the fans are losing their mind," McCollum said. "I think in a tournament like this, it'll be even more magnified."

McCollum, who backed up Unice on the U.S. team that won a silver medal at the 2007 Under-18 World Championship, said having just that bit of experience will be enough to help him when the WJC starts Dec. 26.

"I don't think it's too big of an unknown," he told NHL.com.

And if needs any help, he said he'll have friends there he can use as sounding boards.

"Colin Wilson is somebody I talked to a lot when I played the Under-18s," said McCollum. "He's somebody I really bonded with, so I know I can turn to him."

While Unice has struggled this season with the OHL's Kitchener Rangers, going 4-7-0-0 with a 3.34 GAA and .891 save percentage, he was a major reason the Rangers won the 2008 OHL title and advanced to the Memorial Cup championship game. He went 30-6-1-2 with a 2.45 GAA and .908 save percentage, and then posted 11 wins, a shutout, a 2.41 GAA and .941 save percentage in 16 OHL playoff games. He also went 4-2 with a shutout, a 2.41 GAA and .907 save percentage at the 2007 Under-18 tournament.

"These guys have had very good success at various levels of their careers," Johansson said. "In Thomas and Josh we have capable guys that are key components to the team having success and they're ready to handle pressure situations."

Contact Adam Kimelman at [email protected].