Sharks forward prospect invited with 6 others chosen in 1st round of NHL Draft © Rena Laverty, USA Hockey PLYMOUTH, Mich. — Will Smith, a forward selected by the San Jose Sharks with the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, will be one of 10 NHL first-round picks looking to make an impression when USA Hockey holds selection camp to determine the roster for the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship. The camp, which includes 16 forwards, 10 defensemen and three goalies, runs Thursday through Saturday at USA Hockey Arena. “I think there’s great players on this team and it’s trying to put them into positions to have success and to try and have the puck a lot through our ability to defend, pressure pucks and create turnovers,” United States coach David Carle said. “Then, ultimately, to not give it back quickly, so I don’t plan on changing [my coaching style] much.” Carle, in his sixth season as coach at the University of Denver, expects to keep 14 forwards, eight defensemen and three goalies for the duration of the tournament that runs Dec. 26 through Jan. 5 in Gothenburg, Sweden. The United States will depart for Sweden on Dec. 18 and play pre-tournament games against Sweden at Catena Arena in Angelholm, Sweden, on Dec. 21, and Canada at Kungsbacka Ishall in Kungsbacka, Sweden, on Dec. 23. “There were a lot of options and hard decisions to even get to this point,” Carle said. “I think the defense is probably better than people think for all the attention that the forward group gets. We’re confident in their ability to defend off the rush, their ability to transition pucks quickly and efficiently and get involved in our attack.” Smith will be joined by six of his Boston College teammates: forwards […]
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