Phil Housley Named Head Coach of 2013 U.S. Junior Hockey Team

USA Hockey announced this week that Phil Housley will be the head coach of the 2013 U.S. National Junior Team.

This will be Housley's first stint as the head coach of a U.S. National Team. He served as an assistant coach for the 2007 and 2011 U.S. National Junior Teams—both of which earned bronze medals—and the 2011 U.S. Men's National Team.  
 

"We're extremely pleased to have Phil coach our National Junior Team," Jim Johannson, assistant executive director for hockey operations at USA Hockey said in a news release. "Having both played and coached internationally, Phil understands what it takes to be successful in a short tournament. He's also used to relating to players of this age group, which will certainly be beneficial."

Housley just completed his eighth season as the head coach of the Stillwater Area High School hockey team.

"I'm honored to be asked to coach this team and look forward to the challenge," Housley said in a news release. "The depth of our player pool is as good as it has ever been and I'm sure it will be a challenge to settle on which players will represent our country in Ufa."

The U.S. National Junior Team will take part in the 2013 World Junior Championships from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Ufa, Russia.

As a Player:

• Housley represented Team USA 11 times in international tournaments; was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004; and the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 2012.
• In 2000 he was honored with USA Hockey's Bob Johnson Award for excellence in international competition.
• Following his USA Hockey debut as a member of the 1982 U.S. Junior National Team, Housley went on to play for seven U.S. Men's National Teams.
• He received a silver medal with the U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. He also won gold with Team USA at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.
• Housley spent 21 seasons in the NHL after being a first-round draft pick (sixth overall) by the Buffalo Sabres in 1982. He spent the first eight years of his career in Buffalo and was eventually inducted into Sabres Hall of Fame.
• Housley also played with the Winnipeg Jets, St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks and Toronto Maple Leafs.
• He concluded his career with 1,232 points, the most by an American-born defenseman.