BOSTON – Northeastern men's hockey associate head coach
Jerry Keefe has been named an assistant coach for the United States National Junior Team will take part in the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia.
"It is very humbling to have an opportunity to represent Team USA at such a prestigious tournament, and I'm thankful to
Jim Madigan and Northeastern University for allowing me to take part in this exciting endeavor," Keefe said. "This is a must-watch tournament for any hockey fan, and I can't wait to get started with this great coaching staff and talented players as we work together towards our goals."
Keefe will join head coach Mike Hastings (Minnesota State) and fellow assistants David Lassonde (Dartmouth), Steve Miller (Ohio State) and Scott Sandelin (Minnesota Duluth) on Team USA's staff.
"
Jerry Keefe is one of the most talented coaches that I have ever worked with, and he is more than deserving of this opportunity," said Madigan. "He has played a critical role in our success at Northeastern during the last seven seasons, and I'm thrilled that he has thechanceto do the same on the international stage."
The 2018-19 campaign will mark Keefe's eighth season at Northeastern and fifth as associate head coach. Since joining the Huskies as an assistant coach in 2011-12, Keefe has been instrumental in Northeastern's notable successes that include the program's first Hockey East Championship (2015-16) and first Beanpot title (2017-18) since 1988, as well as the first Hobey Baker Award winner in team history (
Adam Gaudette in 2018).
Keefe oversees the Huskies' power play unit and holds a significant role in Northeastern's recruiting process, including the recruitment of Hobey Baker Award winner Gaudette, All-Americans
Kevin Roy,
Zach Aston-Reese and
Dylan Sikura, and current Edmonton Oilers defenseman
Matt Benning. He was also at the forefront of the recruitment of Northeastern's current NHL draft picks
Jeremy Davies (New Jersey),
Matt Filipe (Carolina),
Ryan Shea (Chicago),
Cayden Primeau (Montreal),
Jordan Harris (Montreal) and
Tyler Madden (Vancouver).
The Huskies are coming off an historic 2017-18 season in which the Huskies captured their first Beanpot title in 30 years and returned to the NCAA tournament. Gaudette led the nation in scoring with 60 points (30 goals, 30 assists), earning CCM/ACHA First Team All-American, Hockey East Player of the Year, Walter Brown Award and Beanpot MVP honors, among many others. Sikura (54 points) and Davies (35 points) also earned First Team All-American honors, leading the Huskies to a 23-10-5 record, good for the third most victories in team history and a school record 14 wins at Matthews Arena.
Northeastern's Big Three of Gaudette, Sikura and captain
Nolan Stevens captained Keefe's power play unit, which finished second in the nation with a 27.5% (44-of-160) success rate, led by Sikura's NCAA best 14 power play goals. All three went on to sign entry level contracts in the NHL at the end of the season, with Gaudette and Sikura both making their professional debuts one week following the conclusion of their collegiate careers.
The United States enters the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship having medaled in three-straight World Junior Championships for the first time in U.S. history after earning gold in 2017 and bronze in 2018 and 2016. To date, the U.S. National Junior Team has claimed 11 medals, including four gold medals (2017, 2013, 2010, 2004), one silver medal (1997) and six bronze medals (2018, 2016, 2011, 2007, 1992, 1986).
