COLORADO SPRINGS, USA – USA Hockey has named the 29 players who make up the preliminary roster for the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship. Among the invited are eight returning players from the team that won bronze in Buffalo one year ago.

The eight returnees from the 2011 World Junior Championship are: Jack Campbell (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds); defensemen Justin Faulk (Univ. of Minnesota Duluth), Derek Forbort (Univ. of North Dakota) and Jon Merrill (Univ. of Michigan); and forwards Nick Bjugstad (Univ. of Minnesota), Charlie Coyle (Boston Univ.), Emerson Etem (Medicine Hat Tigers) and Jason Zucker (Univ. of Denver).

Both Campbell and Zucker were also members of the World Juniors gold medal-winning team in 2010, as well as members of the gold medal winning teams in the IIHF World U18 Championship in 2009 and 2010.

At 19, Jack Campbell is currently the most decorated international junior player. Apart from winning both the U18 and U20 World Championships, he has been named Best Goaltender at the 2010 U18 event and at the 2011 U20 championships, as well as being selected to the championship All Star Teams on three occasions. Twice in the U18s (2009/2010) and once in the U20 (2011).

The group will gather for a camp in Camrose, Alberta, on Dec. 17, with the final 22-player U.S. National Junior Team roster expected to be named Dec. 22.

"We're very excited to see what this group of players brings to camp," said Jim Johannson, general manager of the 2012 U.S. National Junior Team and also the assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey. "The talent and skill that all of these players bring will make trimming the roster tough, but we look forward to the process."

The camp will include exhibition games against Russia (Dec. 20), Switzerland (Dec. 21) and Slovakia (Dec. 23).

Team USA will look to earn its third straight medal after capturing the bronze medal at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo and the gold medal at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship in Saskatoon.

If they succeed, it would mark the first time USA has medaled in three consecutive IIHF World Junior Championships.

Team USA's training camp roster

Goalkeepers:
Jack Campbell, Soo Greyhounds (OHL)
John Gibson, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
Andy Iles, Cornell Univ. (ECACH)

Defencemen:
Adam Clendening, Boston Univ. (HEA)
Justin Faulk, Carolina Hurricanes (NHL)
Derek Forbort, Univ. of North Dakota (WCHA)
Kevin Gravel, St. Cloud State Univ. (WCHA)
Stephen Johns, Univ. of Notre Dame (CCHA)
Seth Jones, U.S. NTDP U-18 (USHL)
Austin Levi, Plymouth Whalers (OHL)
Jon Merrill, Univ. of Michigan (CCHA)
Jarred Tinordi, London Knights (OHL)
Jake Trouba, U.S. NTDP U-18 (USHL)

Forwards:
Kenny Agostino, Yale Univ. (ECACH)
Josh Archibald, Univ. of Nebraska Omaha (WCHA)
Bill Arnold, Boston College (HEA)
Nick Bjugstad, Univ. of Minnesota (WCHA)
Connor Brickley, Univ. of Vermont (HEA)
Charlie Coyle, Boston Univ. (HEA)
Austin Czarnik, Miami Univ. (CCHA)
Emerson Etem, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
Brian Ferlin, Cornell Univ. (ECACH)
John Gaudreau, Boston College (HEA)
J.T. Miller, Plymouth Whalers (OHL)
Shane Prince, Ottawa 67's (OHL)
Kyle Rau, Univ. of Minnesota (WCHA)
Brandon Saad, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
T.J. Tynan, Univ. of Notre Dame (CCHA)
Austin Watson, Peterborough Petes (OHL)
Jason Zucker, Univ. of Denver (WCHA)