FEATURE: Evan Barratt looks to help USA capture gold

If hockey doesn't work out for Evan Barratt he'll likely find some other way to represent his country.
The Team USA forward names "Navy Seal" as his dream job - outside of professional hockey player, of course.
"I've always been a competitor and that's kind of the ultimate thing," said Barratt. "If hockey doesn't work out then that's a thing I'd like to pursue. It's just a thing from watching movies and reading about it online, it definitely sounded like something I wanted to do. But hockey is the number-one thing."

Now Barratt is making headlines representing the Americans at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship in B.C. He was named the Player of the Game for the U.S., following their opening win of the preliminary round - a 2-1 victory over Slovakia, in which he scored the game-winner.
"Any time you can help your team win like that it's definitely really special and to play in a game and get the win as a team definitely builds confidence in the group and each individual," he said. "It was really nice to get the first one."
His goal made ESPN SportsCenter's Top 10, an accomplishment he's familiar with - having done so in November with a highlight-reel goal for Penn State.
"I mean, it's definitely really cool when you see stuff like that. When you're playing, you're not thinking about it at all. It's cool to see stuff like that happen."
Barratt is no stranger to starring on the international hockey stage. He helped Team USA win gold at the 2018 Under-18 tournament, recording six points (1G, 5 A) in seven games.

"That was amazing," Barratt said. "We were together for two years and went through a lot of ups and downs, came out to a rough start at the beginning of the year and after Christmas, we turned to a completely new page and only lost three games in the second half of the year It was definitely really special and cool how it all ended up."
And while he spends most of his days now donning the Nittany Lion blue and white - and hopes to one day represent the Blackhawks in red and black - putting on the red, white and blue never gets old for Barratt.
"It's really special. I've been lucky enough to wear it a few times, but now on this stage, at the biggest event of the year, it kind of takes your breath away when you first step on the ice and then after the game you see all the texts from all your friends and it's really humbling. It's a really special moment."
At this tournament, Barratt has a chance to showcase his complete game.
"Every game is going to be a hard game from start to finish," said Barratt. "You've got to win it by beating guys low and controlling the puck and being a puck-possession team. That's the way I play. I play hard and below the circles, which is definitely fitting for a tournament like this."
While his focus is on World Juniors at the moment, Barratt will soon return to Penn State, where he shares the lead in scoring among all NCAA Division I skaters with 29 points (13G, 16A) through 17 games.

"I'm definitely excited to get back, see my buddies and continue the rest of the year," said Barratt. "I feel like we have a really good team and we all believe back there we can take a run at it. I'm focused on here for the next two weeks, but once I get home we think we can make a deep run in the playoffs."
The forward has devoted himself to becoming a more effective skater, which he describes as the biggest area of his game in need of improvement, and has embraced Penn State's off-ice program.
Despite his progress in that department, Barratt's production this season for the nation's top scoring offense came as a surprise to some, including Barratt himself. However, this season has helped him build confidence in his own game both heading into this tournament and heading back to Penn State.
"Coming off last season, I ended it on a high note," he said. "Coming into the year I was confident with how I was playing and now playing with the same guys on a line helps a bit. But yeah, I'm definitely a little surprised with where I am now but I have a big confidence level in my abilities right now."
Barratt is making a name for himself in the collegiate and international junior ranks and is piquing the interest of Blackhawks fans and the organization in the process.