Danny Nelson, Fischer on Team USA for World Juniors; will miss Penn State series

By JOHN FINERAN

When Notre Dame resumes its hockey season in 2025, coach Jeff Jackson’s Fighting Irish likely will be without two of their top sophomores.

Center Danny Nelson and defenseman Paul Fischer are among the 25 players who will be skating for Team USA in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Juniors Championships taking place in Ottawa, Canada from Dec. 26 through Jan. 5.

The United States will attempt to defend the title it won last year when it beat tournament host Sweden, 6-2, for David Carle, the head coach of defending NCAA champion Denver. Nelson is one of 10 players returning from that squad while Fischer will be making his debut in the 10-team tournament for under-20 players. Nelson leads the Irish with eight goals while Fischer is second on the team in assists with nine.

Notre Dame is scheduled to return to action Friday, Jan. 3 when it plays Penn State outdoors at Wrigley Field at 8:30 p.m. EST in the Frozen Confines before returning to South Bend to complete the teams’ two-game Big Ten series on Sunday, Jan. 5 at 5 p.m.

Team USA is playing in Group A against Germany (Dec. 26, 2:30 p.m.), Latvia (Dec. 28, 3:30 p.m.), Finland (Dec. 29, 2:30 p.m.) and host Canada (Dec. 31, 8 p.m.). Team from Czechia, Kazakhstan, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland make up Group B. The quarterfinals are Jan. 2 with the semifinals on Jan. 4 and the championship and consolation games on Jan. 5.

For Nelson and Fischer to play against the Nittany Lions in Chicago, Team USA would have to lose its quarterfinal game on Jan. 2. A quarterfinal victory would guarantee Team USA two more games.

So, Jackson and his coaching staff of Brock Sheahan, Paul Pooley and Andy Slaggert will be shuffling lines and defensive pairs again when the team (6-12-0 overall, 1-9-0 Big Ten for 4 points) returns from Christmas break with hopes of breaking a nine-game league losing streak against Penn State (7-9-0 overall, 0-8-0 Big Ten for 1 point). The coaching staff also will have to retool the power-play and penalty-kill units as both Fischer and Nelson, who will be an associate captain for Team USA, are integral parts of both.

Team USA’s 25-man roster includes 22 collegians and three players from teams in the Ontario Hockey League. Boston College has six representatives in defensemen Drew Fortescue and Aram Minnetian and forwards Teddy Stiga, Ryan Leonard, James Hagens and Gabe Perreault.

Boston University, which beat Notre Dame 4-3 in the championship game of the Friendship Four tournament in Belfast, Northern Ireland, over Thanksgiving break, is represented by defenseman Cole Hutson and forwards Brandon Svoboda and Cole Eiserman. Notre Dame, St. Cloud State, Minnesota Duluth. and Minnesota each have two players on the Team USA roster.

Michigan State goaltender Trey Augustine, who backstopped Team USA to the title a year ago in Sweden, returns as the top-ranked Spartans’ only representative.

IRISH IN ICE BREAKER: Sheahan, who takes over as head coach from the retiring Jackson at the conclusion of the season, will see his first Irish team open its 2025-26 season in the Ice Breaker Tournament.

Arizona State, a member of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, will host the Big Ten’s Fighting Irish, Quinnipiac of ECAC Hockey and independent Alaska at its 5,000-seat Mullett Arena in Tempe Oct. 10-11. Pairings will be announced later this year.

The tournament began in 1997 and has been played every year since except in 2020 when it was postponed by COVID-19.

This will be Notre Dame’s seventh appearance in the tournament. The Irish won the 2012 tournament held at Kansas City’s Sprint Center, beating Omaha 3-2, and the 2018 tournament at the Erie (Pa.) Insurance Arena, beating Providence 4-1.

Notre Dame hosted the tournament in 2014 at Compton – Minnesota won over Rensselaer after the Irish lost to Rensselaer 3-2 and Minnesota Duluth 3-0. Notre Dame’s last appearance came in 2022 in Colorado when the Irish lost at Denver 5-2 and tied Air Force 5-5 in Colorado Springs.

TEAMS IN USCHO.COM POLL AND SCHEDULES THROUGH JAN. 5:

1. Michigan State(Big Ten) (13-2-1) vs. Northern Michigan Dec. 29 in Great Lakes Invitational at Grand Rapids, Mich. (Van Andel Arena); vs. No. 6 Western Michigan or Michigan Tech Dec. 30 in Great Lakes Invitational; vs. Wisconsin Jan. 2; vs. Wisconsin Jan. 4 in Frozen Confines at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
2. Boston College(Hockey East) (12-3-1) does not play until Jan. 10 vs. Merrimack.
3. Minnesota(Big Ten) (15-3-2) vs. Mercyhurst Jan. 3-4.
4. Maine(Hockey East) (12-2-2) vs. Bentley Dec. 29; vs. No. 5 Denver Jan. 3-4.
5. Denver(NCHC) (14-4-0) vs. UNLV Dec. 28 (exhibition); at No. 4 Maine Jan. 3-4.
6. Western Michigan(NCHC) (10-3-1) vs. Michigan Tech Dec. 29 in Great Lakes Invitational at Grand Rapids, Mich. (Van Andel Arena); vs. No. 1 Michigan State or Northern Michigan Dec. 30 in Great Lakes Invitational; vs. Alaska-Anchorage Jan. 3-4.
7. Providence(Hockey East) (12-3-2) vs. Northeastern Dec. 28 in Ledyard Bank Classic at Hanover, N.H. (Thompson Arena); vs. No. 17 Dartmouth or Alaska-Anchorage Dec. 29 in Ledyard Bank Classic.
8. Colorado College(NCHC) (10-5-1) vs. UNLV Dec. 29 (exhibition); vs. Augustana Jan. 3-4.
9. Michigan(Big Ten) (11-6-1) vs. No. 14 Ohio State Jan. 3 in Frozen Confines at Wrigley Field in Chicago; vs. No. 14 Ohio State Jan. 5.
10. UMass Lowell(Hockey East) (10-4-2) vs. Simon Fraser Dec. 29 (exhibition); vs. Michigan Tech Jan. 3 in Coachella Valley Cactus Cup at Palm Desert, Calif. (Acrisure Arena); vs. Omaha or Holy Cross Jan. 4 in Coachella Valley Cactus Cup.
11. Minnesota State(CCHA) (14-4-2) vs. Manitoba Dec. 30 (exhibition).
12. St. Cloud State(NCHC) (10-7-0) vs. St. Thomas Dec. 29.
13. Boston University(Hockey East) (9-6-1) at Yale Dec. 29.
14. Ohio State(Big Ten) (13-4-1) vs. No. 9 Michigan Jan. 3 in Frozen Confines at Wrigley Field in Chicago; at No. 9 Michigan Jan. 5.
15. North Dakota(NCHC) (11-7-1) vs. Manitoba Jan. 4 (exhibition).
16. Cornell(ECAC) (5-3-3) vs. Massachusetts Jan. 3 in Desert Hockey Classic at Tempe, Ariz. (Mullett Arena); vs. No. 19 Arizona State or Robert Morris Jan. 4 in Desert Hockey Classic.
17. Dartmouth(ECAC) (6-3-2) vs. Alaska-Anchorage Dec. 28 in Ledyard Bank Classic at Hanover, N.H. (Thompson Arena); vs. No. 7 Providence or Northeastern Dec. 29 in Ledyard Bank Classic; at Merrimack Jan. 5.
18. Quinnipiac(ECAC) (8-6-1) vs. American International Dec. 29; at Harvard Jan. 1; vs. Northeastern Jan. 4.
19. Arizona State(NCHC) (9-7-1) vs. U.S. Under-18 Team Dec. 28; vs. U.S. Under-18 Team Dec. 29; vs. Robert Morris Jan. 3 in Desert Hockey Classic at Tempe, Ariz. (Mullett Arena); vs. No. 16 Cornell or Massachusetts Jan. 4 in Desert Hockey Classic.
20. Clarkson(ECAC) (11-5-2) vs. Concordia (Que.) University Dec. 29 (exhibition).

Receiving votes

New Hampshire (Hockey East) (7-4-3) at Rensselaer Dec. 28; at Princeton Jan. 3-4.

Massachusetts (Hockey East) (8-7-2) vs. Simon Fraser Dec. 28; vs. No. 16 Cornell Jan. 3 in Desert Hockey Classic at Tempe, Ariz. (Mullett Arena); vs. No. 19 Arizona State or Robert Morris Jan. 4 in Desert Hockey Classic.

Michigan Tech (CCHA) (9-5-2) vs. No. 6 Western Michigan Dec. 29 in Great Lakes Invitational at Grand Rapids, Mich. (Van Andel Arena); vs. No. 1 Michigan State or Northern Michigan Dec. 30 in Great Lakes Invitational; vs. No. 10 UMass Lowell Jan. 3 in Coachella Valley Cactus Cup at Palm Desert, Calif. (Acrisure Arena); vs. Omaha or Holy Cross Jan. 4 in Coachella Valley Cactus Cup.

Wisconsin (Big Ten) (7-10-1) vs. Ferris State Dec. 28 in Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off at Milwaukee, Wis. (Fiserv Forum); vs. Connecticut or Alaska Dec. 29 in Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off; at No. 1 Michigan State Jan. 2; vs. No. 1 Michigan State Jan. 4 in Frozen Confines at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Bentley (Atlantic Hockey) (10-5-2) at No. 4 Maine Dec. 29; at Niagara Jan. 3-4.

Connecticut (Hockey East) (7-7-1) vs. Alaska Dec. 28 in Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off at Milwaukee, Wis. (Fiserv Forum); vs. Wisconsin or Ferris State Dec. 29 in Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off; at Harvard Jan. 4.

Long Island (Independent) (9-6-1) at Brown Dec. 29; vs. Holy Cross Dec. 31; vs. Assumption Jan. 3; vs. Saint Anselm Jan. 4.

Princeton (ECAC) (5-4-1) at Army Dec. 28; vs. New Hampshire Jan. 3-4.

Bemidji State (CCHA) (8-8-3) vs. Minnesota Duluth Dec. 31; vs. Manitoba Jan. 3 (exhibition).

Augustana (CCHA) (10-7-1) at No. 8 Colorado College Jan. 3-4.

Holy Cross (Atlantic Hockey) (8-8-1) at Long Island Dec. 31; vs. Omaha Jan. 3 in Coachella Valley Cactus Cup at Palm Desert, Calif. (Acrisure Arena); vs. No. 10 UMass Lowell or Michigan Tech Jan. 4 in Coachella Valley Cactus Cup.

Others

Notre Dame (Big Ten) (6-12-0) vs. Penn State Jan. 3 in Frozen Confines at Wrigley Field in Chicago; vs. Penn State Jan. 5.

Penn State (Big Ten) (7-9-0) vs. Notre Dame Jan. 3 in Frozen Confines at Wrigley Field in Chicago; at Notre Dame Jan. 5.

Sacred Heart (Atlantic Hockey) (9-7-3) at American International Dec. 28; vs. Air Force Jan. 3-4.

Niagara (Atlantic Hockey) (8-8-3) vs. Guelph Dec. 30 (exhibition); vs. Bentley Jan. 3-4.

Robert Morris (Atlantic Hockey (8-7-2) vs. No. 19 Arizona State Jan. 3 in Desert Hockey Classic at Tempe, Ariz. (Mullett Arena); vs. No. 16 Cornell or Massachusetts Jan. 4 in Desert Hockey Classic.

Lake Superior State (CCHA) (8-9-1) vs. Bowling Green Jan. 3-4.

Bowling Green (CCHA) (7-7-2) vs. RIT Dec. 29; at Lake Superior State Jan. 3-4.

Colgate (ECAC) (8-8-2) vs. Concordia (Quebec) University Jan. 4 (exhibition).

Union (ECAC) (9-7-1) at Brown Jan. 3; at Yale Jan. 4.

Harvard (ECAC) (3-5-2) vs. No. 18 Quinnipiac Jan. 1; vs. Connecticut Jan. 4.

Rensselaer (ECAC) (6-8-2) vs. New Hampshire Dec. 28; at Yale Jan. 3; at Brown Jan. 4.

Vermont (Hockey East) (6-8-3) at Army Dec. 29; vs. St. Lawrence Jan. 4.