Lots of WHL Talent Invited to Canada's World Junior Camp

 Hockey Canada announced the names of the 32 players invited to participate in Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp at a press conference this morning, of which 12 currently play in the Western Hockey League

The Brandon Wheat Kings, Everett Silvertips, Kelowna Rockets and Regina Pats will each send two players to the selection camp.
 

WHL Invitees – Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp
Goaltenders	H	W	DOB	Hometown	WHL Club	NHL Draft
Carter Hart	6'2"	180	8/13/1998	Sherwood Park, AB	Everett Silvertips	PHI '16 (2,48)
Connor Ingram	6'1"	202	3/31/1997	Imperial, SK	Kamloops Blazers	TB '16 (3,88)
Defence
Jake Bean	6'1"	170	6/9/1998	Calgary, AB	Calgary Hitmen	CAR '16 (1,13
Kale Clague	6'0"	177	6/5/1998	Lloydminster, AB	Brandon Wheat Kings	LA '16 (2,51)
Noah Juulsen	6’2”	185	4/2/1997	Abbotsford, BC	Everett Silvertips	MTL ’15 (1, 26)
Forwards
Mathew Barzal	6’0”	187	5/26/1997	Coquitlam, BC	Seattle Thunderbirds	NYI ’15 (1, 16)
Dillon Dube	5'10"	180	7/20/1998	Cochrane, AB	Kelowna Rockets	CGY '16 (2,56)
Brett Howden	6'3"	190	3/29/1998	Oakbank, MB	Moose Jaw Warriors	TB '16 (1,27)
Nick Merkley	5'10"	185	5/23/1997	Calgary, AB	Kelowna Rockets	ARI ’15 (1, 30)
Nolan Patrick	6'3"	195	9/19/1998	Winnipeg, MB	Brandon Wheat Kings	Eligible 2017
Sam Steel	6'0"	180	2/3/1998	Sherwood Park, AB	Regina Pats	ANA '16 (1,30)
Austin Wagner	6'3"	185	6/23/1997	Calgary, AB	Regina Pats	LA '15 (4,99)

 


 
In total, Hockey Canada named 19 forwards, 10 defencemen and three goaltenders to its National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp roster, moving one step closer to the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship, which will be hosted by Toronto and Montreal beginning December 26.
 
Last year, 10 WHL players earned invites to Team Canada’s selection camp, while 14 attended in 2014.
 
Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp will run from December 10-14 at the Centre d’Excellence Sports Rousseau in Blainville, Que., home of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. The selection camp will also include three games: two against the USport All-Stars on December 12 and 13, with one final game against the Czech Republic on December 14.
 
Following the four-day selection camp, 22 players will be selected to represent Canada and don the Maple Leaf on home ice for the first time since 2015 when Canada won gold in front of a sold-out crowd of over 19,000 fans at the Air Canada Centre. This year, gold will be won in Montreal.
 
In addition to the 12 WHL players that will attend selection camp, the WHL will be represented on the staff of Team Canada once again this year. Tim Hunter (Moose Jaw Warriors) will serve as an assistant coach while Brian Cheeseman (Edmonton Oil Kings) will serve as an athletic therapist for the second consecutive year for Team Canada.

(WHL.ca)