USA Hockey Magazine

LE LE JUNE/JULY 2017 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM // 43 L O O K I N G B A C K A T T H E F I R S T I I H F U n d e r - 1 8 M e n 's Wo r l d C h a m p i o n s h i p i n 1 9 9 9, t h e f o r m a t i s unrecognizable. There was no round-robin play, semi- final matchups or championship game. The tournament winner was determined by a points system. For Team USA, adapting to the tournament and the international style of play proved to be a challenge as the squad finished seventh in a 10-team race. "It was kind of a blur," recalled John Wroblewski, a member of that U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team. "We lost an early game to Russia, and it almost felt like the tournament was over when that happened. It was really tough for a young player. "At that point, our federation didn't have nearly the resiliency that we do now." A lot has changed since then. Not only is the tournament format dramatically different, but the top of the podium has had a distinc- tive red, white and blue look to it. And the man standing behind the Team USA bench during this year's tournament was a far cry from the fresh-faced 17-year-old boy who faced off against international competition for the first time in Fussen and Kaufbeuren, Germany. After playing in the inaugural tournament, Wroblewski was at the helm of the team he once played on. Drawing on that experience, he led this year's U.S. squad to its 10th gold-medal finish at the 2017 IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship in Poprad and Spisska Nova Ves, Slovakia. For Team USA, the transition to the international arena provided a few early challenges. "The first game, the nerves were shaking for sure, and as the tournament settled in I felt a lot calmer and I know that resonated through to the team," Wroblewski admitted. "We made some adjustments and the guys adjusted their game. When we were a little undisciplined, the guys adjusted. We had some systematic things that didn't carry over from the North American style and we had to adjust. The credit goes to the players for being to execute on the fly." Changing on the fly has been something that Wroblewski has done well over the years. After leaving the NTDP in 1999 to attend the University of Notre Dame, the Neenah, Wis., native embarked on a four-year pro career with the Fresno Falcons of the ECHL. JOHN WROBLEWSKI USED HIS INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE AS A PLAYER TO HELP THIS YEAR'S U.S. TEAM WIN A GOLD MEDAL. NTDP Alum Returns To His Roots To Capture Gold In The Tournament Where He Cut His International Teeth By Catherine Bogart

• Cover