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Reviewing Trey Augustine's performance at the 2024 World Junior Summer Showcase

"They'll Win if Trey's In Net"

For returning gold medal-winning and Michigan State goaltender Trey Augustine, the 2024 World Junior Summer Showcase was light work.  Team USA coach David Carle opted to dismiss his returning players early as he attempts to settle on a roster for the 2025 WJC in Ottawa, so the 2023 Red Wings second round pick played just one game (in fact, only two periods) in Plymouth.

He was only supposed to play a period and a half, but it rounded up to two after the opposing Swedes mustered just two shots in the first period.  After the performance, Carle spoke to the benefit of Augustine's experience and level-headed demeanor to his team, saying, “It’s nice to have the familiarity with him...Mature kid, winner, leader amongst the group in a lot of ways. I think to see him—he just has another level of pedigree to him now with winning a year ago, and so to have him back [as] that stabilizing force in goal is a huge asset for us.”

Any international tournament is bound to take on a frenetic quality.  Teams don't have as much familiarity with one another as they would during the regular season, and instead of nine months to capture a trophy, they have two weeks.  That frenzied reality only intensifies when the tournament in question is for players 20 years old and younger.

At 19, Augustine is set to play in his third World Junior, and without wishing to diminish the quality of his goaltending for an instant, perhaps his greatest benefit to the Americans is his calm.  It was in midseason form in his 11 save on 11 shot performance in Plymouth, and for the U.S. to bring home gold from Ottawa, it will need to remain that way.

For more on Augustine and a full WJSS breakdown, check out the latest episode of The Silky Mitten State:

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Comments
MaxMiller@THNew profile image
MaxMillerJan 17, 2025
Gallant is an enforcer that's for sure
ThadI@THNews profile image
ThadIJan 18, 2025
Montana Onyebuchi played for a the Cuda a couple years, as well. Also, the suspension is a little misleading; he did leave the bench to start a fight, but it looked like a legal line change.