Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin, defenseman Danny DeKeyser and goaltender Jimmy Howard are among the first 15 players named to the 2017 U.S. Men's National Team for the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Men's World Championship next month.
The team will be coached by Red Wings' head coach Jeff Blashill, USA Hockey announced earlier this week.
Of the 15 players, five helped guide Team USA to a bronze at the 2015 IIHF World Championships, including Larkin. 13 of the 15 have skated for a U.S. National Team and have combined to win 22 medals in IIHF World Championship play.
Five of the 15 players are from metro Detroit as well. Larkin is from Waterford, Andrew Copp is from Ann Arbor, DeKeyser from Detroit, Connor Hellebuyck from Commerce and Jacob Trouba from Rochester.
The tournament runs May 5 through May 21 in Germany and France.
The 15 players include:
- Nick Bjugstad, F, Florida Panthers, Minneapolis, Minn.
- Daniel Brickly, D, Minnesota State University, Sandy, Utah
- J.T. Compher, F, Colorado Avalanche, Northbrook, Ill.
- Andrew Copp, F, Winnipeg Jets, Ann Arbor, Mich.
- Danny DeKeyser, D, Detroit Red Wings, Detroit
- Christin Dvorak, F, Arizona Coyotes, Palos, Ill.
- Jordan Greenway, F, Boston University, Canton, N.Y.
- Connor Hellebuyck, G, Winnipeg Jets, Commerce, Mich.
- Jimmy Howard, G, Detroit Red Wings, Syracuse, N.Y.
- Dylan Larkin, F, Detroit Red Wings, Waterford, Mich.
- Anders Lee, F, New York Islanders, Edina, Minn.
- Connor Murphy, D, Arizona Coyotes, Dublin, Ohio
- Brock Nelson, F, New York Islanders, Warroad, Minn.
- Cal Peterson, G, University of Notre Dame, Waterloo, Iowa
- Jacob Trouba, D, Winnipeg Jets, Rochester, Mich.
Team USA opens the championships with an exhibition game against Italy on May 2. They then will take on Group A competitors that include Denmark, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Russia, Slovakia and Sweden.
