MADISON, Wis. – With the 2018 Olympic Winter Games three months away, Team USA is competing in the Deutschland Cup in Germany this weekend, in an event that serves as an evaluation tool for Olympic head coach Tony Granato and the rest of USA Hockey's team staff.

The event takes place Nov. 10-12 in Augsburg, Germany.

Joining the Americans in the tournament are Russia, Slovakia and Germany.

Along with Granato, assistant coach Chris Chelios and general manager Jim Johannson, both Badgers, will be on hand to help with the evaluations.

Competing for Team USA are former Badgers Robbie Earl and Tom Gilbert, teammates for Wisconsin's 2006 NCAA championship. Earl was the Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player and Gilbert was an All-American and on the All-Tournament Team that year.

Earl and Gilbert are two of 29 players on the roster for the tournament.

The Deutschland Cup is an in-season international ice hockey tournament hosted by the German Ice Hockey Federation. The inaugural Deutschland Cup took place in 1987, and has been contested in 17 of the 20 years since (no tournament took place in 1989, 1998 and 1999).

In addition to the former Badgers on Team USA, former Badger Rene Bourque will suit up for Team Canada at the 2017 Karjala Cup in Sweden, Finland and Switzerland.

The event runs Wednesday through Sunday, with Canada opening Wednesday against Switzerland. Sweden, Czech Republic, Russia and Finland will also compete.

2017 Deutschland Cup U.S. Schedule
Date                            Opponent        Time (CT)
Friday, Nov. 10           Slovakia          9 a.m.             Live Stream
Saturday, Nov. 11       Russia            12:30 p.m.      Live Stream
Sunday, Nov. 12         Germany         9:45 a.m.       Live Stream

2017 Karjala Cup Canada Schedule
Wednesday, Nov. 8    Switzerland     1:15 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 10           Sweden           10:30 a.m.
Sunday, Nov. 12         Finland            9:30 a.m.