USA Hockey unveiled its 25-player National Junior Team roster on Sunday, with OHL players Sasha Pastujov of the Guelph Storm and Andrew Oke of the Saginaw Spirit set to compete in the 2022 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship.
The Americans, who have earned medals in five of the past six tournaments, come off a gold medal finish at the 2021 IIHF World Juniors in Edmonton. They return 17 of the 25 players originally rostered in December before the tournament was postponed.
A 19-year-old from Bradenton, Florida, Pastujov had an impressive first season with the Guelph Storm as he led the club with 34 goals, 42 assists and 76 points. The 6-foot-1, 187Ib. right-winger was a third round (66th overall) pick of the Anaheim Ducks in the 2021 NHL Draft and signed a three-year entry level NHL contract with the Ducks on August 13, 2021. Internationally, Pastujov has won a World Under-17 Hockey Challenge silver medal with the United States in 2019 and represented the U.S. at the 2021 IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship.
An 18-year-old from Shelby Township, Michigan, Oke appeared in 36 games for the Saginaw Spirit last season, going 13-16-1-0 with a 4.63 goals-against average and .848 save percentage. He recently attended Development Camp with the Detroit Red Wings and was Saginaw’s fifth round (89th overall) pick in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection. Oke will be representing the United States internationally for the first time.
We’ve got our squad. #WorldJuniors 🇺🇸
More → https://t.co/Mtw4GaYBjA pic.twitter.com/AphnVpkwcZ
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) August 7, 2022
