Wednesday Morning Coffee

• USA Hockey announced its preliminary roster for the World Junior Championships yesterday and, as expected, North Dakota's Rocco Grimaldi was on it. The final roster will eventually be whittled down to 23 players from the current 27 sometime during the team's training camp, but at this point it would be a shock if Grimaldi did not make the team. USA Hockey's release on the roster announcement includes its full training camp and WJC schedule, while the United States of Hockey blog took to the task of breaking down each of the 15 forwards named to the preliminary roster. Of note, former UND assistant coach/current Ohio State head coach Mark Osiecki and current Minnesota assistant coach/Grand Forks native Grant Potulny will serve as assistant coaches to Team USA head coach Phil Housley.
• The Hockey News' Ryan Kennedy tweeted last night that Denver University freshman forward Quentin Shore is considering leaving school in order to join the WHL's Portland Winterhawks. If Shore does indeed bolt for Portland, it would mark the third consecutive season that a WCHA player has left school mid-season in order to play for the Winterhawks. William Wrenn left Denver for Portland in 2010-11, while St. Cloud State's Cam Reid made the jump to the Winterhawks last season. Denver, of course, will be visiting REA to take on North Dakota this weekend.
• Former Sioux defenseman Mike Commodore talked with The Toronto Globe and Mail on his decision to sign with the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs.
• The Toronto Maple Leaf fansite We Want a Cup says Matt Frattin is on the right path to a productive NHL career.
• Aaron Schneekloth of the Colorado Eagles is once again among the ECHL's top point-producing defensemen with 16 points (2G, 14A) in 19 games, and he was recently featured in a video player profile.
• Want your very own "life-like" version of Stanley Cup champion Matt Greene? Life in Hockeywood has it for you.