USA Hockey, Dallas Stars Prospect Aram Minnetian Win Gold Medal At IIHF World Juniors

The United States edged out a dramatic 4-3 overtime victory over Finland on Sunday to capture their second straight gold medal at the IIHF U20 World Junior Championship. Among the talented American roster was Dallas Stars 2023 fourth-round pick defenceman Aram Minnetian.

The New Jersey native played a pivotal role in Team USA's first place finish as he helped lift them past Czechia in the semi-final round with a pair of assists in a 4-1 victory.

Minnetian,19, played alongside many of his Boston College teammates, including New York Rangers first round pick Gabe Perreault, Team USA captain Ryan Leonard and 2025 projected first overall pick James Hagens. Despite the star power on the offensive end, Minnetian plays the most minutes for BC with an average time on ice at 21:01 for a team that ranks second in the country with a 12-3-1 record.

It's the second gold medal for Minnetian after he won with Team USA in the 2023 U-18 World Championships. He remains unsigned with the Stars, which is typically common for collegiate players as NHL teams don't want to burn years of entry-level contract years when their prospects will likely go back to college for a year or two to further develop.

Stars fans will be able to watch Minnetian further grow as a player when he returns to the Boston College lineup as they begin their hunt for the program's sixth national championship. He has a goal and four assists for five points along with a +5 rating in 16 games this season.

In May, USA Hockey announced that it will partner with the Stars to host the 2025 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship in Frisco and Allen, Texas, from April 23 to May 3, 2025. The ten-team tournament, showcasing the top under-18 male hockey players from around the world, will be played on U.S. soil for just the fourth time in history.