After skating away with medals in four straight tournaments for the first time in the program's history, the United States left the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic empty-handed. Last year's squad finished a disappointing sixth despite finishing in the top two in a tough Group B.
In 2021, the grouping doesn't get any easier as Team USA will meet Russia, Sweden, the Czech Republic and upstart Austria. It'll be a tough slog to rise to the top for the Americans, who will also be without the services of John Beecher and Thomas Bordeleau after they were released because of a positive test for COVID-19. (Beecher tested positive, although he's tested negative since, and Bordeleau was his roommate.)
WORLD JUNIORS: How Covid-19 has impacted the tournament
No longer considered an afterthought, the U.S. is an established power on the world juniors circuit and is expected to be a medal contender. The Americans are owners of 12 medals (four gold, two silver and six bronze), and head coach Nate Leaman built a highly-skilled squad that should see another shiny medal come Jan. 5.
Here's everything to know about the tournament, including how to watch live games in the United States, and a complete schedule with updated scores and standings.
Team USA’s schedule and results at World Juniors
The format for the 2021 World Junior Championship consists of two groups of five teams playing a preliminary round-robin to determine seeding followed by a single-elimination tournament. The United States drew Group B, which also includes Russia, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Austria.
| Date | Opponent | Result | TV info |
| Dec. 25 | Russia | L, 5-3 | 9:30 p.m. (NHLN, fuboTV , TSN) |
| Dec. 26 | Austria | W, 11-0 | 9:30 p.m. (NHLN, fuboTV , TSN1/4/5) |
| Dec. 29 | Czech Republic | W, 7-0 | 2 p.m. (NHLN, fuboTV , TSN) |
| Dec. 31 | Sweden | W, 4-0 | 9:30 p.m. (NHLN, fuboTV , TSN) |
| Jan. 2 | QF vs. Slovakia | W, 5-2 | 10:30 p.m. (NHLN, fuboTV , TSN) |
| Jan. 4 | SF vs. Finland | W, 4-3 | 9:30 p.m. (NHLN, fuboTV , TSN) |
| Jan. 5 | Gold vs. Canada | W, 2-0 | 9:30 p.m. (NHLN, fuboTV , TSN) |
(All times Eastern)
MORE: How Canada and the U.S. match up for gold-medal game
How to watch USA games live online
All the games will be played at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta. World Junior Championship games are only available on NHL Network in the United States, which has plans to televise every game for the first time ever. Stephen Nelson will provide the play-by-play for each Team USA game and will be joined by analyst Dave Starman and reporter Jill Savage.
NHL Network is also streamed on fuboTV, which offers a 7-day free trial .
Team USA's 2021 World Juniors roster
Eight players return from last year's squad, including netminders Spencer Knight and Dustin Wolf, who provide one of the best 1-2 combos at the tournament. With a young defense in front of them — Cam York is the only returnee on the blue line — the two backstops will be heavily relied on.
Up front, USA Hockey's forward group is deep. Trevor Zegras, who led the team in points last year with nine assists, returns, as does the team's top goal scorer Arthur Kaliyev (aka #ArtyParty). Canadiens prospect Cole Caufield will look to avenge a poor 2020 tournament, where he only collected a goal and an assist.
| No. | Name | Position | Hometown | Club team | NHL Draft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Trevor Zegras | Forward | Bedford, N.Y. | Signed NHL contract | ANA (2019) |
| 10 | Matthew Beniers | Forward | Hingham, Mass. | Michigan (Big Ten) | 2021 Draft |
| 12 | Matthew Boldy | Forward | Millis, Mass. | Boston College (HE) | MIN (2019) |
| 13 | Cole Caufield | Forward | Stevens Point, Wisc. | Wisconsin (Big Ten) | MTL (2019) |
| 15 | Alex Turcotte | Forward | Chicago, Ill. | Signed NHL contract | LAK (2019) |
| 18 | Brendan Brisson | Forward | Manhattan Beach, Calif. | Michigan (Big Ten) | VGK (2020) |
| 19 | Patrick Moynihan | Forward | Millis, Mass. | Providence (HE) | NJD (2019) |
| 21 | Brett Berard | Forward | East Greenwich, R.I. | Providence (HE) | NYR (2020) |
| 22 | Sam Colangelo | Forward | Stoneham, Mass. | Northeastern (HE) | ANA (2020) |
| 24 | Bobby Brink | Forward | Minnetonka, Minn. | Denver (NCHC) | PHI (2019) |
| 25 | John Farinacci | Forward | Red Bank, N.J. | Muskegon (USHL) | ARI (2019) |
| 26 | Landon Slaggert | Forward | South Bend, Ind. | Notre Dame (Big Ten) | CHI (2020) |
| 28 | Arthur Kaliyev | Forward | Staten Island, N.Y. | Hamilton (OHL) | LAK (2019) |
| 2 | Drew Helleson | Defense | Farmington, Minn. | Boston College (HE) | COL (2019) |
| 3 | Henry Thrun | Defense | Southborough, Mass. | Dubuque (USHL) | ANA (2019) |
| 4 | Cam York | Defense | Anaheim, Calif. | Michigan (Big Ten) | PHI (2019) |
| 5 | Jackson LaCombe | Defense | Eden Prairie, Minn. | Minnesota (Big Ten) | ANA (2019) |
| 7 | Tyler Kleven | Defense | Fargo, N.D. | North Dakota (NCHC) | OTT (2020) |
| 8 | Jake Sanderson | Defense | Whitefish, Mont. | North Dakota (NCHC) | OTT (2020) |
| 11 | Brock Faber | Defense | Maple Grove, Minn. | Minnesota (Big Ten) | LAK (2020) |
| 17 | Hunter Skinner | Defense | Pinckney, Mich. | London (OHL) | NYR (2019) |
| 23 | Ryan Johnson | Defense | Irvine, Calif. | Minnesota (Big Ten) | BUF (2019) |
| 29 | Logan Stein | Goaltender | Suwanee, Ga. | Ferris State (WCHA) | 2021 Draft |
| 30 | Spencer Knight | Goaltender | Darien, Conn. | Boston College (HE) | FLA (2019) |
| 32 | Dustin Wolf | Goaltender | Gilroy, Calif. | Everett (WHL) | CGY (2019) |
World Juniors 2021: Latest news
Tournament
- Time, TV channel, live stream, where, when, schedule
- How has COVID-19 impacted the tournament?
- Rosters, NHL draft status, jersey numbers for all 10 teams
- Breakdown of every NHL teams' prospects
- Predictions: Hockey experts pick who will win gold
- It's gold or bust': NHL players look back on World Junior Championship memories
- A team-by-team guide to the under-20 championship
- Dach, Caufield and the top four storylines
- Oilers' Philip Broberg impresses with three assists for Sweden
- Senators' Tim Stuetzle scores two goals in Germany's overtime win
- Predictions, odds, X-factors, breakdowns for quarterfinal matchups
- Leafs prospect Roni Hirvonen sends Finland to semis with late goal
USA
- Scores, schedule, how to watch every USA Hockey game
- NHL Network's Dave Starman on Canada, the U.S. and why Cole Caufield will steal the show
- Americans mount comeback but fall in opener to rival Russia
- USA bounces back with dominating 11-0 win
- Americans erupt for seven goals, guarantee QF spot at World Juniors
- Americans take top spot in Group B with shutout win
- USA gets a scare but hold on for semifinal berth
- Arthur Kaliyev's goal with 76 seconds left lifts US to gold-medal showdown with Canada
Canada
- Which players are on Canada's final roster?
- Canada favorite to win second straight gold medal
- Kirby Dach out of tournament with wrist injury
- Scores, schedule, how to watch every Hockey Canada game
- Canada opens WJC with 16-2 blowout of Germany
- Braden Schneider handed one-game suspension
- Birthday boy Devon Levi, Canadians hold on to beat Slovakia
- Six points by Quinton Byfield powers Canadians to 10-0 win
- Canadians claim top spot in Group A with wire-to-wire win
- Alex Newhook, Devon Levi have Canada going for gold
2021 World Junior Championship standings
GROUP A
| Team | Wins | Losses | OTL | Points |
| 1. Canada | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| 2. Finland | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| 3. Germany | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 4. Slovakia | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 5. Switzerland | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
GROUP B
| Team | Wins | Losses | OTL | Points |
| 1. USA | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| 2. Russia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| 3. Sweden | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 4. Czech Republic | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| 5. Austria | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Wins in regulation = 3 points
Overtime win = 2 points
Overtime loss = 1 point
Full 2021 World Junior Championship schedule
(All times Eastern)
| FRIDAY, DEC. 25 | ||
| Slovakia 1 , Switzerland 0 | 2 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| Finland 5 , Germany 3 | 6 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| Russia 5 , USA 3 | 9:30 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| SATURDAY, DEC. 26 | ||
| Sweden 7 , Czech Republic 1 | 2 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| Canada 16 , Germany 2 | 6 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| USA 11 , Austria 0 | 9:30 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| SUNDAY, DEC. 27 | ||
| Finland 4 , Switzerland 1 | 2 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| Canada 3 , Slovakia 1 | 6 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| Czech Republic 2, Russia 0 | 9:30 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| MONDAY, DEC. 28 | ||
| Austria 0, Sweden 4 | 6 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| Slovakia 3, Germany 4 (OT) | 9:30 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| TUESDAY, DEC. 29 | ||
| USA 7 , Czech Republic 0 | 2 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| Canada 10 , Switzerland 0 | 6 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| Austria 1, Russia 7 | 9:30 p.m. | TSN |
| WEDNESDAY, DEC. 30 | ||
| Finland 6, Slovakia 0 | 2 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| Switzerland 4, Germany 5 | 6 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| Russia 4, Sweden 3 (OT) | 9:30 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| THURSDAY, DEC. 31 | ||
| Czech Republic 7 , Austria 0 | 2 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| Canada 4 , Finland 1 | 6 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| USA 4 , Sweden 0 | 9:30 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| SATURDAY, JAN. 2 | ||
| QF: Russia 2, Germany 1 | 12 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| QF: Finland 3 , Sweden 2 | 3:30 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| QF: Canada 3 , Czech Republic 0 | 7 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| QF: USA 5 , Slovakia 2 | 10:30 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| MONDAY, JAN. 4 | ||
| SF: Canada 5 , Russia 0 | 6 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| SF: USA vs. Finland | 9:30 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| TUESDAY, JAN. 5 | ||
| Bronze: Finland 4, Russia 1 | 5:30 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |
| Gold: USA 2, Canada 0 | 9:30 p.m. | TSN, NHLN |