20 Active College Players on Preliminary 2026 U.S. National Junior Team: Puck Drop
The University of Michigan led all NCAA programs with four players among the 28 named to the preliminary roster for the 2026 U.S. National Junior Team that will compete in the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, Dec. 26, 2025-Jan. 5, 2026.
The players will head to a training camp at Amsoil Arena in Duluth, Minnesota, from Dec. 15-23, at the end of which the 25-player roster will be finalized. The team will then head to the Twin Cities, where the tournament will be held Dec. 26, 2025 – Jan. 5, 2026.
Team USA is in Group A and will play preliminary-round games against Germany, Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland at at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul. Group B includes Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Finland and Latvia at at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis. The U.S. opens against Germany on Dec. 26.
“We're excited about the group of players we've named,” said John Vanbiesbrouck, general manager of the 2026 U.S. National Junior Team, and the assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey, said in a statement. “It's always difficult to narrow it down, but we're set for what we know will be a very competitive camp that will help us get to our final roster."
The U.S. is the two-time reigning campion. Minnesota’s Bob Motzko will serve as head coach with Greg Brown of Boston College, Steve Miller of Minnesota and Garrett Raboin of Augustana serving as assistant coaches. David Lassonde is the goaltending coach.
Preliminary 2026 U.S. National Junior Team Roster by Colleges
Jersey, Name, Position
Boston College
4 Teddy Stiga#, F
10 James Hagens#, F
Boston University
44 Cole Hutson#, D
34 Cole Eiserman#, F
38 Kamil Bednarik, F
Michigan State
17 Ryker Lee, F
23 Shane Vansaghi, F
Denver
22 Brendan McMorrow, F
Michigan
7 Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen, D
11 Cole McKinney, F
14 Asher Barnett, D
24 Will Horcoff, F
Minnesota
18 LJ Mooney, F
74 Brodie Ziemer#, F
Minnesota Duluth
6 Adam Kleber#, D
12 Max Plante#, F
North Dakota
16 EJ Emery, D
Notre Dame
31 Nick Kempf, G
Wisconsin
2 Luke Osburn, D
5 Logan Hensler#, D
The Rest of the U.S. Roster
3 Blake Fiddler D, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
19 Trevor Connelly # F, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)
9 Henry Brzustewicz D, London Knights (OHL)
30 Caleb Heil G, Madison Capitols (USHL; North Dakota commitment)
33 AJ Reyelts G, Penticton Vees (WHL; Minnesota Duluth commitment)
83 Jacob Kvasnicka F, Penticton Vees (WHL; Minnesota commitment)
25 Chase Reid D, Soo Greyhounds (OHL; Michigan State commitment)
8 AJ Spellacy F, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
# won gold medal at last IIHF World Junior Championship
SEE ALSO: Two Boston College Men's Hockey Players Make 2026 US National Junior Team Preliminary Roster
Puck Drop: Tuesday, December 2, 2025
- Preliminary 2026 U.S. National Junior Team Roster by Colleges
- Puck Drop: Tuesday, December 2, 2025
- Monday's College Hockey Scores
- Tuesday's College Hockey Schedule
- This Date in Hockey History:
- Hockey Quote of the Day
- We'll Leave You With This ...
• The St. Louis Blues announced that they'll be without two players for a while, including former Minnesota right wing Jimmy Snuggerud who will have surgery on his left wrist. He'll expected to be sidelined at least six weeks. Forward Alexey Toropchenko is considered week-to-week after suffering scalding burns on his legs due to an accident at home.
• The U.S. vs. China Para Hockey Cup game was postponed to Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. ET.
• Gophers hockey quietly red-hot after non-conference gauntlet
• If you thought Boston College was looking better offensively, here's the proof:
Biggest jumps in offensive production from October to November in @collegehockey
— Eric Gallanty (@ericgallanty) December 1, 2025
1. @BC_MHockey, +1.86 goals per game
2. @HCrossMHockey, +1.79
3. @LULionsHockey, +1.20
Among @hockey_east teams
1. BC, +1.86
2. @MaineIceHockey, +0.43
3. @RiverHawkHockey, +0.42 pic.twitter.com/Dke4wrMaYb
• Speaking of Boston College, former Eagles center Will Smith of the San Jose Sharks.
Can't stop watching this angle of Will Smith's two gorgeous goals tonight 😍 pic.twitter.com/mfpIHh8WmE
— NHL (@NHL) December 2, 2025
Monday's College Hockey Scores
No Games Scheduled
Games between ranked opponents are bolded. All times are local to where the game is being played.
Tuesday's College Hockey Schedule
WOMEN
Hockey East
New Hampshire at No. 6 Northeastern, 6 p.m. ET
Boston University at Holy Cross, 7 p.m. ET
NEWHA
Post at Sacred Heart, 11 a.m. ET
This Date in Hockey History:
December 2, 1909: The National Hockey Association formed in Montreal. When some teams left due to ownership disagreements, it became the National Hockey League. The association was made up of the Cobalt Silver Kings, Haileybury Comets, Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Shamrocks, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators, and Renfrew Creamery Kings. The Wanderers won the championship.
December 2, 1925: the New York Americans played their first NHL game, a 2-1 overtime victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Canadian-American Billy Burch scored the first goal in franchise history.
December 2, 1954: St. Louis University defenseman Mario Faubert was born in Valleyfield, Quebec.
December 2, 1955: Minnesota right wing Paul Holmgren was born in St. Paul., Minn. Not only did he play in the NHL for roughly a decade, but became a head coach and general manager with Philadelphia and Hartford.
December 2, 1955: Michigan defenseman John McCahill was born in Sarnia, Ontario.
December 2, 1964: Bowling Green wing Don Barber was born in Victoria, British Columbia.
December 2, 1969: The NHL awarded expansion franchises to Buffalo and Vancouver, to begin play in 1970-71.
December 2, 1981: Massachusetts defenseman Thomas Pöck was born in Klagenfurt, Austria.
December 2, 1989: U.S. Hall of Fame center Ed Olczak had an assist during Toronto’s 7-4 loss to Calgary to start an 18-game point streak, during which he tallied 11 goals and 28 points.
December 2, 1989: Former Denver right wing Glenn Anderson scored his 20th career hat trick and added two assists as Edmonton extended its unbeaten streak against the Minnesota North Stars to 14 games with a 6-1 victory.
December 2, 1995: Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson endorsed St. Paul Mayor Norm Colemans' efforts to try and lure the Winnipeg Jets to St. Paul. On Dec. 4 the Jets announced they would relocate to Arizona and become the Phoenix Coyotes.
December 2, 1998: Cornell forward Morgan Barron was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
December 2, 1999: John Vanbiesbrouck became the first U.S.-born goaltender and eighth in NHL history to play in 800 career games. The Philadelphia Flyers won at Buffalo 4-2.
December 2, 2001: Former North Dakota goaltender Ed Belfour tied an NHL record by picking up an assist in his third straight game as Dallas defeated Edmonton 6-4.
December 2, 2014: Hall of Fame Jean Beliveau, who’s name appears on the Stanley Cup 10 times, died in Longueuil, Canada. He was 83.
December 2, 2018: With former Michigan State goaltender Ryan Miller in relief of John Gibson (who had committed to Michigan, but opted out), Anaheim came back from a 5-1 deficit to defeat Washington 6-5, marking the first time in NHL history when a reigning Stanley Cup champion lost a game after being up by at least four goals. The win was No. 374, tying miller with John Vanbiesbrouck for the most by an American goaltender.
December 2, 2021: Former Minnesota defenseman Erik Johnson played in his 800th NHL game, a 4-1 victory for Colorado against Montreal. Meanwhile, American defenseman Zach Bogosian played his 700th game as Tampa Bay defeated St. Louis 4-2.
Hockey Quote of the Day
“I would joke with [Mark Messier] all the time like, ‘Hey, you wanna call up Wayne [Gretzky] and see if he wants to come to New York? Just ask him.’ Mess would smile and say, ‘Hey, you never know.’ "Brian Leetch (Boston College)
We'll Leave You With This ...
From over the weekend ... Jacob Biron is the son of former NHL goaltender Martin Biron, facing then-No. 18 Massachusetts.
Poetry in motion ✍️
— Army Hockey (@ArmyWP_Hockey) November 30, 2025
Jacob Biron delivered a game-high 13 saves in the third period last night to maintain Army's 5-4 lead and secure his first career win 😮💨#GoArmy pic.twitter.com/6Ohizx8i7B
Christopher Walsh is the founder and publisher of Alabama Crimson Tide On SI, which first published as BamaCentral in 2018, and is also the publisher of the Boston College, Missouri and Vanderbilt sites . He's covered the Crimson Tide since 2004 and is the author of 27 books including “100 Things Crimson Tide Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die” and “Nick Saban vs. College Football.” He's an eight-time honoree of Football Writers Association of America awards and three-time winner of the Herby Kirby Memorial Award, the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s highest writing honor for story of the year. In 2022, he was named one of the 50 Legends of the ASWA. Previous beats include the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, along with Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks. Originally from Minnesota and a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, he currently resides in Tuscaloosa.
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