BLOG: Gopher commits Nate Knoepke and Scott Reedy to play in 2017 U-18 WJC

A pair of Minnesota commits will represent Team USA in the 2017 IIHF U-18 World Championships later this month.

Defenseman Nate Knoepke (Farmington, MN) and forward Scott Reedy (Prior Lake, MN) were among the 22 players named to the American roster. The tournament, which doubles as showcase for draft eligible players, runs from April 13-23 in Poprad and Spišská Nová Ves, Slovakia.

Knoepke and Reedy have each spent the past two seasons in the United States National Team Development Program, which annually makes up the vast majority of the roster. St. Cloud State freshman Ryan Poehling, a Lakeville native who accelerated his schooling to play college hockey, is the only player not from the USNTDP.

Both Knoepke and Reedy signed Letters of Intent during the early signing period to play at Minnesota next season.

Ryan Lindgren and 2017 incoming Gopher freshman Casey Mittelstadt represented Team USA in the 2016 U-18 World Championships. Lindgren captained the Americans to a third place finish.