With the IIHF World Junior Championship headed back to Buffalo, New York, the host Americans are looking to do something no U.S. squad has done before them: repeat as champions. Team USA was in this exact position back in 2011, the last time Buffalo played host to the tournament, but ultimately settled for bronze. Following up last year's dramatic run to World Junior gold is no easy task, and this year's tournament will include a few extra wrinkles, making it all the more challenging.
When things get started on Dec. 26, the United States is expected to have seven players returning from last year's championship team including forwards Kieffer Bellows, Joey Anderson and Patrick Harper, defensemen Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox and goalies Joseph Woll and Jake Oettinger (who was rostered, but did not dress in a game). As of this writing, three players still need to be released to finalize the roster. That is expected to happen on Saturday, ahead of the tournament.