Logan Cooley, Brock Faber and Matthew Knies will represent the United States at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship after being named to the U.S. National Junior Team, USA Hockey announced on Sunday.
Gopher Hockey has a proud history at the IIHF World Junior Championship with the University of Minnesota now set to be represented at 43 of the 46 events dating back to the inaugural tournament in 1977.
The trio of Gophers are among 25 players named to the U.S. National Junior Team ahead of the 2022 World Junior Championship in Edmonton, Alberta (Aug. 9-20). The three University of Minnesota products are tied for the most current student-athlete representatives of any school in the NCAA.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., Cooley will join the ‘U’ as an incoming freshman in the fall. The forward was selected by the Arizona Coyotes with the third overall pick in last month’s NHL entry draft. The USA Hockey National Team Development Program product tallied 27 goals and 75 points in 51 games with the U.S. National U18 Team during the 2021-22 season.
A native of Maple Grove, Minn., Faber has recorded three goals and 23 assists through 59 games over two seasons with the Gophers. The newly minted Maroon and Gold captain represented the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics in January before finishing the NCAA season as Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a First Team All-Big Ten. The defenseman was previously named to the 2022 U.S. National Junior Team roster before the event was postponed. On Friday, Faber was named team captain after previously being named alternate captain in December.
A native of Phoenix, Ariz., Knies recorded 15 goals and 18 assists over 33 games during his freshman season with the Gophers. The forward was named Second Team All-Big Ten and a member of the All-Big Ten Freshman Team after representing the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics. He was also named the Most Outstanding Player of the Worcester Regional after tallying two goals and an assist in two games. Knies was previously named to the 2022 U.S. National Junior Team roster before the event was postponed.
NHL Network is the exclusive home of the IIHF World Junior Championship and will televise every Team USA game, in addition to a full slate of preliminary round, quarterfinal, semifinal and medal round games.
(info courtesy of Gopher Sports)