UND defenseman E.J. Emery, goalie recruit Caleb Heil selected to initial U.S. World Junior roster

Dec. 1—GRAND FORKS — E.J. Emery is getting another crack at making the U.S. World Junior Championship team.

Emery, a UND sophomore defenseman, is one of 28 players on the initial USA roster, which was announced Monday.

The Americans have 10 defenders on the initial roster and are expected to make two cuts before naming a final roster.

The World Junior Championship is scheduled to run from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in St. Paul and Minneapolis. All of USA's games will be held at Grand Casino Arena, the home of the Minnesota Wild.

UND goalie recruit Caleb Heil, who plays for the Madison Capitols in the United States Hockey League, is one of three netminders on the initial roster. The Americans are expected to take all three to the World Juniors.

UND's Will Zellers, Mac Swanson and Sam Laurila were all invited to USA Hockey's World Junior Summer Showcase in August and were evaluated by USA Hockey but did not make the roster.

USA Hockey will hold its training camp in Duluth from Dec. 15-23. The Americans will name their final roster by Christmas Eve.

Last season, Emery was selected to the initial U.S. World Junior Championship roster, but was one of the final cuts.

He is getting another crack at it this season.

Emery has played in 13 games this season, tallying two goals and four points. Both of his goals came against the Minnesota Gophers, whose coach, Bob Motzko, is the head coach of the U.S. World Junior team.

The 6-foot-3 New York Rangers draft pick is more known for his defensive play, where he is one of UND's most-deployed penalty killers.

Heil, a 6-foot-2 goaltender from Victoria, Minn., is 10-4-2 with a 2.60 goals-against average and an .891 save percentage for Madison this season.

Heil, a seventh-round Tampa Bay Lightning draft picked, played in an NHL preseason game in September.

Heil is expected to come to UND next season.

The World Junior Championship features the world's top under-20 players.