Brendan McMorrow 

McMorrow played his youth hockey career with the Lakeville North Youth Hockey Association and spent some time in a Green Bay Jr. Gamblers uniform. 

Known as “Shorty” in some circles, McMorrow played one season with Benilde-St. Margaret’s, recording nine goals and 32 points in 28 games before earning a chance to represent the United States with the National Team Development Program’s Under-17 and Under-18 teams. After his time with the NTDP, McMorrow played for the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL last season, and showed well with 24 goals and 42 points. 

A seventh-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Kings, McMorrow is currently playing for the University of Denver, and has two goals and seven points through 17 games. 

Max Plante 

One of three outstanding hockey-playing boys in his family, Max is the middle child of former NHL player and Stanley Cup champion Derek Plante and University of Minnesota Duluth Athletic Hall of Famer Kristi Plante. 

Like older brother (and fellow UMD Bulldog) Zam, Max played his youth hockey all the way through with the Hermantown program before exploding for 72 points in his lone season of high school hockey. After helping the Hermantown High School Hawks to a Class A state championship, Plante played two seasons with the NTDP, emerging as one of the top players in his age group with a 15-goal, 61-point campaign with the U18s. 

Now in his second season with the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs, Plante is considered a legitimate candidate for college hockey’s Hobey Baker Award, leading the Bulldogs with 16 goals and 30 points. 

Plante won a gold medal with Team USA in last year’s World Junior Championships and is a second-round draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings. 

Will Zellers 

The third-round selection of the Colorado Avalanche and then acquired in a trade with the Boston Bruins, Zellers has long been one of the most skilled players in his age group. A product of the Osseo-Maple Grove Hockey Association, Zellers also spent time with the Green Bay Jr. Gamblers. 

Zellers played three seasons for prep powerhouse Shattuck-St. Mary’s and produced gaudy point totals, scoring 57 goals and adding 54 assists for the Sabres’ Prep team in his final season with the program. In his only season of junior hockey, Zellers tallied 44 goals and 71 points en route to being named the USHL Player of the Year. 

Through 18 games with the University of North Dakota, Zellers has 10 goals and 15 points. 

Brodie Ziemer

Ziemer went from the Chaska/Chanhassen youth program to Shattuck-St. Mary’s, where he became an instant contributor for the Sabres’ 14U and 15O team, totaling more than 100 points in each season. Ziemer then played for the NTDP for two years, recording 70 points and wearing the captain’s ‘C’ for the U18 team in international play. Ziemer was a standout during Team USA’s run to the gold medal in last year’s World Juniors, scoring three goals and adding four assists. 

Ziemer is currently in his second season with the University of Minnesota, and is a third-round selection of the Buffalo Sabres. 

Ziemer will captain this year’s World Juniors squad. 

Adam Kleber 

Kleber is a 6-foot-6, 225-pound stay-at-home defenseman who hails from Chaska, one of three former Chaska/Chanhassen youth players to make this year’s World Juniors roster. Like forward Brodie Ziemer, Kleber is a Buffalo draft pick, with the Sabres selecting him in the second round of the 2024 draft. 

After playing all the way through the Stormhawks’ youth program, Kleber skated for Chaska High School for one season, then jumped to the USHL’s Lincoln Stars. In two seasons with the Stars, Kleber totaled 43 points. 

Now in his second season manning the blueline for Minnesota Duluth, Kleber is another Minnesotan in his second stint with Team USA’s World Juniors team. 

Logan Hensler 

Hensler is the only first-rounder among Team USA’s Minnesota contingent, selected with the 23rd overall pick in the 2025 draft by the Ottawa Senators. 

Hensler emerged from the Woodbury youth program and played a single season for Hill-Murray before joining the NTDP for his U17 and U18 seasons. He totaled 60 points across 121 games with the NTDP. In his first season with the University of Wisconsin, Hensler recorded 12 points in 32 games, and is well on his way to surpassing that total, notching eight points in 15 games so far this season. 

Hensler was a member of last year’s gold medal team at the World Juniors. 

Caleb Heil 

The final Chaska/Chanhassen youth product among the bunch, Heil played his 16U hockey for the Sioux Falls Power Tier I program, and appeared in four games with the National Team Program’s Under-18 team during the 2023-2024 season. 

Heil is currently in his second season as the starting goaltender for the USHL’s Madison Capitols, and has a 2.60 goals-against-average and a .891 save percentage in 16 games. He is committed to the University of North Dakota.