July 17, 2015
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame sophomore Anders Bjork will have an opportunity to join 18 of his Irish hockey predecessors on the global stage. It was announced by USA Hockey today Bjork was one of the 39 invitees to its upcoming National Junior Evaluation Camp for a chance on a roster spot at the 2016 World Junior Championships.
The camp will be held August 1-8 in Lake Placid, New York, with the 39 invitees being pared down during the week to a final squad which will represent America at the prestigious annual global competition, this year to be held from Dec. 26, 2015, to Jan. 5, 2016, in Helsinki, Finland.
In addition to potentially having Bjork on the roster, the support staff will have a decidedly Notre Dame flavor to it. USA Hockey also announced today that Irish coordinator of hockey operations Nick Siergiej will join the squad as its video coordinator. Siergiej joins Notre Dame equipment manager Dave Gilbert who will serve in that same role for Team USA, a position announced in June.
The Irish have regularly been represented at the global showcase event by their student-athletes, most recently Thomas DiPauli and Vince Hinostroza in 2014. In all, 18 Irish skaters have represented the United States in the event while Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson lead Team USA at the World Juniors in 1996-00, guiding the Americans to a silver medal in 1996-1997 as the head coach.
The 2016 U.S. Junior National Team will be led by head coach Ron Wilson, the ninth-winningest coach in NHL history.
Bjork, a fifth round draft pick of the Boston Bruins in 2014, recently completed a steady freshman season for the Irish, skating in 41 of the team’s 42 games and accumulating 22 points on seven goals and 15 assists. His 15 assists ranked fifth on the Irish while Bjork’s 22 points stood sixth among his teammates. Bjork is a product of the U.S. National Team Development Program and has been a regular member of U.S. Under-18 and Under-17 squads in international competition. Hailing from Mequon, Wisconsin, Bjork is a second-generation skater for Notre Dame, following in the footsteps of his father Kirt, an All-American for the Irish in 1983.
Siergiej is beginning his eighth year at Notre Dame where he coordinates much of the team’s daily operations. He is also directly in charge of the team’s video services, filming and editing footage from games and practice to help prepare the Irish for their team success, along with preparing opponent clips for scouting purposes. Siergiej is active in team marketing and promotional decisions, including social media, while also helping organize and direct the team’s summer camps at the Compton Family Ice Arena.
The 2015-16 Notre Dame hockey season starts off with an exhibition game against the University of Guelph on Oct. 9 at the Compton Family Ice Arena with the regular season opener coming on Oct. 16 at Penn State.