2026 U.S. National Junior Team Preliminary Roster Announced
USA Hockey has released its preliminary roster for the 2026 IIHF World junior Championship, featuring 28 players vying for a spot on the final team. The announcement comes as preparations intensify for the annual tournament,a key showcase for top North American junior hockey talent.
This roster represents a blend of collegiate and major junior players, with 20 currently competing in NCAA Division I men’s hockey, six in the CHL, and one each in the AHL and USHL. The University of Michigan leads all NCAA programs with four players named to the preliminary roster. Team USA has a strong recent track record in the World Juniors,having medaled in eight of the last ten tournaments,including gold medal wins in 2024 and 2025. The final roster is expected to be announced by december 24.
A significant portion of the preliminary roster boasts experience within the USA Hockey National Team Advancement Program, with 19 players having participated in the program, including 18 as full-time members of the two-year residency program.
Bob Motzko, head coach of the 2026 U.S. National Junior Team, previously led the U.S. to gold at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship and bronze in 2018.He will be assisted by Greg Brown, Steve Miller, and Garrett Raboin, with David Lassonde serving as the goaltending coach. Jacob leroy and Travis Winter will handle video coaching duties.
Team USA will compete in Group A, facing Germany, Slovakia, sweden, and Switzerland in the preliminary round. Group B will consist of Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, and Latvia.
The IIHF World Junior Championship will be exclusively broadcast on NHL Network in the United States, with E.J. Hradek, Tony Granato, and Jon Morosi providing commentary for all U.S. games, as well as quarterfinal, semifinal, and medal contests. More data can be found at https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2026/wm20.
