In the upcoming 2024 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Men’s World Championship, two former University of Massachusetts hockey program players will be representing their nations. Rising sophomore forward Dans Locmelis will be playing for Latvia, while former Minuteman defenseman Matthew Kessel (2019-22) will be skating with Team USA.
Locmelis had an impressive rookie season at UMass, scoring 14 points with seven goals and seven assists in 30 games. He also had one power-play goal and one game-winning goal, won over half of his faceoffs at a 55% clip, and blocked seven shots. Locmelis has represented Latvia at several international tournaments, including the 2024 World Junior Championship, where he helped the team reach the Quarterfinal round with five points in five games. He was previously named one of his country’s Top 3 players in both 2023 and 2024.
On the other hand, Kessel recently completed his second full season of professional hockey with the St. Louis Blues organization. He split time between the NHL and AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds and had eight points in 36 contests in Springfield while recording seven points in 39 games in the NHL, including his first career NHL goal.
The IIHF Men’s World Championship will take place in Czechia from May 10-26, and it can be watched on NHL Network in the United States and TSN in Canada.