MONTREAL, Que. - Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League, announced Monday that 29 players have been invited to attend Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp, beginning Dec. 11 at the MasterCard Centre for Hockey Excellence in Toronto, Ont.
The roster includes two goaltenders, 10 defencemen and 17 forwards. Canada’s final roster for the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship in Toronto and Montreal will include 22 players, and must be finalized by Dec. 25.
Of the 29 players invited, seven are potential returning players; Chris Bigras (Woodland Beach, Ont./Owen Sound, OHL), Zachary Fucale (Rosemère, Que./Halifax, QMJHL), Frédérik Gauthier (Mascouche, Que./Rimouski, QMJHL), Connor McDavid (Newmarket, Ont./Erie, OHL), Josh Morrissey (Calgary, Alta./Prince Albert, WHL), Nic Petan (Delta, B.C./Portland, WHL) and Sam Reinhart (West Vancouver, B.C./Kootenay, WHL) represented Canada at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship in Malmö, Sweden.
In total, 26 of the players named to Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp were drafted in either the 2013 or 2014 NHL Entry Drafts, including 15 first-round selections and seven second-round picks.
“This is a special IIHF World Junior Championship, and the opportunity to play at home in front of Canadian fans should make for a very competitive selection camp,” said Scott Salmond, vice-president of hockey operations and national teams with Hockey Canada. “We’re looking forward to getting the camp underway, and selecting 22 players who will make Canada proud with the performance this holiday season. I also want to say a huge thank you to Ryan Jankowski, Bruce Hamilton, and the rest of the Program of Excellence management group for their time, their passion and their wisdom.”
“On behalf of the Canadian Hockey League, congratulations and best of luck to all of the players invited to Canada's National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp,” said David Branch, president of the Canadian Hockey League. “The partnership between Hockey Canada and the CHL is a special one, and we’re excited to watch our players wear the Canadian jersey with pride in Toronto and Montreal.”
“I would like to congratulate the 29 players who received an invitation today,” said Ryan Jankowski, director of player personnel with Hockey Canada. “There is a tremendous amount of depth in junior hockey in Canada, and to be among this group is a tremendous accomplishment. I would also like to thank the general managers and coaches of the Canadian Hockey League for their great support throughout this process.”
In regards to eligible players currently in the NHL, Hockey Canada will continue to communicate with NHL teams and is hopeful players may still be made available to Canada’s National Junior Team prior to the NHL’s roster freeze deadline on Dec. 19.
Canada opens the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship on Boxing Day when it faces Slovakia in Montreal. All of Canada’s games at the World Juniors will be broadcast live by TSN and RDS, the official broadcasters of Hockey Canada; check local listings for broadcast times in your area.
Tickets for the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship are still available in both host cities.
In Montreal, single-game tickets are now on sale for all 12 games at the Bell Centre, including four Team Canada preliminary round games and two-quarter-finals, starting at just $25. In addition, three mini ticket packages, including either four or five games, and all featuring at least one Team Canada game, are on sale starting at $170, plus applicable fees.
In Montreal, 13-game ticket packages include one Team Canada pre-competition game, four Team Canada preliminary round games, six other round robin games, and two quarter-finals.
In Toronto, 19-game packages include one Team Canada pre-competition game, 10 preliminary round games, two quarter-finals, two relegation round games, two semifinals, the bronze medal game and gold medal game.
Complete ticket information for the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship, and all 10 RBC Road to the World Juniors pre-tournament games, can be found at www.hockeycanada.ca/2015juniors.
For more information on Hockey Canada, Canada’s National Junior Team and the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca, www.hockeycanada.ca/2015juniors,or follow on social media at www.facebook.com/worldjuniors, www.twitter.com/hc_wjc and www.twitter.com/hc_men.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALLIANCE HOCKEY ALUM LAWSON CROUSE (ELGIN MIDDLESEX CHIEFS) ON HIS INVITATION!