44 CHL Players Invited to Canada’s National Junior Team Summer Development Camp
CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League, announced roster details on Friday for Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Summer Development Camp, scheduled for August 3-7 in Edmonton and Fort McMurray, Alta. Forty-six players have been invited to attend the camp.
Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Summer Development Camp is the first step in identifying players for Canada’s National Junior Team for the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, which will be held from December 26, 2011 to January 5, 2012 in Calgary and Edmonton. At the conclusion of camp, Kevin Prendergast, Hockey Canada’s head scout for the men’s Program of Excellence, will continue to monitor these players and other potential candidates before inviting a group of players to a final selection camp in December, after which a final National Junior Team roster of 22 players will be named.
The camp roster includes four goaltenders, 16 defencemen and 26 forwards. The Ontario Hockey League leads the way with 22 players invited followed by 13 from the Western Hockey League, and nine from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
CHL Players Invited to Camp:
Goaltenders:
Tyler Bunz, Medicine Hat Tigers
Louis Domingue, Quebec Remparts
Mark Visentin, Niagara IceDogs
Scott Wedgewood, Plymouth Whalers
Defencemen:
Nathan Beaulieu, Saint John Sea Dogs
Cody Ceci, Ottawa 67’s
Jerome Gauthier-Leduc, Rimouski Oceanic
Brandon Gormley, Moncton Wildcats
Erik Gudbranson, Kingston Frontenacs
Dougie Hamilton, Niagara IceDogs
Scott Harrington, London Knights
Martin Lefebvre, Quebec Remparts
Joe Morrow, Portland Winterhawks
Ryan Murphy, Kitchener Rangers
Ryan Murray, Everett Silvertips
Stuart Percy, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors
Matthew Petgrave, Owen Sound Attack
Mark Pysyk, Edmonton Oil Kings
Duncan Siemens, Saskatoon Blades
Forwards:
Michael Bournival, Shawinigan Cataractes
Brett Connolly, Prince George Cougars
Sean Couturier, Drummondville Voltigeurs
Phillip Danault, Victoriaville Tigres
Brendan Gallagher, Vancouver Giants
Freddie Hamilton, Niagara IceDogs
Patrick Holland, Tri-City Americans
Quinton Howden, Moose Jaw Warriors
Jonathan Huberdeau, Saint John Sea Dogs
Boone Jenner, Oshawa Generals
Ryan Johansen, Portland Winterhawks
Lucas Lessio, Oshawa Generals
Greg McKegg, Erie Otters
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Red Deer Rebels
Matthew Puempel, Peterborough Petes
Ty Rattie, Portland Winterhawks
Brett Ritchie, Sarnia Sting
Mark Scheifele, Barrie Colts
Michael Sgarbossa, Sudbury Wolves
Devante Smith-Pelly, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors
Ryan Spooner, Kingston Frontenacs
Mark Stone, Brandon Wheat Kings
Ryan Strome, Niagara IceDogs
Christian Thomas, Oshawa Generals
Tyler Toffoli, Ottawa 67’s
CLICK HERE FOR CANADA’S NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM DEVELOPMENT CAMP ROSTER
The 46 players, born in 1992 or 1993, were selected by Prendergast, in consultation with Hockey Canada’s vice-president of hockey operations and national teams, Brad Pascall, Hockey Canada’s senior director of hockey operations and national teams Scott Salmond, head coach Don Hay (Vancouver, WHL) and assistant coaches George Burnett (Belleville, OHL), Ryan Huska (Kelowna, WHL) and Pascal Vincent (Montreal, QMJHL). Prendergast evaluated players over the course of the 2010-11 season, following these players along with numerous other candidates for the program during league play, as well as during international competitions for both the under-18 and under-20 programs.
“Canada has many very talented players across the country in this age group, and the players should be very proud to have an opportunity to showcase their abilities at this camp in Edmonton,” said Prendergast. “We are looking forward to a competitive, high-energy camp.”
The invitation list includes seven players from Canada’s silver medal-winning team at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo, N.Y.: goaltender Mark Visentin (Waterdown, Ont./Niagara, OHL), defenceman Erik Gudbranson (Orleans, Ont./Kingston, OHL) and forwards Brett Connolly (Prince George, B.C./Prince George, WHL), Sean Couturier (Bathurst, N.B./Drummondville, QMJHL), Quinton Howden (Oakbank, Man./Moose Jaw, WHL), Ryan Johansen (Port Moody, B.C./Portland, WHL) and Jaden Schwartz (Wilcox, Sask./Colorado College, WCHA)
The camp roster also includes 30 skaters with international experience at the under-18 level (Bournival, Ceci, Connelly, Couturier, Danault, Domingue, Gormley, Gudbranson, D. Hamilton, F. Hamilton, Harrington, Howden, Huberdeau, Jenner, Lessio, McKegg, Murphy, Murray, Nugent-Hopkins, Percy, Puempel, Pysyk, Ritchie, Scheifele, Schwartz, Sgarbossa, Siemens, Spooner, Thomas, Toffoli) and 36 skaters who have represented their region or province at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and/or Canada Winter Games.
Five players invited to this camp have not played with Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence at either the under-17, under-18 or under-20 levels: Patrick Holland, Joe Morrow, Matt Petgrave, Dillon Simpson and Scott Wedgewood.
All invited players must attend the camp to be eligible for the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, as per National Junior Team policy
Tickets for Canada’s two Red-White games at the development are on sale.
Saturday, August 6 Red vs. White Rexall Place, Edmonton, Alta.
TICKETS: www.ticketmaster.ca / 1-855-985-5000
Sunday, August 7 Red vs. White Casman Centre, Fort McMurray, Alta.
TICKETS: www.oilbarons.com
Details of the camp, including dates, schedule and Red and White rosters, will be announced at a later date.
For more information on Canada’s National Junior Team and the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, please visit www.HockeyCanada.ca/2012Juniors, or follow along via social media at www.facebook.com/worldjuniors or www.twitter.com/hc_wjc.