COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - A trio of former National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) standouts will represent the United States at the 2022 IIHF Men’s World Championship, as USA Hockey announced the 2022 U.S. Men’s National Team roster on Thursday.
Former Miami forward Riley Barber, former Minnesota Duluth forward Karson Kuhlman and former Omaha defenseman Jaycob Megna will all suit up for Team USA at the World Championship, with Kuhlman and Megna donning the Stars and Stripes at an IIHF championship for the first time. The 2022 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Men’s World Championship will take place from May 13-29 in Tampere and Helsinki, Finland.
Barber (Pittsburgh, Pa.) played three seasons for the RedHawks from 2012-2015 before turning pro, with his final two campaigns coming in the NCHC. During his Miami career, Barber posted at least 39 points all three seasons, compiling 123 points (54g/69a) in 116 collegiate games. He earned Second-Team All-NCHC honors as a sophomore in 2013-14 and helped lead Miami to the 2015 Frozen Faceoff championship in his final season. Prior to the NCHC, Barber was named to the CCHA All-Rookie Team and First-Team All-CCHA while helping MU capture the CCHA regular-season title as a freshman.
Barber was also a two-time member of the U.S. National Junior Team, winning gold at the 2013 World Junior Championship and serving as team captain in 2014. He started his pro career in the Washington Capitals organization, which drafted him in 2012, playing mostly in the AHL with the Hershey Bears, while making his NHL debut during the 2016-17 season. Barber has also played NHL games for Montreal and four games for the Detroit Red Wings this season, while he has 53 points in 49 games with their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Kuhlman (Esko, Minn.) was a four-year leader at Minnesota Duluth from 2014-2018. After serving as an alternate captain for UMD as a sophomore and junior, he led the Bulldogs to the 2018 NCAA National Championship as team captain in his senior season. Kuhlman was named Most Outstanding Player of the Men’s Frozen Four, and earned the NCHC’s Sportsmanship Award in 2018, as well. He compiled 80 points (39g/41a) in 166 career games for UMD, before signing as an undrafted free agent with the Boston Bruins.
Kuhlman played four seasons with the Bruins, appearing in 75 career regular-season NHL games for Boston, plus 16 playoff games, before being placed on waivers this season. The expansion Seattle Kraken claimed Kuhlman, who finished the 2021-22 campaign playing 25 games for the Kraken and recording eight points. His final game this season was his 100th career regular-season NHL game, as he’s racked up 23 points (9g/14a) in those contests.
Megna (Northbrook, Ill.) played three seasons at Omaha from 2011-2014, with his last season coming in the NCHC. He racked up 22 points (4g/18a) in 105 career games from the Mavericks blue line, including a career-high 10 assists and points in 32 games as a junior in the NCHC in 2013-14. Megna turned pro following the season, signing with the Anaheim Ducks, who drafted him in 2012.
After two full seasons in the AHL, Megna made his NHL debut with the Ducks during the 2016-17 season and played in 42 NHL games for Anaheim over the next two seasons. He signed with the San Jose Sharks for the 2020-21 season and played in 44 NHL games for the Sharks this season (2021-22), tallying eight points (2g/6a). Megna has played in 87 career NHL games, totaling 13 points (3g/10a), and is a three-time team captain in the AHL, where he’s played 368 career games over eight seasons.
Barber, Kuhlman and Megna are three of 24 players on Team USA, which will compete for a gold medal at the IIHF World Championship. Of the 24 players, 18 played college hockey at 12 different schools.
Team USA will depart for Helsinki on Saturday, May 7 and train there until departing for Tampere following its lone exhibition game on May 11 against Canada in the Helsinki Ice Hall. The U.S. begins the Men’s World Championship on May 13 against Latvia at 9:15 a.m. ET and will also face Austria, Finland, Great Britain, Sweden, Czechia and Norway in the preliminary round, which runs through May 24. The quarterfinals are set for May 26 with the medal rounds on May 28-29. All U.S. games in the tournament will air live on NHL Network.
The U.S. has medaled in four of the last eight IIHF Men's World Championships (bronze in 2013, 2015, 2018, 2021). Two former NCHC players were on last year’s bronze medal-winning Team USA in former Denver forward Trevor Moore (now with the L.A. Kings) and former North Dakota defenseman Christian Wolanin (now with the Kings’ AHL affiliate Ontario Reign). Former UND blue liners Jacob Bernard-Docker (Ottawa Senators) and Troy Stecher (L.A. Kings) won gold with Team Canada at the 2021 Men’s World Championship last year in Latvia.
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