Lane named to U.S. camp for world junior event
BRAMPTON, Ont. – Right winger Philip Lane of the Brampton Battalion is one of 44 players invited to the United States national junior team’s evaluation camp.
Lane, a native of Rochester, N.Y., who turned 18 on May 29, is among six Ontario Hockey League players set to attend the camp at Lake Placid, N.Y., from July 30 to Aug. 7. He is one of 26 forwards named to the camp.
The U.S. defeated Canada 6-5 in overtime in the title game of the 2010 World Junior Championship at Saskatoon. The 2011 event is scheduled for Buffalo, N.Y., from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5.
“I got the call last night,” Lane said via telephone Friday. “That’s something I was really aiming for. I was kind of shocked about it, but I worked hard to get that invitation. It’s exciting. With the tournament being in my back yard, I’m going to work very hard to make that team.”
The only Battalion member to have played for the U.S. at the World Junior Championship is defenceman Bobby Sanguinetti, who competed in the 2008 event in the Czech Republic.
A fourth-round choice in the 2008 OHL Priority Selection, Lane scored 18 goals and earned 14 assists for 32 points in 64 games in 2009-10. He added three goals in 11 playoff games.
Lane, six-foot-two and 197 pounds, is rated 96th among North American-based skaters by the National Hockey League’s central scouting department for the NHL Entry Draft to be held at Los Angeles over two days starting next Friday.
“There’s nothing to do now but wait and see where I go,” said Lane, who is to travel to Los Angeles with his family on Wednesday. “I have no idea what round I’ll go in or to what team. I’ll just be happy to get drafted. A lot of teams have shown interest in me. I figure I’ve talked to a dozen teams, maybe one or two more.”
Lane is one of three Battalion players on the final NHL central scouting list, which was released in April. Centre Sam Carrick and defenceman Cameron Wind, both 18, are ranked 90th and 103rd respectively.
