Bowey, Morrissey In, Chartier late cut for World Junior
Team Canada’s defense at this year’s World Junior Hockey Championships will have a definite Kelowna Rockets flavour with Rockets captain Madison Bowey and newly acquired D-man Josh Morrissey named to Team Canada’s entry at the 2015 World Junior Hockey Championships.
Hockey Canada announced its final roster Saturday with Morrissey and Bowey both making the team. Forward Rourke Chartier was among the last players released from the Canadian World Junior Selection Camp.
Twenty-two players were named to the team for the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship, Dec. 26, 2014 to Jan. 5, 2015 in Toronto and Montreal, Que.
Morrissey, acquired in a trade with Prince Albert prior to the selection camp, is one of seven returning players and will look to anchor the blue line while Bowey makes the team as a 19-year-old after trying out for it last season.
Chartier, 18, in his first attempt to make the club, was one of the final players released at the conclusion of both the Sport Chek selection camp (Dec. 11-14 in Toronto) and pre-competition camp (Dec. 15-19 in Toronto and St. Catharines, Ont.)
Canada roster includes two goaltenders, seven defencemen and 13 forwards. The final roster for the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship must be officially submitted to the IIHF by Dec. 25.
In total, 21 of the 22 players on the roster have previous international experience, including 20 with the national under-18 program, nine players of which won gold at the 2013 IIHF World Men’s Under-18 Championship in Sochi, Russia. Nineteen of the 22 players participated in the regional under-17 program at the 2012, 2013 and 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenges.
Prior to the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship, Canada will play two more pre-tournament games as part of the RBC Road to the World Juniors, on Dec. 21 vs. Sweden in Ottawa, Ont., and Dec. 23 vs. Switzerland in Montreal.