Devils Prospects at WJC Camps

The Devils will have 3 prospects at World Junior Championship camps opening next week. D Damon Severson will be with Team Canada as they get underway on August 4. D Steve Santini and LW Stefan Matteau will be with Team USA as they get underway on August 3.

Team USA will ice a Team White, which will have Santini on it, and a Team Blue, featuring Matteau. Eventually they will make cuts before Wednesday, thus combining the two teams. Both Santini and Matteau have strong chances of making the final roster so I'd expect them both to make it to the end of this camp. Remember that these camps are to get a look at players and that being cut or even not invited does not mean a player will not end up on the final roster in December. Games will be streamed at FASTHockey.com (PPV). Chris Peters of the United States of Hockey (must read blog for USA hockey) has a preview up. He will soon have player by player previews up soon, so be sure to check them out.

Exhibition games will take place in Lake Placid with the game schedule below:
Sunday Aug. 4
USA White (Santini) vs. Sweden — 1 p.m.
USA Blue (Matteau) vs. Finland — 4 p.m.

Monday Aug. 5
USA Blue (Matteau) vs. Sweden — 1 p.m.
USA White (Santini) vs. Finland — 4 p.m.

Wednesday Aug. 7
Canada (Severson) vs. Finland — 1 p.m.
USA (Santini and/or Matteau) vs. Sweden — 4:15 p.m.

Thursday Aug. 8
USA (Santini and/or Matteau) vs. Finland — 1 p.m.
Canada (Severson) vs. Sweden — 4:15 p.m.

Saturday Aug. 10
USA (Santini and/or Matteau) vs. Canada (Severson) — 1 p.m.
Finland vs. Sweden — 4:15 p.m.

Here are the invitees for Canada and the USA. Here is how the USA will break down between Team Blue and Team White.

Both Santini and Matteau are familiar faces to the US hockey brass as they are former USNTDP players. They have both represented the US internationally at the U17 level, with Santini also featuring at the U18 level last year. Matteau was a late cut last December from the eventual Gold Medal winning team after an ill timed penalty in an exhibition game prior to the tournament sealed his fate.

Severson has seen his prospect stock rise a lot since being drafted. He has represented Canada Western at the U17 level and Canada at the U18 level. He'll face tough competition in earning a spot for Canada but this will be a nice chance for him to further make a name for himself.