COLORADO SPRINGS, USA – USA Hockey named the first 15 players for the U.S. roster at the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Stockholm and Helsinki and announced the assistant coaches for Joe Sacco.

The first group of players includes two goalkeepers, six defensemen and seven forwards. Twelve players were called from NHL teams that will miss the play-offs, two join from AHL teams and one from the KHL.

Eight players have competed for the men’s national team before including defencemen Chris Butler, Justin Faulk, Jeff Petry, and forwards Craig Smith, Paul Stastny and Nate Thompson, who were all part of last year’s World Championship team. Stastny also played in the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

USA Hockey also extended the coaching staff. Sacco will be assisted by Tim Army, Danton Cole and Phil Housley.

Housley, who already served as an assistant coach at the 2011 Worlds, was most recently the head coach of the U20 national team. Army served as an assistant coach in 1994 and 1996 while Cole has worked within the National Team Development Program (U18/U17).

U.S. Preliminary Roster

Goalkeepers:
Ben Bishop, Tampa Bay Lightning
Cal Heeter, Adirondack Phantoms

Defencemen:
Chris Butler, Calgary Flames
Matt Carle, Tampa Bay Lightning
Justin Faulk, Carolina Hurricanes
Matt Hunwick, Colorado Avalanche
Jamie McBain, Carolina Hurricanes
Jeff Petry, Edmonton Oilers

Forwards:
Nick Bjugstad, Florida Panthers
Bobby Butler, Nashville Predators
Danny Kristo, Hamilton Bulldogs
Craig Smith, Nashville Predators
Tim Stapleton, HC Dinamo Minsk
Paul Stastny, Colorado Avalanche
Nate Thompson, Tampa Bay Lightning