The Czech Ice Hockey Association would like nothing more than to see the country snap its disappointing string of appearances at the World Junior Championship.

After boasting back-to-back gold medals in 2000 and 2001, the Czechs have won a single medal since then -- a bronze in 2005 -- and haven't finished higher than fifth the past seven tournaments.

The Czechs are hoping that changes at the 2013 WJC in Ufa, Russia, when they compete in Group A with defending gold-medalist Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and Latvia.

The CIHA officially announced the 27-player roster attending selection camp next week that ultimately will determine the 23-man roster that will be submitted Dec. 23.

Armed with eight first-round NHL draft picks, three returning players and two promising draft-eligible prospects, USA Hockey on Tuesday announced its selection camp roster for the team that will comprise the U.S. National Junior Team competing in the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia, later this month.

Team USA's training camp will take place Dec. 16-18 at the New York Rangers' training facility in Greenburgh, N.Y. The camp then will move to Helsinki, Finland, Dec. 19-23 before the final 23-man roster, which will include three goalies, is determined Dec. 23.

The Finnish Ice Hockey Federation on Monday announced the selection camp roster of players hoping to represent their country at the 2013 World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia.

Finland, which placed fourth at last year's WJC after losing 4-0 to Canada in the bronze medal game, is seeking its first medal since 2006 when it earned bronze. The camp features 29 players, including eight who participated last year. The returnees include defensemen Olli Maatta of the Ontario Hockey League's London Knights, Ville Pokka of Karpat and Rasmus Ristolainen of TPS, and forwards Aleksander Barkov of Tappara, Joel Armia of Assat, Markus Granlund of HIFK, Markus Hannikainen of Kiekko-Vantaa and Miikka Salomaki of Karpat.

Finland must pare its roster to 23 players, including three goalies, by Dec. 25.

The 2013 WJC will run from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, 2012. Finland, which opens preliminary-round play against Latvia on Dec. 26, will compete in Group A with Sweden, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Latvia.

Hockey Canada on Monday announced the 37-player roster of skaters and goalies invited to Canada's National Junior Team selection camp at the Markin MacPhail Centre at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Dec. 11-13.

The camp has six returning players from last year's bronze-medal winning Canadian team: defensemen Dougie Hamilton, drafted No. 9 by the Boston Bruins in 2011, and Scott Harrington (Pittsburgh Penguins) as well as forwards Mark Scheifele (Winnipeg Jets), Ryan Strome (New York Islanders), Boone Jenner (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Jonathan Huberdeau (Florida Panthers).

"Anytime you get an opportunity to get those type of returning players in this tournament, it's huge for everyone in the dressing room," Hockey Canada head scout Kevin Prendergast said during a conference call to reveal the selection camp participants. "When you come back a second time, you're a better person for it, stronger and a little more mature."

Additionally, 2011-12 Calder Trophy runner-up Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who has never suited up for Team Canada at the WJC, will be part of the camp.

The Fenway Sports Group and the Boston Red Sox reportedly are in the planning stages of another "Frozen Fenway" event, with the goal of playing more hockey games at Fenway Park next winter.

"We are deep into the planning phase for the possibility of a return of Frozen Fenway in 2014," Red Sox executive vice president and chief operating officer Sam Kennedy said in a story reported by College Hockey news. "We will need to secure proper city approvals and complete our negotiations with the many teams who are interested in competing before we will have any formal announcement."

The Swedish Ice Hockey Federation on Monday revealed the selection camp roster of players competing for spots for the defending gold medalist in the upcoming 2013 World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia.

Sweden scored a dramatic 1-0 overtime victory over Russia in last year's gold medal match, ending 30 years of championship futility, and will look to become the first country since Canada (2005-2009) to win consecutive gold medals.

Sweden head coach Roger Rönnberg will take 25 players to training camp on Dec. 15 in Norrtälje, Sweden, before continuing with preparation games in Finland through Dec. 22. The Swedes will open the 2013 WJC against the Czech Republic on Dec. 26. The roster must be trimmed to 23, which includes three goaltenders, by Dec. 25.

Each Monday, NHL.com will take a look back at the weekend that was in the American Hockey League with an emphasis on the young stars and top prospects that are continuing their development. Here are some of the highlights from the past few days in the AHL:

FRIDAY

FIRST STAR

Jason Zucker, Houston

Zucker had two goals and an assist to help the Aeros defeat Oklahoma City. Houston is without the Minnesota Wild's top two prospects -- forward Mikael Granlund and defenseman Jonas Brodin -- because of injury, but Zucker has starred in their absence. A second-round pick in 2010, Zucker leads the team with 11 goals and is second with 18 points. Defenseman Justin Schultz (Edmonton, signed as free agent in 2012) had two assists for the Barons. Schultz leads the AHL with 31 points.

NEW YORK -- NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly issued the following statement today regarding a meeting between NHL Owners and Players this week:

"We have confirmed with the Union that we will attempt to schedule a Players/Owners-only meeting for some time on Tuesday afternoon in New York. No further details have been confirmed at this point. We expect the following NHL Owners to attend: Ron Burkle (Pittsburgh Penguins), Mark Chipman (Winnipeg Jets), Murray Edwards (Calgary Flames), Jeremy Jacobs (Boston Bruins), Larry Tanenbaum (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Jeff Vinik (Tampa Bay Lightning). We will provide further details when available and as appropriate."

Two years after becoming coach at Boston College, Jerry York attended a university function at Fenway Park's 400 Club.

More than a decade past winning the 1984 NCAA title with Bowling Green, he was rebuilding a program in the midst of six straight losing seasons that had gone almost half a century since its last national championship. Rival Boston University, on the other hand, had recently won a historic fourth national title.

So when the Boston Bruins were considering giving their vacant head coaching job to BU boss Jack Parker, a BC alum asked York if he was eager to see Parker leave college hockey.

"Jerry, in a very respectful way said, 'No, I want him to stay. I want to see if we can measure up to BU,'" said Mike Cavanaugh, York's assistant coach at BC since 1995. "At the time, they were the program to emulate. And they happened to be our rival."

So it seemed all too appropriate that, roughly 15 years since that Fenway function, York made hockey history against Parker and Boston University.

A 5-2 BC victory over BU on Saturday night gave York 924 career wins, tying Ron Mason's all-time collegiate record.

Sean Pronger always thought he would have a career for the books in hockey.

While Pronger had the NHL record book in mind as a young boy learning the game in Dryden, Ontario, his hockey career instead became fodder for a literary book.

In early November the compilation of Pronger's trials and tribulations in hockey, "Journeyman," was published by Viking Canada. The 336-page tome, written by Pronger and Sportsnet's Dan Murphy, is a self-deprecating look at a professional career that amazingly spanned 16 teams, five leagues and three continents in 11 years.