With the NHL on pause until next week, hockey fans are eagerly awaiting the start of the 2022 World Junior Championship set to start Sunday in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta.
Team USA, playing out of Group B in Red Deer, will open the tournament with a match against Slovakia and Florida Panthers prospects Ty Smilanic and Mackie Samoskevich will be part of the roster.
Let’s take a look at young Americans as they ready for their first WJC appearance.
Ty Smilanic
Selected in the third round (74th overall) of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Smilanic enjoyed a successful freshman season at Quinnipiac University.