University of Minnesota Athletics
U.S. National Junior Hockey Camp Underway
8/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Four University of Minnesota men's hockey players are among the participants in the U.S. National Junior Evaluation camp August 7-15 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
The two current Gophers and two incoming players are among 43 players invited to the camp, which determines the roster for the under-20 World Junior Championships. The 2010 World Championships will be held Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Saskatoon and Regina, Saskatchewan.
Jordan Schroeder and Aaron Ness, who will be sophomores for the Gophers in 2009-10, are joined by incoming freshmen Zach Budish and Nick Leddy at the camp, which features practices, three games against split U.S. squads and four games against Russia.
Schroeder is one of four players who was on last year's team and has been a member of the U.S. squad the past two years. The Prior Lake, Minn. native is already Team USA's all-time assists leader with 15 for his career. He had points in each of the six games at last year's event and led the team in scoring with three goals and eight assists for 11 points. He was the 22nd player selected overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks.
Ness participated in last year's camp, but did not make the team. The Roseau, Minn. native ranked second among the Gophers' defensemen last season with 17 points while playing in all 37 games. He was the 2008 Minnesota Mr. Hockey Award winner at Roseau High School and helped the U.S. under-18 team to a bronze medal at the 2008 World Championships. Ness was drafted in the second round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders.
Budish did not play hockey last season while recovering from a knee injury suffered during the football season. Budish was an Associated Press first-team all-state selection while leading Edina High School to a Class AA state runner-up finish in 2007-08. He was selected 41st overall in the 2009 draft by the Nashville Predators.
Leddy was last season's Minnesota Mr. Hockey Award winner after leading Eden Prairie High School to the Class AA state championship. Both Leddy and Budish have international hockey experience, having played with the U.S. under-17 and under-18 teams at the Four Nations Cups the past two years. Leddy was the 16th player selected overall in this year's draft by the Minnesota Wild.
The team is coached by Nebraska-Omaha head coach Dean Blais. The final roster will be announced in early December.
