Feaster part of national team

ATLANTA -- General manager Jay Feaster hopes he cannot travel to watch the World Championships to be held April 26-May 11 in Finland. That will mean the Lightning is in the playoffs.

Still, as a co-general manager of the United States national team, Feaster will leave his mark.

"I'm very honored to be able to represent my country," Feaster said Friday after his appointment was announced. "It's a great opportunity to represent the USA and hopefully have a great showing over there. It's exciting."

Feaster said he has known USA Hockey president Walter Bush and vice president Ron DeGregorio from their AHL days when they owned a team in Kentucky and Feaster was general manager of Hershey.

"When I got to the NHL (in 1998), I talked to Ron and said if there was anything I could do, I would certainly be interested in working with them," Feaster said.

Feaster helped St. Louis GM Larry Pleau name the U.S. team.