USA Hockey announced its final 25-player roster on Wednesday morning for the 2026 World Championship, where the Americans go for a third consecutive gold medal. The tournament begins in just two days and will be held on U.S. soil, with the games split between Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Among the 25 players named to the United States’ roster was Chicago Blackhawks 2024 third-round pick (No. 72 overall) A.J. Spellacy, who’s currently playing for the Windsor Spitfires in the Ontario Hockey League.
Spellacy, 19, was among the final cuts one year ago for the Red, White, & Blue. Now in his final year of eligibility for the World Juniors, he successfully dodged the last round of cuts this time around and will represent his country in the tournament.
With tremendous speed to go along with his sizeable 6-foot-3, 205-pound frame, Spellacy figures to be a key energizer for the Americans on the third or fourth line. He can provide much-needed physicality for the group, as he loves to race around the ice and throw some booming hits. Spellacy can also comfortably bounce between the center and wing positions, thanks to his versatility.
While offensive production isn’t the name of his game, he’s still capable of chipping in now and then. Spellacy has tallied 17 points (9G, 8A) in 27 games this season, which is his fourth in the OHL with Windsor. Playmaking isn’t one of his strengths, but he knows how to effectively use his swift skating and great size to crash the net and score greasy goals.
Spellacy is one of 17 newcomers on the U.S. roster this year. James Hagens, Cole Eiserman, Cole Hutson, Adam Kleber, Max Plante, Teddy Stiga, and Brodie Ziemer are the seven returning members from the 2025 gold-medal winning squad.
The 2026 World Junior Championship begins for the hosts with a matchup against Germany on Friday, Dec. 26, in Saint Paul. The game is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. CT at Grand Casino Arena.
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