USA Hockey announces roster for 2009 World Junior Championship

USA Hockey announced the 22-player roster for the 2009 World Junior Championship Wednesday. The squad will compete at the tournament in Ottawa,Dec. 26, 2008 through Jan. 5, 2009.

Among the 13 forwards on the roster, four played for the team that finished fourth at the 2008 tournament in Pardubice and Liberec, Czech Republic.

They include Matt Rust (Bloomfield Hills, Univ. of Michigan), Jordan Schroeder (Prior Lake, Univ. of Minnesota), James van Riemsdyk (Middletown, Univ. of New Hampshire) and Colin Wilson (Boston University).

Wilson, who was selected seventh overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators, currently ranks second in the NCAA in points per game (1.54) and leads Boston University with 20 points in 13 contests.

Schroeder and van Riemsdyk, who was selected second overall in 2007 by the Philadelphia Flyers, are tied for 11th nationally in points per game at 1.36.

The seven-man defense is highlighted by three returnees from the 2008 squad including Jonathon Blum (Vancouver Giants), Ian Cole (Univ. of Notre Dame) and Cade Fairchild (Univ. of Minnesota). 


Blum leads all Western League defensemen with 34 points in 22 games, while Fairchild's 12 points through 14 games tops all University of Minnesota defensemen.

Minding the nets for Team USA will be Thomas McCollum (Guelph Storm) and Josh Unice (Kitchener Rangers).

McCollum ranks second in the Ontario League with a .924 save percentage and 2.29 goals-against average through 24 games. Unice, who helped Team USA to the silver medal at the 2007 WJC, has appeared in 12 games for the Kitchener Rangers and posted an .891 save percentage.