Three former Los Angeles Jr. Kings - forward Andre Gasseau and defensemen Aidan Hreschuk and Ty Murchison - were named to the U.S. Under-18 Men's National Team that will compete at the upcoming 2021 International Ice Hockey Federation Under-18 Men's World Championship, which will be showcased from April 26-May 6 in Frisco and Plano, Texas. 

The 10-nation championship is split into two groups for the preliminary round, which begins on April 26. Team USA will play in Group B alongside Czech Republic, Finland, Germany and Russia with all games staged at Comercia Center in Frisco. Group A includes Belarus, Canada, Latvia, Sweden and Switzerland and they will play preliminary round games at Children's Health StarCenter in Plano, Texas.

Each site will host two quarterfinal games and the two semifinal games and bronze and gold-medal games will be hosted at Comerica Center.

Gasseau (pictured) and Hreschuk, both Boston College recruits, and Murchison, an Arizona State University commit, are skating for the U.S. National Team Development Program’s Under-18 Team this season.

All 2003 birth years, the three were recognized as C-rated prospects (fourth-, fifth- or sixth-round candidates) by NHL Central Scouting on its January “Players to Watch” list for 2021 draft-eligibles.

The U.S. is in search of its 11th gold medal in tournament history after most recently claiming gold in 2017 in Poprad, Slovakia. Team USA has medaled in a record 16 consecutive tournaments, including six golds over the past 10 tournaments. The United States took home a bronze medal at the 2019 tournament in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden.

Gasseau, Hreschuk and Murchison were members of the Jr. Kings’ 2017-18 Pacific District champion 14U AAA team that advanced to the USA Hockey National Championships.