4 Bruins could be wearing the Stars and Stripes at next year's World Juniors

It has been quite the last 12 months for Don Sweeney and the Boston Bruins front office. While the prospect pool was ugly at times over the past few seasons, Sweeney's teardown at last year's trade deadline has supplemented it nicely, and it shows with the list of four Americans who will attend the country's World Junior Summer Showcase from July 25-August 2. All four players have been added in the last 12 months, with one being a fourth-round draft pick in 2024, two in the 2025 draft, and one being a trade deadline acquisition.

James Hagens

One of the locks for next year's World Junior tournament is James Hagens. While Hagens had some tough times at Boston College last season, winning a gold medal for his country over the holidays was one of the highlights. Hagens recorded nine points in seven games while playing mostly on the team's top line, and will be one of the tournament's top players this season.

William Moore

William Moore is the second of two victories for Sweeney at this year's draft. It's incredible good luck for the Bruins that two Boston College athletes, Hagens and Moore, slipped to them in the first two rounds. It's also good luck for Team USA that Moore is available to them, as he has dual citizenship and grew up in Mississauga, Ontario.

Moore played last season with the national team development program and recorded 80 points over 89 games. He also dominated at the World Under-18s with 11 points in seven games. He will be a player that the United States management team will be looking at closely.

Will Zellers

Will Zellers has an opportunity to be a dark horse candidate to make the team this year, coming off his Player of the Year win in the USHL and some impressive showings for his country in the past at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and World Junior A Challenge. In those two tournaments, he had 12 points over ten games, and also had 44 goals in 52 games in the USHL last season.

Zellers has the potential to be an elite scorer for the USA, but will he beat out some more experienced candidates, and will his roster spot be lost to a player who can be more effective in the bottom six if there isn't an offensive role available?

Elliott Groenewold

Elliott Groenewold will bring a defensive/physical presence to the United States blueline, which could be an effective role on a team with alot of offensive talent among their defense. USA has always tried to balance out their defensemen, and Groenewold has an outside chance to be that shutdown sixth/seventh option.