General | 11/12/2025 11:00:00 AM

The United States Hockey League (USHL) has placed 21 players on the U.S. Junior Select Team set to compete at the 2025 World Junior A Challenge to be played from Dec. 7-13 in Trois-Rivières, Quebec.

The U.S. is the reigning champion of the four-team tournament featuring Canada East, Canada West, and Sweden. Each team will play three preliminary-round games before the semifinals on Friday, Dec. 12, and the bronze and gold-medal games on Saturday, Dec. 13.

Notable players on the U.S. roster include five NHL draft picks, including Detroit Red Wings pick Brent Solomon (Sioux Falls Stampede) and Calgary Flames 80th overall selection Mace'o Phillips (Green Bay Gamblers). Representing some of the league's top skaters from NHL Central Scouting's Preliminary Players to Watch List for the 2026 NHL Draft are  Blake Zielinski (Des Moines Buccaneers), Landon Hafele (Green Bay Gamblers), and Bode Laylin (Tri-City Storm).

Sioux Falls Stampede defenseman Jake Prunty and Green Bay Gamblers forward Gunnar Conboy are the youngest players on the U.S. roster as 2027 NHL Draft eligibles.

General Manager Marc Boxer returns to his role. Andy Brandt (Madison Capitols), who served as an assistant coach last year, will be the head coach, joined by Pat McCadden (Green Bay Gamblers), Ryan Cruthers (Sioux Falls Stampede), and Hank Johnson (Fargo Force). Spenser Popinga (Waterloo Black Hawks) will oversee strength and conditioning. Chris Kiefer (Waterloo Black Hawks) will serve as equipment manager.

The U.S. seeks its 11th tournament crown, previously winning in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2022, and 2024.

About the USHL

The United States Hockey League (USHL) and its 16 teams are committed to being the world's leading junior hockey league. This season, more than 50% of NCAA Division I men's hockey players and nearly 25% of NHL players have USHL experience. The USHL has developed more than 285 direct NHL Draft picks since 2020, and eight of the last 10 Hobey Baker Award winners, including Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel).

Elevated through the recently announced Declaration of Excellence with the NHL and USA Hockey, the league's player-first approach, including a 2:1 practice-to-game ratio and a schedule with 92% of games played on weekends, provides its players with the optimal environment for athletic and personal growth, creating pathways for the next generation of stars like Auston Matthews (NTDP), Kyle Connor (Youngstown Phantoms), Jeremy Swayman (Sioux Falls Stampede), and Johnny Gaudreau (Dubuque Fighting Saints).