The IIHF World Championship, set to take place from May 10-26 in Prague and Ostrava, Czechia, will see the addition of two players to Team USA’s roster. St. Louis Blues forward Kevin Hayes and defenseman Matthew Kessel have been named to the team.
Kevin Hayes, hailing from Dorchester, Massachusetts, will be making his third appearance for Team USA at the World Championship. He played in 2014 and 2017 and has a decade of NHL experience under his belt. In the previous season, his first with the Blues, he recorded 29 points (13 goals, 16 assists) and 12 penalty minutes in 79 regular-season games. With a total of 415 points (168 goals, 247 assists) and 217 penalty minutes in 713 regular-season games, Hayes was originally drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round of the 2010 NHL Draft.
On the other hand, Matthew Kessel will be making his first appearance for Team USA. A Scottsdale, Arizona native
