(KNSI) — Former St. Cloud State University men’s hockey head coach Bob Motzko has been named head coach of the 2026 U.S. National Junior Team when they compete at the IIHF World Junior Championships.
Team USA enters the tournament as the two-time defending gold medalist and will compete alongside Germany, Slovakia, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Internationally, Motzko has been behind the bench for three U.S. National Junior Teams. Serving twice as head coach, leading them to gold in 2017 and bronze in 2018, and once as an assistant coach in 2014.
The championships are set for December 26th, 2025, through January 5th, 2026. The team will play its initial rounds at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. The other group, consisting of Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Finland and Latvia, will play at 3M Arena at Mariucci across the river in Minneapolis. The semifinals, gold medal final, and bronze medal game will be at Xcel.
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