USA Hockey News Feed: July 14

USA Hockey will host the 2010 Sled Hockey Player Development Camp at the Sports Centre at MCC in Rochester, N.Y., from July 16-21, 2010.

More than 45 male and female sled hockey players ages 14-24 will take part in the five-day camp, which will include daily practices and games. The purpose of the camp is to identify, train and educate the top sled hockey athletes in the United States. During the camp, players are evaluated by USA Hockey’s national evaluation staff, while competition gives the players the opportunity to measure themselves against others in the same age group, gain knowledge about their development and be exposed to top-level coaches.

The U.S. National Junior Sled Hockey Team, which will compete in various national and international events during the 2010-11 season, will be selected from players at this camp.

Meanwhile, the 2010-11 U.S. National Sled Hockey Team tryouts will take place immediately following the USA Hockey Sled Hockey Player Development Camp, July 22-24 in Rochester, N.Y. The tryouts are open to all disabled sled players 15 years of age or older. For more information, contact Dan Brennan at danb@usahockey.org.

NOTES: Jeff Sauer and Mike MacMillan will serve as the head coaches of USA Hockey's Sled Hockey Player Development Camp while Gregg Marianari and Brad Roethlisberger will serve as assistant coaches. J.J. O’Connor, chair of USA Hockey’s Disabled Section, will serve as the camp director ... Adding to the camp’s staff will be Mike Blabac (Buffalo, N.Y.), Brad Emmerson (Amherst, N.Y.), Alexi Salamone (Grand Island, N.Y.), Kip St. Germaine (Massachusetts), and Bubba Torres (Riverside, N.J.), all of whom are former U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team members ... Athletes for the camp are chosen by the Player Development Committee from recommendations of sled hockey coaches nationwide.
 

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- The U.S. National Junior Team will face the Rensselaer men's ice hockey team on Sunday, Dec. 19, at Houston Field House in Troy, N.Y., it was announced today by USA Hockey. Opening faceoff is slated for 4 p.m. EST.

The contest is part of Team USA's preparation for the 2011 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship, which will be staged Dec. 26 - Jan. 5 in Buffalo, N.Y. The U.S. are defending gold medalists at the tournament, having captured the top prize last year in Regina and Saskatoon, Sask.

"We're pleased to have the chance to play a quality college team like RPI," said Jim Johannson, general manager of the 2011 U.S. National Junior Team and assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey. "The game will be fun for the fans and players alike and will give us an opportunity to further evaluate who will be on our final roster."

Johannson anticipates inviting approximately 28 players to a training camp that will likely begin on Dec. 16 in Rochester, N.Y. In addition to the RPI game, he said the U.S. National Junior Team will also face the Czech Republic and Norway prior to the commencement of the World Junior Championship.

"We'll be announcing dates and locations for our games against the Czech Republic and Norway shortly, as well as our final camp schedule," added Johannson.

Johannson noted the final 22-player U.S. roster for the World Junior Championship is likely to be unveiled on Dec. 23.

NOTES: For ticket information for Team USA's tilt against RPI, visit www.RPIAthletics.com or call (518) 276-6262 ... The 2011 IIHF World Junior Championships will take place Dec. 26 - Jan. 5 at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo, N.Y., and Niagara University's Dwyer Arena in Lewiston, N.Y. Additional information including a full preliminary-round tournament schedule and ticket details can be found at www.BuffaloWorldJuniors.com ... Keith Allain, head men's ice hockey coach at Yale University, will serve as head coach of the 2011 U.S. National Junior Team. Allain will be assisted by Mark Osiecki (Burnsville, Minn.), head men's ice hockey coach at The Ohio State University; Phil Housley (South St. Paul, Minn.), head boy's ice hockey coach at Stillwater (Minn.) high school; and Joe Exter (Saline, Mich.), goaltender coach at USA Hockey's National Team Development Program ... Jim Johannson is serving as the general manager of Team USA for the second consecutive year. Meanwhile, Tim Taylor (Guilford, Conn.), former U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team head coach and longtime Yale University men's ice hockey team head coach, is also serving his second straight year as Team USA's director of player personnel ... From July 30 - Aug. 7, 44 of the top U.S. under-20 players will take part in USA Hockey's National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, N.Y. For the full roster and camp coverage, click here.