- Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis released his first USA roster projection for the 2027 World Juniors
- Chase Reid headlines the blue line after a standout week at the Summer Showcase
- Read below for the full projected forward group, defense pairs and goalie trio
Team USA already has a projected top line for the 2027 World Juniors, and it came straight out of Windsor.
Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff published his first American roster projection Tuesday after watching most of the group at the World Junior Summer Showcase. Mikey Berchild, Wyatt Cullen and Ethan Wyttenbach headline it as a set trio.
He was blunt about leaving that line alone.
“That trio should stay together at all costs,” Ellis wrote.
Berchild ran the play, Cullen handled the two-way work and Wyttenbach could not stop scoring. All three tore up Canada in the showcase finale, a 7-2 American win on Aug. 1. Cullen finished with a goal and two assists, Berchild had three helpers and Wyttenbach scored twice.
Take a look at the highlights from that one:
Brooks Rogowski and Mason West stay together on the third line as the size pairing of the group. Will Horcoff, Cole McKinney and L.J. Mooney make up a second line built entirely of returnees.
On the back end, Chase Reid is the name to know. Ellis has the Seattle prospect as one of the best defensemen in the whole tournament and figures his “two-way game and overall hockey sense are just a step above the rest.” Reid is paired with Henry Brzustewicz, with Asher Barnett, Tommy Bleyl, Jacob Rombach, Carter Amico, Drew Schock and Blake Fiddler filling out the group.
In goal, it is Brady Knowling, Ryder Fetterolf and Harrison Boettiger. Fetterolf was the one who stood out against Canada, stopping four shots on an early penalty kill including a breakaway to keep the game scoreless.
Boettiger is the outlier of the three. He went undrafted after his rookie WHL season and still graded out as the most consistent American goalie in Windsor.
Ellis rolled out his Canada projection earlier this week, and both rosters land in Alberta for the tournament.
The Americans get there without the gold-medal streak they used to carry. Sweden ended it in the quarterfinals on home ice last year and went on to win the thing.
