Three UND recruits, two Warroad players named to U.S. World Junior Summer Showcase

GRAND FORKS — Three UND incoming freshmen are shaping up to be candidates for the U.S. World Junior Championship team.

So are two Warroad High graduates.

UND recruits Mac Swanson, E.J. Emery and Andrew Strathmann have been invited to participate in the U.S. World Junior Summer Showcase from July 26-Aug. 3 in Plymouth, Mich.

Warroad grads Jayson Shaugabay and Hampton Slukynsky also have been invited. Shaugabay is headed to Minnesota Duluth. Slukynsky will play for Western Michigan.

The camp is used to help selected members of the team. Canada, Finland and Sweden also will send teams to the camp. Nine games will be played.

Players also will be evaluated throughout the first half of their college seasons.

The World Juniors are scheduled for Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Ottawa.

Denver head coach David Carle will serve as USA’s coach for a second-straight year.

The Americans won gold last year in Sweden.

Strathmann was selected in the fourth round, No. 98 overall, by the Columbus Blue Jackets last summer. Swanson and Emery are eligible for the 2024 NHL Draft, which will be held June 28-29 in Las Vegas.

Strathmann and Emery are defensemen. Swanson is a forward.

Shaugabay and Slukynsky went within three picks of each other in last year’s draft. Shaugabay, a forward, went in the fourth round, No. 115 overall, to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Slukynsky, a goalie, went No. 118 overall, to the Los Angeles Kings.

UND incoming freshman forward Sacha Boisvert also could be a candidate to play at the World Juniors for Canada. Boisvert is from Quebec.

Schlossman has covered college hockey for the Grand Forks Herald since 2005. He has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors as the top beat writer for the Herald’s circulation division four times and the North Dakota sportswriter of the year once. He resides in Grand Forks. Reach him at bschlossman@gfherald.com.