Team USA is just a day away from their first exhibition game at the 2024 World Junior Championship. Washington Capitals prospects Ryan Chesley and Ryan Leonard both made the team’s final roster and have traveled to Gothenburg, Sweden to try and bring home gold.
Chesley will be taking part in his second World Juniors as he played a minor role on last year’s bronze medal winning USA squad. Team USA announced on Wednesday that he will be one of four alternate captains in this year’s group.
Introducing Team USA’s 2024 #WorldJuniors leadership group! 🇺🇸
Details → https://t.co/OmgqpIFWIp pic.twitter.com/6Oy1hK8wQK
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) December 20, 2023
As one of the veterans on the team, Chesley is expected to play big minutes next to offensive dynamo Lane Hutson on the US’ top defense pairing. In his sophomore year at the University of Minnesota, Chesley has recorded six points (2g, 4a) in 18 games, third-highest among the team’s defensemen.
Chesley played in all seven of Team USA’s games in 2023, recording one assist. He will be joined by Golden Gophers teammates Sam Rinzel, Oliver Moore, and Jimmy Snuggerud on the 2024 squad.
Winnipeg Jets first-round pick Rutger McGroarty will be the team’s captain and he’ll be joined by Chesley, Hutson, Gavin Brindley, and Cutter Gauthier in the leadership group. All five players won bronze last year.
USA will play Sweden on Thursday and Canada on Saturday in their two tune-up outings before the official preliminary round. They’ll kick off group play there against Norway on December 26.
Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
