Minnesota Duluth forward Joey Anderson of Roseville, Minn., was named captain of the 2018 U.S. National Junior Team by USA Hockey on Sunday.
“Joey has been among the leaders of this group since this summer and we couldn’t be happier than to have him leading this locker room,” said St. Cloud State coach Bob Motzko, head coach of the junior national team. “We have a strong leadership group and will announce our alternate captains in time, but in putting our mission together, every mission needs a leader and we’re excited to have Joey take that step forward.”
A member of last year's gold medal-winning U.S. team in Montreal and Toronto, Anderson was an alternate captain for the U.S. Under-18 Men's National Team that claimed a bronze medal at the 2016 International Ice Hockey Federation Under-18 Men's World Championship in Grand Forks, N.D.
Anderson, a sophomore, has four goals and five assists for UMD this season and was drafted in the third round of the NFL draft by the New Jersey Devils.
USA Hockey will announce the final roster for the 2018 U.S. National Junior Team by Dec. 23.
