COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Defenseman Jordan Leopold (Golden Valley, Minn./Colorado Avalanche/University of Minnesota) and forward Brandon Dubinsky (Anchorage, Alaska/New York Rangers) have been added to the roster of the U.S. Men's National Team for the 2008 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship.

Leopold, a member of the 2006 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team and veteran of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, will compete in his fourth IIHF World Championship (2002-03, 2005). He also participated in two IIHF World Junior Championships. Leopold spent the 1997-98 season with the U.S. National Under-18 Team within the NTDP.
He appeared in 43 regular-season games and notched five goals and eight assists for the National Hockey League's Colorado Avalanche in 2007-08. Leopold also competed in seven playoff contests and recorded three assists.

Dubinsky appeared in all 82 regular-season games for the NHL's New York Rangers during his rookie season in 2007-08. He ranked seventh among NHL rookies with 40 points (14-26). Dubinsky recorded eight points (4-4) in 10 playoff games, which tied him for the lead among rookie point-getters in the postseason through May 5.

Dubinsky will represent the United States for the first time in major international competition.

In addition, USA Hockey announced that captain Jeff Halpern (Potomac, Md./Tampa Bay Lightning/Princeton University) and goaltender Tim Thomas (Flint, Mich./Boston Bruins/University of Vermont) have both been sent home to their respective NHL clubs after sustaining injuries in Tuesday's (May 7) 5-4 loss to Canada and neither player is expected to return to Team USA for the World Championship.

Team USA will play its first game of the qualification round of World Championship tomorrow (May 8) at 8:15 p.m. AT against the team that finishes third in Group C.

NOTES: All 56 games from the 2008 IIHF Men's World Championship will be broadcast live on WCSN.com . The 2008 U.S. Men's National Team is under the direction of Jim Johannson, USA Hockey's assistant executive director of hockey operations, and a four-member advisory group, including NHL general managers Brian Burke (Anaheim), David Poile (Nashville), Ray Shero (Pittsburgh) and Don Waddell (Atlanta). Tony Rossi, vice president of USA Hockey and its international council chair, oversees all aspects of international competition for USA Hockey.

Team USA 2008 IIHF Men's World Championship Schedule
May 2-18 . Halifax, Nova Scotia and Quebec City, Quebec

Arena Locations: Cumberland County Civic Center (Portland, Maine); Halifax Metro Centre
(Halifax, Nova Scotia); Colisée Pepsi (Quebec City, Quebec)