Smith leads United States selection camp roster for 2024 World Junior Championship

PLYMOUTH, Mich. -- Will Smith, a forward selected by the San Jose Sharks with the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, will be one of 10 NHL first-round picks looking to make an impression when USA Hockey holds selection camp to determine the roster for the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship.

The camp, which includes 16 forwards, 10 defensemen and three goalies, runs Thursday through Saturday at USA Hockey Arena.

"I think there's great players on this team and it's trying to put them into positions to have success and to try and have the puck a lot through our ability to defend, pressure pucks and create turnovers," United States coach David Carle said. "Then, ultimately, to not give it back quickly, so I don't plan on changing [my coaching style] much."

Carle, in his sixth season as coach at the University of Denver, expects to keep 14 forwards, eight defensemen and three goalies for the duration of the tournament that runs Dec. 26 through Jan. 5 in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The United States will depart for Sweden on Dec. 18 and play pre-tournament games against Sweden at Catena Arena in Angelholm, Sweden, on Dec. 21, and Canada at Kungsbacka Ishall in Kungsbacka, Sweden, on Dec. 23.

"There were a lot of options and hard decisions to even get to this point," Carle said. "I think the defense is probably better than people think for all the attention that the forward group gets. We're confident in their ability to defend off the rush, their ability to transition pucks quickly and efficiently and get involved in our attack."

Smith will be joined by six of his Boston College teammates: forwards Cutter Gauthier (Philadelphia Flyers, No. 5, 2022 NHL Draft), Ryan Leonard (Washington Capitals, No. 8, 2023) and Gabe Perreault (New York Rangers, No. 23, 2023); defensemen Drew Fortescue (Rangers, No. 90, 2023) and Aram Minnetian (Dallas Stars, No. 125, 2023); and goalie Jacob Fowler (Montreal Canadiens, No. 69, 2023).

Six other NHL first-round picks will attend: defenseman Sam Rinzel (Chicago Blackhawks, No. 25, 2022); and forwards Isaac Howard (Tampa Bay Lightning, No. 31, 2022), Rutger McGroarty (Winnipeg Jets, No. 14, 2022), Oliver Moore (Blackhawks, No. 19, 2023), Frank Nazar III (Blackhawks, No. 13, 2022) and Jimmy Snuggerud (St. Louis Blues, No. 23, 2022).

Carle will have a familiar face on the roster in Denver freshman defenseman Zeev Buium (6-foot, 183 pounds), an A rated skater on NHL Central Scouting's preliminary players to watch list for the 2024 NHL Draft. Buium is third on the Pioneers with 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) and has seven blocked shots in 18 games.

"He wants to win, wants to make an impact, night in and night out," Carle said. "He's very teachable, especially without the puck. His puck game fits well within our system and how we play the puck possession style in Denver."

Also invited is James Hagens (5-10, 178), a center with USA Hockey's National Team Development Program Under-18 team and favorite to be selected high in the 2025 NHL Draft. The 17-year-old center, who is committed to Boston College in 2024-25, has 36 points (12 goals, 24 assists) in 21 games for the NTDP.

Carle expects goalies Trey Augustine (Detroit Red Wings, No. 41, 2023) and Fowler to earn the majority of tournament starts. Augustine is 11-3-2 with a 2.97 goals-against average, .916 save percentage and one shutout in 17 games at Michigan State University. Fowler is 13-3-1 with a 2.16 GAA, .925 save percentage and one shutout in 17 games.

Augustine was 4-1 with a 2.85 GAA and .890 save percentage in six games at the 2023 WJC.

"I think those two young men give us great options," Carle said. "They're coming in with confidence and big-game experience."

The United States won the bronze medal with an 8-7 overtime win against Sweden at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 2023 to earn its 14th medal and seventh third-place finish. It will play in Group B for the preliminary round at Frolundaborg in Gothenburg with Czechia, Slovakia, Switzerland and Norway. Its first tournament game is against Norway on Dec. 26.

Canada, which won the 2023 WJC by defeating Czechia 3-2 in overtime in the championship game in Halifax, will play in Group A with Sweden, Finland, Germany and Latvia at Scandinavium in Gothenburg. It will play its first tournament game against Finland on Dec. 26.

The top four teams in each group will play in the quarterfinals Jan. 2. The semifinals are Jan. 4, and the gold- and bronze-medal games are Jan. 5.

USA HOCKEY WJC CAMP ROSTER

GOALIES: * Trey Augustine, Michigan State, NCAA (Red Wings); Jacob Fowler, Boston College, NCAA (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 (Capitals); Drew Fortescue, Boston College NCAA (Rangers); Patrick Geary, Michigan State, NCAA (2024 draft eligible); * Lane Hutson, Boston University, NCAA (Canadiens); Jake Livanavage, North Dakota, NCAA (2024 draft eligible); Aram Minnetian, Boston College, NCAA (Dallas Stars); Eric Pohlkamp, Bemidji State, NCAA (Sharks); Sam Rinzel, Minnesota, NCAA (Blackhawks)

FORWARDS: * Gavin Brindley, Michigan, NCAA (Columbus Blue Jackets); Quinn Finley, Wisconsin, NCAA (New York Islanders); * Cutter Gauthier, Boston College, NCAA (Flyers); James Hagens, USA U-18, NTDP (2025 draft eligible); Gavin Hayes, Flint, OHL (Blackhawks); Isaac Howard, Michigan State, NCAA (Lightning); Ryan Leonard, Boston College, NCAA (Capitals); * Rutger McGroarty, Michigan, NCAA (Jets); Oliver Moore, Minnesota, NCAA (Blackhawks); Frank Nazar, Michigan, NCAA (Blackhawks); Danny Nelson, Notre Dame, NCAA (Islanders); Gabe Perreault, Boston College, NCAA (Rangers); Will Smith, Boston College, NCAA (Sharks); * Jimmy Snuggerud, Minnesota, NCAA (Blues); Carey Terrance, Erie, OHL (Anaheim Ducks); William Whitelaw, Wisconsin, NCAA (Columbus Blue Jackets)

* -- Denotes returning player