USA names first 18 players to world championship roster

Team USA’s roster for the upcoming world championship is starting to take shape.

The first 18 players selected for the roster were unveiled by USA Hockey on Thursday with Tage Thompson, Jeremy Swayman and Clayton Keller among the notable names.

Thompson is coming off an impressive season that saw him finish tied third in the league with 44 goals while adding 28 assists for 72 points in 76 games.

Logan Cooley, Cutter Gauthier, Conor Garland and Drew O’Connor, Matty Beniers, Michael McCarron and Frank Nazar were among the forwards named to the squad.

The blue line features Michael Kesselring, Brady Skjei, Jackson LaCombe, Mason Lohrei, Andrew Peeke and Alex Vlasic.

Joining Swayman as the goaltending options are Joey Daccord and Hampton Slukynsky.

San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky will be the bench boss for the team that will compete in Group B against Czechia, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Kazakhstan and Hungary. 

The tournament opens on May 9 in Denmark.