OSTRAVA, Czech Republic – Northeastern men's hockey defenseman Jordan Harris was named to the final 23-man U.S. National Junior Team roster ahead of the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship, as announced Monday by USA Hockey. The World Junior Championship opens this Thursday, Dec. 26 in Ostrava, Czech Republic and concludes on Jan. 5, 2020.
 
"We've asked the guys to give everything they had throughout this process and they did," said John Vanbiesbrouck, general manager of the 2020 U.S. National Junior Team and also the assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey. "These are tough decisions, but we believe these are the 23 best players to achieve our goal."
 
A Haverhill, Mass. native, Harris has been a critical playmaker for the Huskies this season, picking up 13 points through the first half of the season off three goals and 10 assists. The Montreal Canadiens draft pick currently ranks second on the team in blocked shots, posting 21 through 18 games. Additionally, Harris' 13 points place him fifth overall in Hockey East in defenseman scoring.
 
Harris' appearance on the U.S. roster marks the second consecutive year that the Huskies will be represented at the World Junior Championship. Last year, goaltender Cayden Primeau and forward Tyler Madden brought home the silver medal for Team USA at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship.
 
Of the 23-man U.S. squad, Harris is one of twenty players who currently play or have previously played college hockey and also just one of two players hailing from Massachusetts.
 
Harris and the rest of Team USA open the World Junior Championship on Thursday, Dec. 26, when they face off against Canada in its first preliminary round. The U.S. squad will then move on to face Germany on Friday, Dec. 27, before taking on Russia on Sunday, Dec. 29 and the Czech Republic on Monday, Dec. 30 to close out the preliminary competition. All of Team USA's preliminary matchups will be aired on NHL Network with puck drop set for 1 p.m. ET.