UND's Kristo Named To US National Team For IIHF World Championship

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – University of North Dakota senior forward Danny Kristo is among the first 15 players selected to represent the United States at the 2013 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championship, it was announced today by USA Hockey. The 2013 IIHF World Championship takes place May 3-19 in Helsinki, Finland, and Stockholm, Sweden.

Kristo was a Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalist and a first-team All-American in 2012-13 after leading the WCHA in goals (26) and tying for second nationally in points (52). Both totals were career highs, as was his team-leading +17 plus/minus rating. He also matched his career high with 26 assists.

The Eden Prairie, Minn., native was named the College Hockey News Player of the Year and was also chosen to the All-Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) First Team and the NCAA West Region All-Tournament Team, earned his second straight UND Virg Foss 3-Star Award, was a two-time WCHA Player of the Week, and was a national player of the month honorable mention in February.

Kristo finished his collegiate career with 68 goals and 93 assists for 161 points in 157 career games. Following his senior season, Kristo signed a contract with the National Hockey League’s Montreal Canadiens, who selected him in the second round (56^th overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. He appeared in nine games with the Hamilton Bulldogs, Montreal’s American Hockey League affiliate, and collected three assists.

A product of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, Kristo twice represented the United States at the IIHF Under-20 Championship (2010, 2009) and won a gold medal in 2010 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He also helped lead the U.S. to first-place finishes at the 2008 World Junior ‘A’ Challenge and the 2008 Under-18 Five Nations Tournament.

The staff and players of the 2013 U.S. Men's National Team are selected by the U.S. Men's National Team Advisory Group, led by Jim Johannson, assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey. The group includes NHL general managers Stan Bowman (Chicago), Paul Holmgren (Philadelphia), Dean Lombardi (Los Angeles), David Poile (Nashville), Ray Shero (Pittsburgh), and Dale Tallon (Florida), along with Anaheim Ducks scout Brian Burke and Pittsburgh Penguins scout Don Waddell.

The complete Team USA roster can be seen at USAHockey.com.

NBC Sports is scheduled to televise all Team USA games in the 2013 IIHF Men's World Championship.