Mbereko aiming for another chance in goal for U.S. at 2023 World Juniors

Thursday was the fourth day of USA Hockey selection camp to help determine the final 23-player roster for the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship to be held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Moncton, New Brunswick, from Dec. 26-Jan. 5.
The camp, which includes four goalies, nine defensemen and 16 forwards, runs through Saturday.

PLYMOUTH, Mich. -- Kaidan Mbereko has the look of a goalie on a mission to again play a vital role for the United States at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Mbereko went 3-1-0 with a 1.76 goals-against average and .920 save percentage in four games at the 2022 WJC in August. The loss came in the quarterfinals, 4-2 against Czechia.
"It was disappointing ... that quarterfinal game, and I know it's a team sport but I blamed myself," Mbereko said. "I've got to do my job and make sure I'm on point with that. I think habits, progressively getting better each day and honing in on the details, will be huge for me this time around."
Mbereko (2023 draft eligible), Andrew Oke of Saginaw in the Ontario Hockey League (2023 draft eligible),
Tyler Muszelik
of the University of New Hampshire (Florida Panthers) and Trey Augustine of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team (2023 draft eligible) are the goalies vying for one of three spots on the tournament roster.
Mbereko is 6-6 with one tie, a 2.26 goals-against average, .927 save percentage and three shutouts in 14 games as a freshman at Colorado College. The 19-year-old is in his final season of eligibility for the NHL Draft after being passed over in 2021 and 2022.
"They each have unique skill sets, which we've evaluated going back a number of months now," U.S. goalie coach Jared Waimon said. "Without getting too detailed into the evaluation process, we ask our goaltenders to compete, to be aware and read the play. IQ is important, as is overall athletic ability."
Mbereko feels already having some experience under his belt has helped him better understand what he needs to do to succeed.
"It's habits, it's details," he said. "It's who's going to play to the structure the best in this tournament. We're all going to be working on our game, trusting the game plan and executing it, especially with my game. I think that's going to be huge for me, especially going into the tournament. So I'm excited for what's coming."
Here are four other things learned at select camp Thursday:

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Boucher requires four new teeth

Tyler Boucher
(Ottawa Senators) said he will return to practice Friday after leaving a 5-on-5 scrimmage Wednesday after the forward was hit in the mouth by a puck.
"I was kind of backchecking and defenseman
Shai Buium
(Detroit Red Wings) was trying to go cross-corner dump to keep the puck in at the blue line and he just shot it right in my mouth," Boucher said. "I have four new teeth in the front; they had to do root canal on three of them or something like that. But I'm fine now."
Boucher (6-1, 205) would supply a physical element if he makes the team, in addition to opening space for his linemates. The 19-year-old has 15 points (nine goals, six assists) and 28 penalty minutes in 17 games with Ottawa of the Ontario Hockey League this season.
"He's obviously a presence," U.S. coach Rand Pecknold said. "He can skate, he hunts, and I think a big thing that we want to have our team do is hunt the puck, whether it's north on the forecheck, south, east or west. He certainly brings that element and he's obviously got that physicality too. I think he has a real chance to be a force for us."

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Cooley joins camp

Logan Cooley
(Arizona Coyotes) practiced Thursday after missing the first three days of camp for personal reasons.
Cooley is one of eight returning players from the team that finished fifth at the 2022 World Juniors.
"Obviously not getting out of the quarterfinals in the 2022 WJC was disappointing," he said. "I was sick seeing Canada win it too, so I'm really looking forward to getting back at them. Obviously we have a few guys that have been through World Juniors and who have lost so I think that brings more motivation into this year. We want to get back on the winning track here."
The 18-year-old center, selected by the Coyotes with the No. 3 pick of the 2022 NHL Draft, has 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in 19 games as a freshman at the University of Minnesota this season.
"World Juniors is always a fun time, especially around the holidays because everyone's watching," Cooley said. "Anytime you get to represent your country it's an honor and we have a group I think could go really far. So it's exciting times."

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Stramel proving he belongs

Charlie Stramel, an A-rated skater on NHL Central Scouting's preliminary players to watch list for the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft, has the size (6-3, 212) and skill to impact any game. The U.S. coaching staff for the WJC has seen that too.
"He's kind of regained his confidence a little bit and he's such a big, physical player, and has a presence," Pecknold said. "He's got a great stick and really good on the penalty kill with his stick details. He's also a really good face-off guy."
Stramel has seven points (four goals, three assists) in 18 games as a freshman at the University of Wisconsin. It's not the offensive impact some would have expected, but the right-handed shot said it's just a matter of time. He had 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 26 games for the NTDP U-18 team as a 17-year-old last season.
"It was a little bit of adjustment," Stramel said. "I feel like recently I've started producing a little bit more, have gotten a little more confidence. But I feel like the second half of the season is going to be huge for me. I think I'm going to prove throughout these next few months that I deserve to be drafted."
Stramel has been getting repetitions on the penalty kill and power play during camp.

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The odd couple

The friendship between University of Michigan teammates Gavin Brindley (2023 draft eligible) and
Seamus Casey
(New Jersey Devils) happened by chance and started with a simple, "Hey, you want to play with us?"
Brindley, a freshman forward, and Casey, a freshman defenseman grew up a street away from each other in Estero, Florida.
"We were like 5 years old. One day I got back home (from school), and Seamus was down the street. I was playing roller hockey with all my buddies and he was a home-schooled kid and never really had any friends," Brindley said with a laugh. "He didn't really interact with many kids, and we were like, 'Hey, do you want to play?' That's how we met. And we had a couple sticks and pucks and played together, and now I can't get away from him. We're roommates here (at select camp) and we're roommates in Michigan, so it's been really cool."
Said Casey: "I remember a different story, our first time together after becoming friends. As youngsters he always played goalie in mini-sticks and I was winning a lot playing in our garage and we got into an argument. He wasn't very mature at the time so I don't think he could really handle it. One thing led to another and he just left. I think I might have kicked him out. But when I came back inside, my parents were like, 'Where's Gavin?' I was like, 'Oh, he left.' They became worried about him; I think he was wandering around trying to find his way home and I was just sitting down, relaxing, and thought that didn't go over very well."
USA HOCKEY SELECT CAMP ROSTER
GOALIES: Trey Augustine, USA U-18, NTDP (2023 draft eligible); Kaidan Mbereko, Colorado College, NCHC (2023 draft eligible); Tyler Muszelik, New Hampshire, NCAA (Florida Panthers); Andrew Oke, Saginaw, OHL (2023 draft eligible)
DEFENSEMEN: Sean Behrens, Denver, NCAA (Colorado Avalanche); Shai Buium, Denver, NCAA (Detroit Red Wings); Seamus Casey, Michigan, NCAA (New Jersey Devils); Ryan Chesley, Minnesota, NCAA (Washington Capitals); Luke Hughes, Michigan, NCAA (New Jersey Devils); Lane Hutson, Boston University, NCAA (Montreal Canadiens); Luke Mittelstadt, Minnesota, NCAA (2023 draft eligible); Jack Peart, St. Cloud State, NCAA (Minnesota Wild); Ryan Ufko, Massachusetts, NCAA (Nashville Predators)
FORWARDS: Jackson Blake, North Dakota NCAA (Carolina Hurricanes); Tyler Boucher, Ottawa, OHL (Ottawa Senators); Gavin Brindley, Michigan, NCAA (2023 draft eligible); Kenny Connors, Massachusetts, NCAA (Los Angeles Kings); Logan Cooley, Minnesota, NCAA (Arizona Coyotes); Jack Devine, Denver, NCAA (Florida Panthers); Dylan Duke, Michigan, NCAA (Tampa Bay Lightning); Cutter Gauthier, Boston College, NCAA (Philadelphia Flyers); Noah Laba, Colorado College, NCAA (New York Rangers); Ryan Leonard, USA-18, NTDP (2023 draft eligible); Samuel Lipkin, Quinnipiac, NCAA (Arizona Coyotes); Chaz Lucius, Manitoba, AHL (Winnipeg Jets); Rutger McGroarty, Michigan, NCAA (Winnipeg Jets); Redmond Savage, Miami University, NCAA (Detroit Red Wings); Jimmy Snuggerud, Minnesota, NCAA (St. Louis Blues); Charlie Stramel, Wisconsin, NCAA (2023 draft eligible)
Photos: Taylor Swierc, USA Hockey; Rena Laverty, NTDP