(UND Athletics) COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Freshman forward Jackson Blake has been named one of 32 players to the preliminary roster of the 2023 U.S. National Junior Team, announced by USA Hockey on Monday.
The group, which includes eight members of the 2022 U.S. National Junior Team, will gather for a training camp at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich., from Dec. 12-17.
Players are auditioning for a spot on the final 23-player roster that will represent the United States in the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship Dec. 26, 2022 – Jan. 5, 2023, in Moncton, New Brunswick, and Halifax, Nova Scotia. The United States has medaled in five of the last seven tournaments.
“It’s amazing to see the talent we have around the country, and, as always, we’ll have some difficult decisions to make to get to our final roster,” said John Vanbiesbrouck, general manager of the 2023 U.S. National Junior Team and also the assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey. “When we get into selecting players for any of our national teams, I’m always reminded of the thousands of volunteers at the grassroots level who have played a big part in helping our players reach their potential during their youth hockey years and we’re thankful to all of them.”
Blake has been on a torrid pace in his first season with the Fighting Hawks, ranking tied for the team lead with 19 points in just 17 games. The freshman is second on the squad with nine goals and has already registered six multi-point games this season.
The Eden Prairie, Minn., native ranks 19th in the nation in points and 20th in goals, while is point total is fifth and goals are fourth in the country among freshmen.
Blake is currently riding an eight-game point streak, the longest by a freshman since Shane Pinto in 2019-20.
