Team USA's Jerry D'Amigo celebrates a goal in the final minutes of play during semifinal world junior hockey championship action versus Team Sweden in Saskatoon, Sask., Sunday, Jan. 3, 2010. Team USA won by 5-2. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Geoff HoweGEOFF HOWE/The Canadian Press
The Toronto Maple Leafs gave the United States world junior team a hand on Monday when they agreed to lend it forward Jerry D'Amigo for the world junior hockey championships.
D'Amigo, 19, has nine points in 26 games this season with the Leafs' American Hockey League farm team but he was the leading goal-scorer for the championship U.S. team at last year's world junior with six goals.
According to USA Today, a total of four professional prospects will be loaned to the U.S. team by NHL teams. USA Hockey will announce its preliminary roster for the tournament, which starts Dec. 26 in Buffalo, on Tuesday.
Joining D'Amigo will be forwards Kyle Palmieri (Anaheim Ducks), Jeremy Morin (Chicago Blackhawks) and defenceman Nick Leddy (Blackhawks). All four players are in the AHL at present.
The Canadian team recently received some bad news when it was told by the Boston Bruins that winger Tyler Seguin will not be released for the tournament.