University of Denver freshman defenseman Sean Behrens was deemed a lock to make the U.S. World Junior Championship team and compete at the heralded 19-under tournament that begins Sunday in Edmonton.
Those dreams began to disappear on Dec. 9, when Behrens tested positive for COVID-19 and was ruled out of the Pioneers’ weekend series at Minnesota-Duluth.
Behrens, the Avalanche’s second-round pick in the 2021 draft (61st overall), was originally scheduled to report to the U.S. training camp in Michigan after the Duluth series. But protocol wouldn’t allow him to travel anywhere until after the Americans had to finalize their roster, and Behrens was forced to accept that his Christmas would be spent at the family home in Barrington, Ill.