In the upcoming 2024 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Men’s World Championship in Czechia, two former University of Massachusetts hockey program players will represent their nations. Rising sophomore forward Dans Locmelis will be playing for Latvia, while former Minuteman defenseman Matthew Kessel (2019-22) will be skating with Team USA.
Locmelis had a standout rookie season at UMass, scoring 14 points with seven goals and seven assists in just 30 games. He also had one power-play goal and one game-winning goal, won over half of his faceoffs at a 55% clip, and blocked seven shots. Locmelis has represented Latvia at several international tournaments, including the 2024 World Junior Championship, where he helped the team reach the Quarterfinal round with five points in five games. He was named one of his country’s Top 3 players in both 2023 and 2024.
Kessel recently completed his second full season of professional hockey with the St. Louis Blues organization, splitting time between the NHL and AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds. In the NHL, he appeared in 39 games and recorded seven points, including his first career NHL goal. In Springfield, he had eight points in just 36 contests. Kessel has also represented Team USA at several international tournaments, including the IIHF Men’s World Championship in 2018 and 2019.
The IIHF Men’s World Championship will take place in Czechia from May 10 to May 26 and can be watched on NHL Network in the United States and TSN in Canada.
