By Michael Caples (@michaelcaples) –
USA Hockey announced today that Detroit Red Wings teammates Justin Abdelkader and Danny DeKeyser will be joining them for the World Championship in May.
Abdelkader (Muskegon) and DeKeyser (Clay Township) will join Michigan natives Andy Miele (Grosse Pointe Woods), Connor Hellebuyck (Commerce), Jeff Petry (Ann Arbor) and Jacob Trouba (Rochester) on the 2014 U.S. Men’s National Team that will compete at the IIHF Men’s World Championship May 9-25 in Minsk, Belarus.
The Team USA roster now 13 forwards, eight defensemen and one goaltender (Hellebuyck).
Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard told the media earlier today that he will not play for the team, as his wife is eight months pregnant.
Seven of the 22 players currently on the roster played for the National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor – Jimmy Hayes, Seth Jones, Jake McCabe, Peter Mueller, Connor Murphy, Drew Shore and Trouba.
Former Little Caesars, Saginaw Spirit and Plymouth Whalers standout Vince Trocheck is also on the Team USA roster.
Abdelkader, a Michigan State alum, previously played for the national team at the 2012 World Championship in Finland and Sweden, recording one goal and three assists in eight games. He also won bronze with Team USA’s World Junior team in 2007 in Sweden.
It will be the first time DeKeyser, a Western Michigan alum, dons the Red, White and Blue in international competition.