NAHL alum Stolarz named to USA World Junior team

USA Hockey today unveiled its 26-player preliminary roster for the 2014 U.S. National Junior Team that will participate in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship Dec. 26, 2013-Jan. 5, 2014, in Malmo, Sweden.

For the complete preliminary roster, click here.

Former NAHL and Corpus Christi IceRays goaltender Anthony Stolarz, a native of New Jersey, is one of just three goalies who received an invite to the U.S. Junior team training camp December 15-18 in Minneapolis, MN. Thatcher Demko (pictured with Stolarz on the front) is an alumni of the NAPHL and also one of the three goalies invited to camp.

Stolarz, now with the London Knights in the OHL came to the IceRays at the beginning of the 2011-2012 season posting a 2.84 goals against average along with a .920 save percentage in 50 games played.  After being named to the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament, the rookie goaltender was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers (2nd round – 45th overall) in the 2012 NHL Draft in Pittsburgh, PA.

After going to Nebraska-Omaha in the fall of 2013, Stolarz accepted an offer from the London Knights.  Since the move North of the border, Stolarz has appeared in 42 regular season games for the Knights and has an average goals against of 2.35 along with a save percentage averaging .925%.

The 26 players will participate in a training camp Dec. 15-18 at the University of Minnesota's Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis, with preparations continuing in Angelholm, Sweden, before the final 23-man roster is announced on Dec. 23. The U.S. will play three games before the start of the IIHF World Junior Championship, including Dec. 17 against Minnesota State University in Mankato, Minn., and contests in Angelholm vs. Finland on Dec. 20 and Sweden on Dec. 22.

"We're excited about the group of players we've invited to camp," said Jim Johannson, general manager of the 2014 U.S. National Junior Team and assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey. "There will be some tough decisions in getting to the final roster, but that's certainly a good problem to have."