Michigan natives help capture Under-17 world title

By Brian Smith –

A trio of Michigan born and bred players helped the U.S. Men’s National Under-17 Team capture the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge last weekend, clinching the fourth ever tournament title for Team USA in the event.

Nicholas Boka, Brendan Warren, and Zack Werenski, all members of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program based in Ann Arbor, were instrumental in Team USA’s victory.

“Winning the title was unbelievable. It’s the greatest thing in my hockey career so far,” Werenski, a Grosse Pointe native, said. “It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced or felt before. It was truly a surreal feeling.

“It means a lot, especially wearing the red white and blue. It’s something that can’t be taken away from us.”

The World U17 Challenge is the top international competition for players under the age of 17 and featured 10 teams representing five Canadian provinces, the Czech Republic, Germany, Russia, Sweden, and the United States.

“Winning a championship is something you don’t get a chance to do very often,” the Carleton-born Warren said. “There’s no better feeling than playing the best players from around the world and getting the win.”

For Boka, who served as alternate captain of the team during the tournament, it also means that months of hard work are paying off.

“It shows that what we are doing at the NTDP is working and that we are making great progress as individual players and as a team,” the University of Michigan commit said.
“There’s no better feeling than wearing the USA jersey and winning at an international competition.”

Reaching the pinnacle of U17 hockey is no easy feat. In order to be crowned champion, teams must undergo a grueling schedule, playing seven games in just eight days. With games often featuring physical play, the sustained intensity takes an undeniable toll on players.

“By far, the most difficult part of the tournament was playing seven games in eight days,” said Werenski, named Team USA’s best player in its matchup against Canada’s Team Atlantic. “The volume of games was physically and mentally exhausting.”

Warren, who averaged a point per game during the tournament, agreed. He also noted that the U.S. squad put an increased emphasis on recovering immediately after games and during the time leading up to each contest.

“We had to really take care of our bodies and make sure we stretched and stayed hydrated,” he said. “We needed to be able to play to out full potential the next day and our training staff made sure we were doing the proper things to recover.”

Team USA certainly took care of its bodies, and its business, outscoring opponents by a 47-6 margin and averaging nearly 45 shots on net per game while allowing an average of 16.

Boka asserted that the team’s high-powered offense was indicative a cohesive team committing itself entirely to the cause.

“Everyone on the team played together and played hard,” the 6-foot-1, 196 pound, Plymouth-born defenseman said. “Everyone bought into [head coach Don Granato’s] game plan and executed it. There was no one doing his own thing.”

Werenski, also a defenseman and alternate captain for Team USA, also mentioned that international competition makes the players realize just how bright of a stage they are playing on with the red, white, and blue on their chests.

“We were playing for something bigger than ourselves,” he said. “We were playing for each other and for our country and we really came together as one.”

Perhaps most significantly, however, is that this success has opened the young players’ eyes to the difficulty of winning a title, and of the talented players who the success has eluded.

“It’s an honor to look back at all the NTDP players and see the ones that have won and who hasn’t,” Werenski said. “It really makes you realize how hard it is to win.”

Despite being tournament champions, the U17s have already set their sites on a new goal – putting Team USA into the United States Hockey League playoffs.

“Winning is great, but now making the playoffs is definitely a goal of ours and it is something I believe we could do if we continue playing as a team,” Boka said. “I’m looking forward to developing as a player with my 23 brothers and sharing memories that will last a lifetime. “