Dean Lombardi officially named GM of Team USA's World Cup squad

Dean Lombardi was officially named general manager of USA Hockey’s entry into the 2016 World Cup of Hockey on Thursday. John Hoven of Mayor’s Manor broke the news back in June.

After the announcement, the Los Angeles Kings GM gave those in attendance and watching on a live stream a history lesson.

Somewhere, Jack Edwards is feeling extremely patriotic.

“I think the challeges for young players today, it gets harder and harder to teach and have those values recognized even though they are the hallmark of sports,” Lombardi said during the press conference in Lake Placid, N.Y.. “I just have such admiration for the history of this program and U.S. Hockey that I think it transcends hockey, and I just think it’s very important that we learn from that history and continue that on.”

Joining Lombardi on Team USA’s management team will be Paul Holmgren as assistant GM; Brian Burke as senior advisor; and Jim Johansson as director of hockey operations.

Lombardi noted that he’d like to name a head coach “sooner than later.” He also said, while it being early, he anticipated changes to how this roster will be made-up compared to the one that was constructed for the bigger ice at the Sochi Olympic Games.

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It will be interested to see how Lombardi and his staff go about creating the roster. The Sochi Games were held in Feb. 2014, allowing for certain players to “tryout” during the first three months of the NHL season before the team was announce on New Year’s Day. With World Cup rosters due in full by June 1, 2016 — three months before the tournament takes place — Lombardi said they will identify core players first and then fill around that group of 5-7 players with the best fits and those who can fill specific roles.

The 2016 World Cup of Hockey will take place from Sept. 17-Oct. 1 in Toronto, featuring six countries and a North American Youngstars (23 and under) squad and a Team Europe roster, featuring players from outside of Czech Republic, Finland, Russia and Sweden. The management squads of the Youngstars and Team Europe teams will be jointly named by the NHL and NHLPA.

The first 16 players, including two goalies, must named no later than March 1, 2016. The remaining roster must be announced by June 1, 2016.

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Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Sean_Leahy

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