McNeill Heads To Team Canada

Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), announced Friday that Prince Albert Raiders forward Mark McNeill will join Canada’s National Junior Team for the upcoming 2013 World Junior Hockey Championships in Ufa, Russia. He will replaceforward Charles Hudon of the QMJHL’s Chicoutimi Saguenéens who is unable to play at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship due to an injury.

McNeill, from Edmonton, AB, has represented Canada at the 2011 IIHF World U18 Championship in Crimmitschau and Dresden, Germany and also played for Team Pacific at the 2010 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Timmins, Ontario. McNeill was a first round selection, 18^th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. He currentlyleads the Raiders in scoring and sits 24^th among all WHL scorers with 13 goals and 26 assists for 39 points in 35 games so far this season, including 3 game winning goals.

Canada’s National Junior Team will play a final pre-competition game Saturday against Sweden in Helsinki at 9am ET/6am PT. The game will be broadcast on TSN and RDS. Check local listings for the time in your area.

Canada will open the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship on December 26 against Germany at 4:30am ET/1:30 am PT.