North Dakota sophomore defenseman Jake Sanderson has been named captain of the 2022 U.S. National Junior Team.
In addition, Minnesota sophomore defenseman Brock Faber, Michigan sophomore forward Matty Beniers and Notre Dame sophomore forward Landon Slaggert were named alternate captains of the squad.
All four players were members of the gold-medal winning 2021 U.S. National Junior Team.
“The strength of this team is its leadership, and we have a group of guys that have earned the letter on their jersey both on and off the ice,” said Team USA coach Nate Leaman, also Providence’s head coach, in a statement. “There are even more leaders in our locker room. We’re excited about this group overall, and for us to be successful, every player will need to find a way to lead.”
The United States will begin play in the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship on Sunday in Red Deer, Alberta, against Slovakia. Puck drop is set for 9:30 p.m. ET and can be seen live on the NHL Network.
