KINGSTON, Ontario – Forward Ryan Leonard (Amherst, Mass./Boston College), who was part of the gold medal-winning 2024 U.S. National Junior Team, has been named captain of the 2025 U.S. National Junior Team it was announced here today. Team USA will play in the 2025 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, Dec. 26 – Jan. 5 in Ottawa, Ontario.
In addition, Zeev Buium (San Diego, Calif./University of Denver), Oliver Moore (Mounds View, Minn./University of Minnesota), Danny Nelson (Maple Grove, Minn./University of Notre Dame) and Gabe Perreault (Hinsdale, Ill./Boston College) have been tabbed as alternate captains.
“We’ve got tremendous leadership, which is important in a short tournament like this,” said David Carle, head coach of the U.S. National Junior Team and also the head men’s ice hockey coach at the University of Denver. “Congratulations to those selected to wear letters, and beyond those five players, we know that everyone on our team will play a role in our success.”
NOTES: The five members of the Team USA leadership group were all part of the gold medal-winning U.S. National Junior Team … Ryan Leonard is just the second player from Boston College to captain a U.S. National Junior Team, joining Marty Reasoner who served as captain of the 1997 team … Leonard is the second straight forward to captain a U.S. National Junior Team after five consecutive seasons of defensemen captaining teams … Of the six gold-medal U.S. National Junior Teams, three have had been led by captains that were forwards and three by defensemen … The U.S. National Junior Team is currently training in Kingston, Ont., where it will face Slovakia tomorrow in its first of two pre-tournament games. Team USA will move to Cornwall, Ont., on Sunday (Dec. 22) and will battle Finland there on Monday (Dec. 23) in its other pre-tourney contest.
Last 10 Team USA Captains
- 2024 – Rutger McGroarty/F/University of Michigan
- 2023 – Luke Hughes/D/University of Michigan
- 2022 – Brock Faber/D/University of Minnesota
- 2021 – Cam York/D/University of Michigan
- 2020 – Mattias Samuelsson/D/Western Michigan University
- 2019 – Mikey Anderson/D/University of Minnesota Duluth
- 2018 – Joey Anderson/F/University of Minnesota Duluth
- 2017 – Luke Kunin/F/University of Wisconsin
- 2016 – Zach Werenski/D/University of Michigan
- 2015 – Jack Eichel/F/Boston University
- 2014 – Riley Barber/F/Miami University
U.S. Tournament Schedule
| DATE | OPPONENT/ROUND | TIME (LOCAL/ET) | LOCATION | BROADCAST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Dec. 21 | Slovakia Pre-Tournament |
7:00 p.m. | Slush Puppie Place Kingston, Ontario |
None |
| Mon., Dec. 23 | Finland Pre-Tournament |
4:00 p.m. | Cornwall Civic Complex Cornwall, Ontario |
None |
| Thurs., Dec. 26 | Germany Preliminary Round |
2:30 p.m. | Canadian Tire Centre Ottawa, Ontario |
NHL Network |
| Sat., Dec. 28 | Latvia Preliminary Round |
3:30 p.m. | Canadian Tire Centre Ottawa, Ontario |
NHL Network |
| Sun., Dec. 29 | Finland Preliminary Round |
2:30 p.m. | Canadian Tire Centre Ottawa, Ontario |
NHL Network |
| Tues., Dec. 31 | Canada Preliminary Round |
8:00 p.m. | Canadian Tire Centre Ottawa, Ontario |
NHL Network |
| Thurs., Jan. 2 | TBD Quarterfinals |
12:00 p.m. | TD Place Ottawa, Ontario |
NHL Network |
| TBD Quarterfinals |
2:30 p.m. | Canadian Tire Centre Ottawa, Ontario |
NHL Network | |
| TBD Quarterfinals |
5:00 p.m. | TD Place Ottawa, Ontario |
NHL Network | |
| TBD Quarterfinals |
7:30 p.m. | Canadian Tire Centre Ottawa, Ontario |
NHL Network | |
| Sat., Jan. 4 | TBD Semifinals |
3:30 p.m. | Canadian Tire Centre Ottawa, Ontario |
NHL Network |
| TBD Semifinals |
7:30 p.m. | Canadian Tire Centre Ottawa, Ontario |
NHL Network | |
| Sun., Jan. 5 | TBD Bronze Medal Game |
3:30 p.m. | Canadian Tire Centre Ottawa, Ontario |
NHL Network |
| TBD Gold Medal Game |
7:30 p.m. | Canadian Tire Centre Ottawa, Ontario |
NHL Network |
Source: usahockey.com