Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp Invites Players

Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League announced the list of 25 players that have been invited to attend Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp in preparation for putting together the 2014 Team Canada roster for the International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) World Junior Championships.

“Hockey Canada is looking forward to an extremely competitive camp in December, as we look to assemble a team that will make all Canadians proud,” said Scott Salmond, Hockey Canada’s senior director of men’s national teams and hockey operations. “This is a first step towards naming our roster for the IIHF World Junior Championship. We look forward to the camp getting underway.”

The roster includes two goaltenders, eight defensemen and 15 forwards. The selection committee will need to pare that list down to 22 players for the final roster by December 25. The team will represent Canada at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championships in Malmö, Sweden, December 26, 2013 through January 5,2014.

“I would like to congratulate the 25 players that received an invitation today,” said Ryan Jankowski, head scout for Canada’s National Junior Team. “Canada is fortunate to have great depth of talent, and these players should be proud of this special opportunity. I would also like to thank the general managers and coaches of the Canadian Hockey League for their great support throughout this process.”

The list of young hopefuls includes NHL draftees from 2012 and 2013–the majority of whom were in the first three rounds–as well as two players eligible for the 2014 Draft and one eligible for the 2015 Draft. Of the camp roster, only one, 19-year-old Mathew Dumba (Minnesota Wild), is currently playing in the NHL. The rest represent some of the finest players currently in the Canadian Major Junior hockey system.

“On behalf of the Canadian Hockey League, congratulations and best of luck to all of the players named to Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp,” said David Branch, president of the CHL. “The CHL is very proud of our partnership with Hockey Canada, and we look forward to watching our players and coaches represent our league at the IIHF World Junior Championship in Sweden.”

The 2014 IIHF World Junior Championships will be broadcast on TSN and RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcasters.