GRAND FORKS, N.D. ? Former University of North Dakota forward T.J. Oshie has been added to the United States roster for the upcoming 2009 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championship, which begins tomorrow in Switzerland.
Oshie, a native of Warroad, Minn., joins a United States roster that already includes former UND forwards Jason Blake and Drew Stafford.
It is the first appearance at the IIHF World Championship for Oshie, who previously represented the United States at the 2006 World Junior Championship.
Oshie recently completed his rookie season with the St. Louis Blues, collecting 14 goals and 25 assists for 39 points in 57 games. He ranked second on the team with a +16 plus/minus rating and helped lead the Blues to their first playoff appearance for the first time since the 2003-04 season. St. Louis was eliminated in the first round by Vancouver earlier this week.
A three-year letterwinner at UND from 2005-08, Oshie scored 59 goals and 83 assists for 142 points in 129 career games with the Sioux and was a first team All-American as a junior in 2007-08, his final season at North Dakota. Oshie was a two-time selection to the All-WCHA team, earning first team honors as a junior and third team honors as a sophomore.
The 2009 IIHF World Championship takes place from April 24 to May 10 in Zurich-Kloten and Berne.
Free, live webcasts of the 2009 IIHF World Championship are available at www.universalsports.com. The Universal Sports channel will also broadcast all games on tape delay and will televise the gold medal game live.
