US team sets 26-man roster for men’s national team

USA hockey has announced its 26-man roster for the Men’s National Team, which will be coached by former Bridgeport Sound Tigers head coach Jack Capuano in the 2021 International Ice Hockey Federation Men’s World Championship, May 21-June 6, in Riga, Latvia.

Trumbull native Chris Drury, the president and general manager of the New York Rangers, is also the general manager for the US National Team.

Drury was the general manager of the 2019 US National Team, and had been named the GM of the 2020 team before the IIHF canceled the tournament.

“We’re excited with the roster we have and look forward to the world championship,” Drury said in a press release. “It’s a unique year and we appreciate the dedication and commitment of everyone. We really like our team and our goal, like every other team our country puts on the ice, is to bring home a gold medal.”

Team USA’s roster includes winger Tage Thompson, a former UConn standout who now plays for the NHL’s St. Louis Blues.

Thompson was drafted by Buffalo in 2016 and traded to St. Louis in 2018.

Thompson will be playing for Team USA for the fourth time, and has earned two gold and one bronze medals in his previous competitions.

Jack Drury, the son of former NHL player Ted Drury and nephew of Chris Drury, is on the roster as a forward. Jack Drury, who played for Harvard, was selected by Carolina in the 2018 NHL draft and is currently with the Växjö Lakers of the Swedish Hockey League.

The roster also features current New York Rangers Zac Jones on defense, and Colin Blackwell and Kevin Rooney at forward, and former Ranger Brian Boyle, the oldest player on the roster at 36, at forward.

Team USA will play its first game in the world championship against Finland on Saturday, May 22, and wil face Canada on Sunday, May 23. The team will play seven games in the preliminary round with the quarterfinal games scheduled for June 3.