ST. PAUL — When Team USA’s pre-tournament roster was unveiled in the first week of December, North Dakota star freshman Will Zellers wasn’t on it.
His exclusion wasn’t just a head-turner to the fans.
“I was kind of surprised he was left off because he was scoring so many goals,” forward Brendan McMorrow said.
But Zellers understands that hockey — and sports in general — come with tough decisions. Other high-caliber players also didn’t get the invite.
Zellers went on with day-to-day life in Grand Forks, N.D. He was at a Dec. 8 skills session at Ralph Engestad Arena when he got a call from Team USA general manager John Vanbiesbrouck.
“(He) told me they’re going to add me to the roster and that I’m going to camp,” Zellers recalled. “After hearing that, I got my things in order, finished a couple of finals and got on a flight to Minneapolis.”
Zellers admitted his
wasn’t expected, but he made the most of it.
The Maple Grove native and 76th overall pick by the Boston Bruins
survived Team USA’s roster cuts.
He was slotted into the fourth line when the Americans opened the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship on Friday against Germany at Grand Casino Arena.
Playing just 19 miles from his hometown, Zellers scored twice and assisted on another,
pulling Team USA out of an ugly defensive stretch
in the middle frame to a 6-3 win.
Zellers is tied with Canada’s Ethan MacKenzie and Michael Hage and Czechia’s Cihar Vojtech with a tournament-leading three points through the first day.
“I didn’t really know what to expect, but to get an opportunity to play here in Minnesota is pretty special,” Zellers said. “I was a little bit surprised, but after I got that call I just had to make sure that I made it really hard on them to not want to take me. I made their job as hard as I could to leave me off this team.
United States forward Will Zellers (12) passes the puck against Germany on Friday, Dec. 26, 2025, during the World Junior Championship at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul.
Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group
“I want to have a chip on my shoulder. I want to prove not just to the coaches but to myself that I do belong here and I do deserve a spot on this roster. To have a game like that and the trust from the coaches means a lot.”
Zellers picked up his first point midway through the first period, assisting on Chase Reid’s goal. He then buried a rebound in the second period for his first WJC tally. Zellers added another in the second period, finishing a drop pass from AJ Spellecy to give Team USA a 5-3 lead when Germany attempted its comeback push.
“The bottom line is he was always in the mix,” USA coach Bob Motzko said. “There were some that were left off that still could’ve been at camp. … He really started to heat up on the power play, and he’s got a great stick. (Vanbiesbrouck) made the call and said, ‘I think we need to add him.’ I said, ‘Absolutely. Let’s do it.’ From Day 1, we’ve seen that stick. I said to trust the process … that’s one thing I learned to get the group you want. It was a great call that they made.”
Zellers played on a line with McMorrow (nicknamed Shorty) and Spellecy.
“I had the biggest smile on my face last night when I saw I was playing with him,” said McMorrow, a longtime friend of Zellers. “I know our parents were chuckling about it, too.”
Together, the trio combined for two goals and four assists. Each of them logged a plus-3 on-ice rating.
“We were talking about it before the game. Spells and Shorty were like, ‘We’re going to work on the forecheck and we’ll let you shoot,’” Zellers said. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”
Zellers and McMorrow played together for the Green Bay Jr. Gamblers in 2020-21.
Both from the Twin Cities area — McMorrow, a freshman forward for Denver, hails from Lakeville — their relationship goes beyond hockey.
“We started playing together in seventh grade,” McMorrow said. “He’s pretty similar to how he is now. He’s super flashy and has really good hands. He has a nose for the net. We’re really good buddies off the ice, too. We golf in the summer and our parents are really good friends. Our relationship goes deeper than just me and him. Getting to play with him here and have it come full circle, it’s really special. It’s funny how life works.”
Zellers said, “I love Shorty so much. He’s like a brother to me. … We went to high school together. We carpooled with each other wherever. I built a really good relationship with him. He’s such an unbelievable player. He plays the game so hard. He’s so mature. When you have a guy like that or (Anthony) Spellacy on your line, it makes your job so much easier to get shots off. It’s unreal to come back and play with him.”
As a kid, Zellers frequented the formerly-named Xcel Energy Center for the Minnesota state hockey tournaments. He watched the hometown Crimson push for state titles, dreaming of being in their shoes when his time came.
However, hockey took Zellers a different route. He played his prep days at Shattuck St. Mary’s instead of playing in the Minnesota State High School League.
United States forward Will Zellers (12) skates with the puck against Germany defenseman Fabio Kose (5) on Friday, Dec. 26, 2025, during the World Junior Championship at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul.
Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group
Zellers didn’t get the chance to play at Grand Casino Arena until this year, when North Dakota played the back half of a home-and-home series against St. Thomas in downtown St. Paul on Oct. 12, a game in which
Zellers scored his first college goal in that game.
This time around, the games come with more pageantry.
“It’s so special growing up and going to games here, going to the tourney,” Zellers said. “It’s pretty special to play in this rink when it’s packed like that. For us to have so much support from USA fans, especially when ‘U-S-A’ chants are going off in the middle of a game, it’s so special and we feel that energy.”
Zellers put together an impressive first half at UND, scoring 10 goals and five assists in 18 games. He carried the momentum into the under-20 international tournament.
“It’s pretty high right now,” Zellers said of his confidence. “I feel like I’ve put in a lot of work. I’m shooting 10,000 pucks every summer. I love to do it. It’s not so much confidence, more just reassurance that I know I can do it. If I put in the work and the effort, I know it’s going to come eventually. It’s just nice to have it come this early in the tournament.”
Every step along the way has been surreal for Zellers. On Christmas Day, players and coaches skated at GCA for the first time. They were shuttled to U.S. Bank Stadium for the Minnesota Vikings game against the Detroit Lions and were honored on the field.
“We got a good win,” quipped Zellers, a lifelong Vikings fan, “even with three passing yards.”
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Click on the image above to read comprehensive coverage of the 2026 World Junior Championship tournament.
Click on image to read comprehensive coverage of the 2026 World Junior Championship tournament.