17 WHL Players Invited To National Jr. Camp

From WHL.ca

TORONTO, Ont. – Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced on Monday that 39 of Canada’s top junior-aged hockey players (born in 1991 or later) have been invited to take part in Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp, December 12-15, 2010 at the MasterCard Centre in Toronto, Ont.



Among the 39 players invited, 17 are currently playing in the Western Hockey League, including the Spokane Chiefs’ Jared Cowen who helped Canada earn the silver medal at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship in Regina and Saskatoon, SK. Other notables include the WHL’s current leading scorer Linden Vey (Medicine Hat Tigers), first WHL player selected at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft Ryan Johansen (Portland Winterhawks), reigning WHL Defenceman of the Year Tyson Barrie (Kelowna Rockets) and top rated prospect heading into the 2011 NHL Draft Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Red Deer Rebels). Over the past 10 years, WHL players have made up over 40% of Team Canada’s National Junior roster, and close to 60% of Team Canada’s defenceman corp.

WHL Players invited to Team Canada's National Junior Team Selection Camp

Name
P
S/C
Ht.
Wt.
Born
Hometown
Club Team
Pro Status

Calvin Pickard
G
L/G
6’0.5”
203
04/15/92
Winnipeg, MB
Seattle (WHL)
COL ’10 (2, 49)











Tyson Barrie
D
R/D
5’10”
190
07/26/91
Victoria, B.C.
Kelowna (WHL)
COL ’09 (3, 64)

Jared Cowen
D
L/G
6’5.5”
227
01/25/91
Allan, SK
Spokane (WHL)
OTT ’09 (1, 9)

Brayden McNabb
D
L/G
6’4”
219
01/21/91
Davidson, SK
Kootenay (WHL)
BUF ’09 (3, 66)

Ryan Murray
D
L/G
6’0.5”
190
09/27/93
White City, SK
Everett (WHL)
2012 Dft/Rep.

Mark Pysyk
D
R/D
6’1”
187
01/11/92
Sherwood Park, AB
Edmonton (WHL)
BUF ’10 (1, 23)











Carter Ashton
F/A
L/G
6’3”
219
04/01/91
Saskatoon, SK
Regina (WHL)
TB ’09 (1, 29)

Brett Connolly
F/A
R/D
6’2”
181
05/02/92
Campbell River, B.C.
Prince George (WHL)
TB ’10 (1, 6)

Cody Eakin
F/A
L/G
6’0”
187
05/25/91
Winnipeg, MB
Swift Current (WHL)
WSH ’09 (3, 85)

Brendan Gallagher
F/A
R/D
5’8.5”
175
06/05/92
Delta, B.C.
Vancouver (WHL)
MTL ’10 (5, 147)

Curtis Hamilton
F/A
L/G
6’3”
202
12/04/91
Kelowna, B.C.
Saskatoon (WHL)
EDM ’10 (2, 48)

Quinton Howden
F/A
L/G
6’2.5”
192
01/21/92
Oak Bank, MB
Moose Jaw (WHL)
FLA ’10 (1, 25)

Ryan Howse
F/A
L/G
5’10”
194
07/06/91
Prince George, B.C.
Chilliwack (WHL)
CGY ’09 (3, 74)

Ryan Johansen
F/A
R/D
6’2”
193
07/31/92
Port Moody, B.C.
Portland (WHL)
CBJ ’10 (1, 4)

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
F/A
L/G
6’0”
166
04/12/93
Burnaby, B.C.
Red Deer (WHL)
2011 Dft/Rep.

Brad Ross
F/A
L/G
5’11”
174
05/28/92
Lethbridge, AB
Portland (WHL)
TOR ’10 (2, 43)

Linden Vey
F/A
R/D
6’0”
185
07/01/91
Wakaw, SK
Medicine Hat (WHL)
LA ’09 (4, 96)




Among the invited, two other returning players – Calvin de Haan (Carp, Ont./Oshawa, OHL) and Ryan Ellis (Freelton, Ont./Windsor, OHL) helped Canada earn the silver medal at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship in Regina and Saskatoon, Sask. Ellis also won a gold medal with Canada at the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa, Ont. In addition, thirty-four of the players named to the selection camp roster were drafted in either the 2009 or 2010 NHL Entry Drafts, including eighteen first-round selections and four second-round picks.



Hockey Canada can still add additional players prior to the opening of the selection camp on December 12, in the event that NHL teams loan Canada’s National Junior Team junior-aged eligible players currently playing in the NHL.



“On behalf of Hockey Canada, we want to congratulate the players named to the camp roster today, along with their club teams, parents and minor hockey coaches that have helped them reach this level,” said Scott Salmond, Hockey Canada’s senior director of hockey operations/national teams. “As well, we would like to thank the Canadian Hockey League for its partnership and support of the Program of Excellence.”



“Thanks to Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence, many of these players have already received the experience necessary to deal with high-paced international competition such as the World Juniors,” said Kevin Prendergast, Hockey Canada’s head scout of the men’s Program of Excellence. “The quality and skill of the 39 players invited to the camp next week is a testament of the hard work, commitment and development of all those involved in the Canadian minor hockey and junior hockey systems.”



Prendergast, who was named head scout in September, travelled coast to coast during the early months of the 2010-11 season, assessing players in preparation for the selection camp.



“On behalf of the Canadian Hockey League, I would like to congratulate all players who have been named to the selection camp roster,” said David Branch, president of the CHL. “This is a tremendous honour, and all have worked extremely hard to get to where they are today.”



SELECTION CAMP INFORMATION

There will be two Red-White intrasquad games (December 12, 13) and one game against the Canadian University National Team (December 14). The team, made up of CIS players, will be representing Canada at the 2011 FISU Games in January 2011. Due to limited seating at the MasterCard Centre, accreditation (team, media, scouts) will be required for all practices and games. A select number of passes will be offered in a contest for Hockey Canada followers on its social media platforms. A draw for passes will occur on December 8. For information on the draw, go to www.Facebook.com/HockeyCanada and www.twitter.com/HockeyCanada.



Once the final roster is named at the conclusion of the selection camp in Toronto on December 15, Canada’s National Junior Team will play in three pre-competition games in southern Ontario prior to the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship, December 26 to January 5 in Buffalo, N.Y.



CLICK HERE FOR CANADA’S PRE-COMPETITION AND WJC GAME SCHEDULE



Canada will play its first game of the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship on Boxing Day, December 26 versus Russia, a game that will be broadcast LIVE by TSN/RDS and on The FAN Radio Network (check local listings).



Canada has medaled at twelve straight IIHF World Junior Championships, including gold medal performances in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, silver medals in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2010 and bronze medals in 2000 and 2001.