"Anytime you wear the crest, it's really special. I've been working towards this for a long time, and I want to make the most of it," said Tuch, a product of the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP). "It's a privilege to get invited to this tryout and it's a privilege to be on this team, so I'm definitely going to take advantage of this chance. I'm ready to own the moment."
Development camp was a key part of his preparation for the upcoming test.
Director of hockey development Adam Nicholas provided him with some new tools that he plans to use to his advantage and impress the Team USA brass.
"Adam is definitely ahead of the game when it comes to hockey development. He thinks the game a lot differently than a lot of other skills coaches. He pretty much takes his stuff from the best players in the world and what they're doing, watches a ton of film, and then feeds it right to us," explained Tuch, a second-round selection (47th overall) in 2020. "Picking his brain all week and getting to know him was really special. It made me better and had me thinking the game a little bit differently both with the puck and away from the puck."
It would obviously be a treat to see the Habs' prospect put those skills on display in the Alberta capital.
Tuch has been a fan of the World Juniors for as long as he can remember, and he envisioned himself sporting his country's colors in the annual event since attending the 2015 tournament to see his older brother, Alex, in action.
"Alex was selected in his first year of eligibility and the tournament was at the Bell Centre. I went to all the games. When we played Canada on New Year's Eve, I remember the sold-out crowd. There were probably only 30 U.S. jerseys in the stands, and it was all the parents and family and friends of the players. It was an amazing atmosphere. You couldn't even hear yourself think," recalled Tuch. "Seeing my brother out there, I was like, 'Well, why can't I do that?' That was definitely a motivation factor for me."
