Hosted by USA Hockey, The World Junior Summer Showcase--the first step in selecting Junior National Teams for next Winter's World Junior Championships--begins Friday in Plymouth, Michigan. Two U.S. teams--blue and white--will face off against squads from Canada, Sweden and Finland at USA Arena with a total of five Terriers rostered.
Photo credit Matt Woolverton
Brandon Svoboda will play for the U.S. blue team, while Gavin McCarthy, Cole Eiserman and Cole Hutson will skate for the white squad. Tom Willander, who represented Sweden in last year's WJC-20 tournament, is on the Swedish roster once again.All nine tournament games will be live-streamed on USAHockey.com, beginning Sunday.
The 2025 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship is set for Dec. 26, 2024, through Jan. 5, 2025 in Ottawa, Ontario.
● USA Hockey Team Preview
Willander shines at Canucks' camp
"We've been really impressed with Tom," said Mike Komisarek, who joined Canucks player development in 2022 after 11 seasons as an NHL defenseman and visited with Willander every other week last season. "Extremely competitive kid, moves so well. The stuff with the puck is world class."
Willander (6-foot-1, 180 pounds) is focused on continuing to get stronger. There also remains room to grow offensively after Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin projected him as a potential "perfect fit" with Norris Trophy winner Quinn Hughes because of his defensive acumen and intelligence.
● NHL.com Willander showing growth spurt with Canucks
● NHL.com Willander speaks with Vancouver media
►Journalist Jon Paul Morosi wrote about incoming freshman Bednarik's family experience at last month's NHL draft and their support of his career. A 6'0" center who had a 46-65-109 scoring line in his two NTDP seasons, Bednarik was drafted in the second round by the Islanders, who had previously selected Cole Eiserman.
● Medium.com For Kamil Bednarik’s parents, the drive from Chicago to Vegas one of resilience and love
Name a defensive skill, and Bednarik probably has it. He’s energetic, but controlled. He rotates, supports, and engages at the right moments. When he battles opponents, he’s always looking to win body positioning first, using his stick or free hand to slow down the opponent if required. He throws big hits, blocks shots, and does whatever it takes to win. -EliteProspects 2024 NHL Draft Guide
Looking back
Former Terrier All-American and captain Matt Gilroy will join Harvard's coaching staff as an assistant to Ted Donato, according to a report by Mark Divver.
Gilroy, whose BU career was a storybook rise from walk-on to Hobey Baker Award winner, led BU to its 2009 "DC Miracle" National Championship in Washington, D.C.
He spent the last two seasons coaching at the NTDP, working with Cole Hutson and other defensemen on the U18 squad. Gilroy's 10-year professional career included stints with four NHL teams and with teams in Switzerland and the KHL. He served as an assistant captain for Team USA at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.
● TheHockeyNews.com report
● USA Hockey YouTube interview with Gilroy
Bentley University has announced that its football field for longtime coach Peter Yetten. A Waltham native, Yetten served as the Falcons' head football coach from 1979 through 2008 with a record of 225-81-2.
He was a defenseman on the Terriers' first NCAA championship squad in 1971 and also played quarterback for BU.
H/T to longtime Terrier fan Jim McKenzie for passing this information along.
● Bentleyfalcons.com report
Women's Team
Head Coach Tara Watchorn was a guest coach at the New Jersey Devils development camp.
“Aside from all the drills,” Watchorn joked about what she wanted to learn from the camp. “I’m a newer head coach and I think it’s helpful to see how to utilize your staff. I think that’s what’s really cool when you come to this level you have amazing people who are experts in their field at every area and how do you really utilize that and bring everyone together under your vision. Just watching the group of coaches and how they delegate, how they lean on each other’s strengths, and how they work with the players.”
2 comments:
Willander's name does not appear on Swedish roster.
Willander had been on the Swedish roster, but he was injured at Canucks development camp (no details available). He'll be on the December camp roster.
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