Friday was the second day of USA Hockey selection camp to help determine the final 25-player roster for the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship to be held in Gothenburg, Sweden, from Dec. 26-Jan. 5.
The camp, which includes three goalies, 10 defensemen and 16 forwards, runs through Saturday.
PLYMOUTH, Mich. -- A record four players born in Florida are competing for roster spots at USA Hockey selection camp this week.
Goalies Samuel Hillebrandt (Riverview) and Jacob Fowler (Melbourne), defenseman Seamus Casey (Fort Myers), and forward Gavin Brindley (Estero) each were born and raised in the Sunshine State and is hoping to make a significant impact for the United States.
"Each year we're seeing more and more guys come back," said Casey (New Jersey Devils). "I mean, I just love it to see kids from back home. It's just really cool and I'm excited to see what we can do."
Fowler (Montreal Canadiens) said he and Hillebrandt (2024 NHL Draft eligible) train together back home in the summer.
"It's super special to be on a team with those guys," Fowler said. "I get to train with Sam, and Gavin and Seamus are two of my closest buddies ... they're like brothers to me. It doesn't even feel real yet to be sitting in that locker room with them. I think it'll feel more real when the tournament gets going. It's nice to be around them because we don't see each other as much anymore being in college but it's fun to be back."
Brindley (Columbus Blue Jackets) won a bronze medal at the 2023 WJC.
"I just think the quicker we jell together as a team, the more success we're going to have early and later in the tournament," Brindley said. "It's definitely going to be good for us to kind of take a leadership role and help the guys out because this is our last chance at it [for the returning players]. We want nothing more than to win; nothing short of a gold medal is expected and we're going to do everything we can to win."
Here are three other things learned at selection camp Friday:
Buium excited for opportunity
Zeev Buium (6-foot, 183 pounds), a freshman defenseman at the University of Denver, hasn't noticed much of a difference in how David Carle, who also happens to be his college coach, is running things this week at selection camp.
"He's kind of been the same, but he's here for a reason, right?" Buium said. "He seems like the same and he's doing a great job. I think his main job is to get the guys' trust, and kind of be that big supporter that everyone needs, so he's been doing great."
Buium hopes he can earn a roster spot and be able to showcase his talents on a national scale at the World Juniors for the first time. An A-rated skater on NHL Central Scouting's preliminary players to watch list and a projected first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, Buium, who turned 18 on Dec. 7, leads NCAA Division I defensemen with 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) in 18 games.
"I think he's doing a much better job of making the move and attacking off that move," Carle said. "Specifically in his rush offense or his offense-zone play, and then defensively he's had a real desire to learn and to get better at it, because who likes defending? So if you don't want to defend, you have to get good at it and that's what he's doing.
"Is he a finished product with that? No. But he's shown a desire and a willingness and an understanding to appreciate the value of defending quickly, so that our team can have the puck more."
Remembering Marty
Gavin Brindley joined the U.S. National Junior Team on Friday after missing the first day of practice Thursday to be with his family following the sudden death of his grandfather, Marty Brindley.
"It's tough," the University of Michigan sophomore forward said. "Every practice he'd come watch and he was so excited to watch the World Juniors last year. He'll be watching from above this year, I hope. He wouldn't miss it for the world.
"He'd always talk about my dad and the work ethic that he brought down to him and passed on to me. So, it's something that runs in the family. Hopefully I can pass it on to my kids one day. You want to make him proud, so this one's going to be for him."
Brindley, who has 18 points (10 goals, eight assists) in 18 NCAA games this season, provided plenty of versatility for the U.S. at the 2023 WJC, and had four points (one goal, three assists) in seven games.
"It's definitely good to be around the guys again, to see everyone," he said. "There's nothing like playing hockey with your brothers so I'm pumped to be back."
Special moments
On the way to a third-place finish in the 2023 WJC, the United States finished third on the power play (34.6 percent) among the 10 teams, and fourth on the penalty kill (82.3 percent).
Carle knows special teams will play a key role in any chance the U.S. has of winning a gold medal.
"You don't want to see your penalty kill a lot so discipline with our stick play, with our emotional control, will be critical to our success," Carle said. "Having a power play that can strike is important and you never know how many you're going to get. I mean, other team's preach discipline as well. You need people that are ready to go out and execute at any given moment and certainly we feel we have a lot of options and ability to do that."
The last time the U.S. won the World Juniors, in 2021, it was first on the power play (40.9 percent) and third on the penalty kill (78.5 percent).
"Staying disciplined 5-on-5 and then when it comes to special teams, we've worked on things the past few days for combined hours, so we need to be strong in that area," Carle said.
USA HOCKEY SELECTION CAMP ROSTER
GOALIES: Trey Augustine, Michigan State, NCAA (Detroit Red Wings); Jacob Fowler, Boston College, NCAA (Montreal Canadiens); Samuel Hillebrandt, Barrie, OHL (2024 draft eligible)
DEFENSEMEN: Zeev Buium, Denver, NCAA (2024 draft eligible); Seamus Casey, Michigan, NCAA (New Jersey Devils); Ryan Chesley, Minnesota, NCAA (Washington Capitals); Drew Fortescue, Boston College, NCAA (New York Rangers); Patrick Geary, Michigan State, NCAA (2024 draft eligible); Lane Hutson, Boston University, NCAA (Montreal Canadiens); Jake Livanavage, North Dakota, NCAA (2024 draft eligible); Aram Minnetian, Boston College, NCAA (Dallas Stars); Eric Pohlkamp, Bemidji State, NCAA (San Jose Sharks); Sam Rinzel, Minnesota, NCAA (Chicago Blackhawks)
FORWARDS: Gavin Brindley, Michigan, NCAA (Columbus Blue Jackets); Quinn Finley, Wisconsin, NCAA (New York Islanders); Cutter Gauthier, Boston College, NCAA (Philadelphia Flyers); James Hagens, USA U-18, NTDP (2025 draft eligible); Gavin Hayes, Flint, OHL (Chicago Blackhawks); Isaac Howard, Michigan State, NCAA (Tampa Bay Lightning); Ryan Leonard, Boston College, NCAA (Washington Capitals); Rutger McGroarty, Michigan, NCAA (Winnipeg Jets); Oliver Moore, Minnesota, NCAA (Chicago Blackhawks); Frank Nazar, Michigan, NCAA (Chicago Blackhawks); Danny Nelson, Notre Dame, NCAA (New York Islanders); Gabe Perreault, Boston College, NCAA (New York Rangers); Will Smith, Boston College, NCAA (San Jose Sharks); Jimmy Snuggerud, Minnesota, NCAA (St. Louis Blues); Carey Terrance, Erie, OHL (Anaheim Ducks); William Whitelaw, Wisconsin, NCAA (Columbus Blue Jackets)
(Returning players are in bold)
