The U.S. National Junior Team will take its first steps in preparation for the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship in late July as USA Hockey announced the 44 players invited to the annual World Junior Summer Showcase. Two U.S. teams made up of candidates for the U.S. roster at the 2024 WJC will play against each other and teams from Sweden and Finland at USA Hockey in Plymouth, Mich., July 27-Aug. 4.

David Carle, head coach of the University of Denver's hockey team, will lead the U.S. for the first time at the World Juniors. He, along with USA Hockey's assistant executive director of hockey operations John Vanbiesbrouck, will be tasked with helping the U.S. improve on a bronze-medal finish at the 2023 World Junior Championship.

There could be as many as 11 returning players from last year's team, which puts the U.S. in a good position to contend for a gold medal at the World Juniors, which will take place Dec. 26, 2023 to Jan. 5, 2024 in Gothenberg, Sweden.

Among the 44 players selected, 22 are eligible to be selected at the upcoming 2023 NHL Draft. Three other players -- Cole Eiserman and Zeev Buium in 2024, as well as James Hagens in 2025 are eligible for future drafts. The remaining 21 players have already been selected by NHL teams.

Among the 2023 NHL Draft eligibles, much focus will be put on Will Smith, Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault, which comprised the most productive line in the history of the National Team Development Program. The trio is all headed to Boston College and presumably will be bringing that built-in chemistry with them to the World Junior Championship. All three helped the U.S. win gold at the 2023 IIHF World Men's Under-18 Championship in the spring.

While 10 of the returnees from last year's team will be in attendance, Logan Cooley will not be among them. He is expected to be Team USA's top center at the 2024 tournament, but will not be available for the camp. 

Meanwhile, Cutter Gauthier and Lane Hutson, who were each part of the U.S. Men's National Team at the 2023 IIHF Men's World Championship in the spring, will be in attendance and likely to make their second World Junior Championship appearance in Sweden next winter.

Here's a quick look at the roster of 44 players Team USA will be evaluating for spots on their 2024 World Junior Roster.

USA Camp Invites

* - Denotes returning player from 2023 World Junior Championship roster
Note: Draft rights in Parenthesis

Goalies (5)

Trey Augustine* (2023), Tyler Muszelik (Florida Panthers), Andrew Oke* (2023), Jacob Fowler (2023), Hampton Slukynsky (2023)

Defensemen (16)

Vinny Borgesi (2023), Garrett Brown (Winnipeg Jets), Hunter Bruzustewicz (2023), Zeev Buium (2024), Seamus Casey (New Jersey Devils), Ryan Chesley* (Washington Capitals), Jackson Dorrington (Vancouver Canucks), Tyler Duke (2023), Paul Fischer (2023), Drew Fortescue (2023), Lane Hutson* (MTL), Charlie Leddy (New Jersey Devils), Jake Livanavage (2023), Eric Pohlkamp (2023), Sam Rinzel (Chicago Blackhawks), Zach Schulz (2023)

Forwards (23)

Gavin Brindley* (2023), Cole Eiserman (2024), Quinn Finley (New York Islanders), Cutter Gauthier* (Philadelphia Flyers), James Hagens (2025), Gavin Hayes (Chicago Blackhawks), Isaac Howard (Tampa Bay Lightning), Devin Kaplan (Philadelphia Flyers), Cole Knuble (2023), Ryan Leonard (2023), Cruz Lucius (Carolina Hurricanes), Tanner Ludtke (2023), Cam Lund (San Jose Sharks), Rutger McGroarty* (Winnipeg Jets), Oliver Moore (2023), Quentin Musty (2023), Frank Nazar (Chicago Blackhawks), Danny Nelson (2023), Perreault (2023), Will Smith (2023), Jimmy Snuggerud* (St. Louis Blues), Charlie Stramel* (2023), Will Whitelaw (2023)

Roster Notes

• Team USA's roster features six first-round NHL Draft picks, seven if you include the absent Cooley. Among those in attendance will be Cutter Gauthier (PHI), Isaac Howard (TBL), Rutger McGroarty (WPG), Sam Rinzel (CHI), Frank Nazar (CHI), Jimmy Snuggerud (STL).
• The roster will also feature six players that were listed in the Top 32 (first-round range) in FloHockey's Top 100 prospects for the 2023 NHL Draft.
• The two players in the 2006 birth year participating in the camp, Cole Eiserman and James Hagens, are also among those in early projections expected to be first-round picks in their 2024 and 2025 drafts, respecitvely. USA may have as many as 15 current and future first-rounders vying for spots on this team.
• Charlie Stramel will be looking to play in his third career World Junior Championship after being part of the roster for the rescheduled 2022 World Juniors last summer and the 2023 event last year.
• The U.S. will have to completely revamp its blue line for the 2024 event as they only have two returnees. Lane Hutson (MTL) should play an especially prominent role, while Ryan Chesley (WSH) will also be a key blueliner. The blue line is definitely the most up for grabs position group in this camp.

FloHockey will be providing extensive coverage of the 2023 World Junior Summer Showcase with on-site reports later this summer. Stay tuned for a full roster breakdown with complete analysis as camp gets closer.