The Kitchener Rangers defenceman was surprisingly left off the list.
Team USA has announced their preliminary roster for the 2024 World Juniors. Despite leading all defencemen in the CHL with 46 points in 28 games, Vancouver Canucks prospect Hunter Brzustewicz has been surprisingly left off the roster. This is significant because not only is it a glaring omission, but would have been the Kitchener Rangers' final opportunity to participate in the tournament due to his December 2004 birthday.
While Team USA does have a long history of omitting CHL players from their lineup, what makes this omission frustrating is that they have three other OHL players on their roster. Goaltender Sam Hillebrandt, as well as forwards Carey Terrance and Gavin Hayes, all chose the same route as Brzustewicz yet made the lineup. While all three are deserving of a spot on the roster, none are having the type of season the Canucks prospect is having, leading many to wonder why he was left off the list.
With the decision made, Brzustewicz can now focus all his energy on his historic OHL season. If he can keep up his point-producing pace, he would become the 15th defenceman in OHL history and the first in the last decade to surpass the 100-point mark. One of Vancouver's top prospects, expect the Canucks to sign him once the season is done and for him to make the jump to the AHL as early as next season.