Penguins forward Nick Bonino named as United States' captain in IIHF World Championship

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Nick Bonino has been selected as the United States’ captain in the upcoming International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) World Championship tournament.

Hockey USA announced the team’s leadership group via a release Tuesday. Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland and Buffalo Sabres forward Alex Tuch will serve as alternate captains.

This is the third time Bonino, a native of Hartford, Conn., has participated in this tournament.

In 2015, he won a bronze medal after appearing in 10 games and scoring four points (two goals, two assists). He won bronze again in 2018 when he played in five games and posted four points (one goal, three assists).

The oldest member of the United States’ roster, the 35-year-old Bonino split the 2022-23 season between the San Jose Sharks and the Penguins. Appearing in 62 games, Bonino scored 19 points (10 goals, nine assists) while averaging 15:55 of ice time per contest.

Acquired in a three-team trade that involved the Montreal Canadiens on March 3, Bonino appeared in only three games for the Penguins as he suffered what turned out to be a season-ending lacerated kidney as a result of an awkward check March 9. A surgical procedure was required to correct the malady.

Bonino will be joined on the United States’ roster by Penguins goaltender Casey DeSmith (Rochester, N.H.) and forward Drew O’Connor (Wayne, N.J.).

Penguins defenseman P.O Joseph will suit up for Canada while Alex Nylander was selected to Sweden’s roster.

Former Robert Morris forward Justin Addamo, who split the 2022-23 season between the American Hockey League’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers, was selected to France’s roster. The 24-year-old Addamo is a native of Clermont-Ferrand, France.

The tournament, which is being staged in Tampere, Finland and Riga, Latvia, is scheduled to begin May 12 and will last until May 28.

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