By Earl Seitz

U.S.A. Hockey juniors in Kamloops for World Junior preparations

Dec 18, 2018 | 1:32 PM

KAMLOOPS — USA Hockey’s junior selection camp is in Kamloops for the next three days in final preparations for the World Junior Hockey Championship beginning Dec. 26 in Vancouver and Victoria.

Many of the players who are here this week were also in Kamloops last August for the World Junior Summer Showcase.

Getting here then was a lot easier than it was this time after spending the first three days of camp in Everett, Washington.

The 29 players invited to the U.S. training camp were on the ice at the Sandman Centre this morning (Dec. 18), barely six hours after arriving from Everett.

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“Yeah it was crazy,” says 17-year old forward Jack Hughes. “We were at a bus stop for three hours with snow and stuff. It was bad. But we’re here now, so it’s all good.”

Back where they were just over four months ago for the World Junior Summer Showcase.

“For us to get back in some place we’re familiar with this last summer,” says head coach Mike Hastings, “it’s just the next step in our process of trying to get to our team.”

This roster includes five returnees from the U.S. team that took bronze at the 2018 World Junior Championship. Twenty-five of the 29 players at this camp have either signed or have been drafted by NHL teams.

Among them is Jason Robertson, a second-round draft of the Dallas Stars — and the second leading scorer in the Ontario Hockey League, and one of five players at the U.S. camp from the OHL.

“It’s different for me,” says the Niagara Ice Dogs forward. “Knowing these coaches for just a little bit.  Just getting used to them, they strive for every detail to be perfect and every piece of information to be dialed in. Where I’m from they preach it a lot — but here they expect perfection, and that’s what we’re here to do.”

“We’re trying to get to a point of getting our structure in,” says coach Hastings. “Making sure we’re repeating the things that make us successful. We’ve got a group that can get up and down the rink. Our back end has been good so far as far as being able to get us out of our zone.”

That group on defence is led by Quinn Hughes, drafted by the Canucks with the seventh overall pick in round one in the 2018 NHL draft. He already has his feet wet playing with the big boys —  the U.S. at this years men’s world championship.

His brother Jack is one of only two 17-year-olds at this U.S. junior camp — projected to be the first overall pick in the 2019 draft. Jack is following in the footsteps of other noteables like Auston Matthews and Brady Tkachuk, playing fulltime with the U.S. Under-18 program.

“Yeah, it’s the best place to train,” says Jack Hughes.  “Especially as an American. I know they don’t have a system like that in Canada.  Ever since that was created, you really see where USA Hockey has gone.”

Assuming Jack Hughes will make the U.S. team, you’re going to hear his name a lot at this World Junior Championship.  

Does it ever get in the way of what he’s trying to do?

“Not really, no,” says Hughes. “The draft is six months away. All I have to focus on is playing my game and trying to get better each day.”

“He had a really good day today,” says coach Hastings. “He’s got a passion for the game. He’s one of those few guys that you’ve got to tell to get off the rink. I think he’s handling it well — once he gets out in between the boards, that’s where he likes to be.”