The team is set to take part in the 2017 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Junior Championship, scheduled to be held in Canadian cities Montreal and Toronto from 26 December, 2016 until January 5, 2017.

Motzko, head coach of St. Cloud State University's men's ice hockey programme, will make his debut as a head coach for the US at an IIHF event.

He will be aiming to lead the country to back-to-back IIHF World Junior Championship medals for only the second time ever after the US earned bronze at the 2016 event in Finland’s capital Helsinki.

"It is a real honour to be asked to lead your country in what is considered one of the greatest hockey tournaments on the hockey calendar," said Motzko.

"The growth of talent in the United States has turned us into a perennial medal contender and I expect this year to be no different.

"I'm excited for this challenge and eager to begin preparations for our national junior evaluation camp in August as we start shaping our team for the World Junior Championship in December."

Head coach at his alma mater since 2005, Motzko's 2015-2016 St. Cloud State Huskies side claimed the programme's first-ever National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Frozen Faceoff Championship. 

They also earned the programme's fourth straight National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament berth, finishing with a record of 31 wins, nine losses and one draw that ranked third in the country and tied the school record for most victories in a season.

In his 11 seasons in St. Cloud, the 2014 NCHC Coach of the Year and two-time Western Collegiate Hockey Association Coach of the Year has produced seven 20-or-more-win seasons, seven NCAA tournament appearances, one NCAA Frozen Four appearance, two regular-season conference titles, and one NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship.

Prior to his time at St. Cloud, Motzko served in multiple coaching capacities at four different schools, including a four-season span at the University of Minnesota that was highlighted by back-to-back NCAA national championships in 2002 and 2003.

In 2014, Motzko served as an assistant coach for the US team at the IIHF World Junior Championship in Malmo in Sweden.

"Bob has found success everywhere he has coached and we're excited to have him as head coach of our national junior team," said Jim Johannson, assistant executive director for hockey operations at USA Hockey, who will also serve as general manager of the 2017 US national junior team.  

"He has a familiarity with our player pool that should blend well with his ability to get the most out of players and we look forward to his leadership."