Who will lead the USA in the Junior competition.

Well 3 captains have been picked. 



Captain

    Luke Kunin (#9-center picture) is a 6-0 center from the U of Wisconsin. He was the pick after Charlie McAvoy in the 2016 draft. As a freshman he scored 19 goals and had 13 assists. This year he has about a point per game with 11 goals (team high)and 6 assists in 16 games played (17 PTS). He was the captain of USA U-18 gold metal team in 2015. He makes other better because of the desire and team first attitude.

Alternative Captains

     Collin White (#19) (pictured on the left) is a 6-0 fast skating forward for Boston College. He is a replica of Luke Kunin with skating and point production. As a freshman he was the second best point getter, with 19 goals and 24 assists for Boston College. This year as a sophomore he leads the team with shots on goal and has 10 goals (team high) and 7 assist (17 PTS),  good enough for 3rd on team. Team USA will need him to lead my example.

   Charlie McAvoy (#25) (pictured on right) is also a sophomore but plays for Boston University and team USA as a defenseman. He is 6-1 and weighs in at 211 lbs. This made him Boston Bruins first round pick this year. He is a strong skater and was BU's leading point getter as a defenseman last year. This year he has 2 goals and 11 assist leading all BU defensemen this year. It will not be his checking or rushes that stand out but his calmness on the puck and the ability to transition the puck to his forwards (passing or skating it out of the defensive zone.


Other to watch:

Jack Rosolvic is a 6-1 forward who also can put the puck in the net. Last year as a freshman for the University of Miami (Ohio) he scored 10 goals and 16 assist. This year he took bigger and better competition and jumped to the AHL's Manitoba Moose. In 25 games he has 8 goals and 11 assist
which leads the team. If Rosolvic can get it done the the AHL...I see him being productive in this tournament.

    The main identity of this team however is the opposite of what i am writing. Head Coach Bob  Motzko has been preaching the team game. Skate for your line mate, don't be the all star, play for the team and not individual glory. Every one on this team can skate, it will be the top 9 forwards who don't make the mistakes that will see the ice minutes in the knockout rounds. 

Look for a Hockey East Power Play influence

Look for Charlie McAvoy D (Boston University), Clayton Keller (Boston University), Kieffer Bellows (Boston University),Tage Thompson (U-Conn) and Collin White (Boston College). Well that is the PP unite USA is working with so far. 

Tage Thompson is deadly close to the net. 

Tage Thompson  has enormous size at 6-5 and can put the puck in the net. As a freshman for UConn he has 14 goals and 18 assists. This year as a sophomore he has 12 goals and 8 assists (20 PTS) out pointing our captains. He likes sitting at top left face off circle and one timing a very hard accurate shot on the power play. He has great hand and lifts he head up immediately once puck is on his stick. He is calm in front of net and his body is hard to move once it is there. 

Kieffer Bellows is the shifty crafty skater at 5-10 who has 7 goals and 8 assist this year at BU.