15 WHL Players Invited to Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp

THIRTY-SEVEN PLAYERS INVITED TO TEAM CANADA’S NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM SELECTION CAMP IN CALGARY, AB — CALGARY, AB – Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced on Monday that 37 of Canada’s best junior-aged hockey players (born in 1988 or later) have been invited to take part in Canada’s National Junior Selection Camp from December 10-14, 2007 at the Father David Bauer Olympic Arena in Calgary, AB.
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rAmong the 37 players selected, 15 are currently playing in the Western Hockey League, including 2007 IIHF World Championship gold medalists Karl Alzner (Calgary Hitmen) and Leland Irving (Everett Silvertips). Of the players selected to participate at Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp, only four are eligible for the 2008 NHL Entry Draft including WHL Top Prospects Luke Schenn (Kelowna Rockets) and Zach Boychuk (Lethbridge Hurricanes). In the past 10 years WHL players have made up 40% of Team Canada’s National Junior roster, and 60% of Team Canada’s defenseman, in the last 10 years, played in the WHL.
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rOf the 37 players invited, three won gold medals at the 2007 IIHF World Junior Championship and 22 were members of Canada’s National Junior Team which posted a 7-0-1 record in the Canada/Russia Super Series in August/September 2007 in Russia and Canada. Thirty-two of the players named to the selection camp roster were drafted in either the 2006 or 2007 NHL Entry Draft, including thirteen 1st round selections and eleven 2nd round selections.
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rHockey Canada may add additional players prior to the opening of the selection camp on December 10th, in the event that any NHL teams loan Canada’s National Junior Team junior-aged eligible players currently playing in the NHL.
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r“Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence, which includes our Under-17 and Under-18 Programs, has provided many of these players the preparation and experience for to deal with the rigors of the upcoming World Juniors and high paced international competition,” said Al Murray, Head Scout for Canada’s National Men’s Teams. “The quality and skill of the 37 players invited to the camp next week is a testament of the hard work, commitment and development of all those involved in the Canadian minor hockey and junior hockey system.”
rMurray traveled coast to coast during the first part of the hockey season assessing players in preparation of the Selection Camp.
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rSELECTION CAMP INFORMATION
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rPlayers and staff will travel to Calgary on Monday, December 10th, and will take to the ice that same evening at the Father David Bauer Olympic Area in Calgary (view the full schedule at www.hockeycanada.ca ).
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rAll practices at the Selection Camp, Dec. 10-14th are open to the public free of charge. Details on the selection camp will be announced next week at www.hockeycanada.ca. Tickets for any games will only be sold at the door prior to games for $5.
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rCanada will play its first game of the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship on Boxing Day, December 26th versus the Czech Republic at 2:00pm ET, a game that will be broadcast LIVE by TSN/RDS and on the FAN radio network (check local listings).
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rCanada has medaled in nine straight World Junior Championships including: gold medal performances in 2007, 2006 and 2005, silver medals in 2004, 2003, 2002, 1999 and bronze medals in 2001 and 2000.
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rCanada’s 2008 National Junior Team Selection Camp Breakdown
r‘By The Numbers’
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r• Returning 2007 National Junior Team players:
ro 3 – Karl Alzner, Leland Irving, Brad Marchand
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r• Players who represented Canada in the 2007 Canada/Russia Super Series: o 22
rG – Jonathan Bernier, Leland Irving, Steve Mason
rD – Karl Alzner, Drew Doughty, Keaton Ellerby, Josh Godfrey, Thomas Hickey, Logan Pyett, Luke Schenn, Ty Wishart
rF – Zach Boychuk, Cory Emmerton, Colton Gillies, Claude Giroux, Zach Hamill, Stefan Legein, Brad Marchand, Brandon Sutter, John Tavares, Kyle Turris, Dana Tyrell
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r• Players who took part in the ADT CHL Canada/Russia Challenge : o 35
rG – Bernier, Irving, Mason, Sexsmith
rD – Alzner, Bodnarchuk, Doughty, Ellerby, Godfrey, Hickey, Marshall, Pyett, Schenn, Subban, Wishart
rF – Boychuk, Emmerton, Esposito, Gillies, Giroux, Halischuk, Hamill, Holzapfel, Legein, MacLean, Marchand, Matthias, Perreault, Simmonds, Stamkos, Sutter, Tavares, Turris, Tyrell, White
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r• Minor Hockey / Hockey Canada Branch breakdown:
ro 13 – Ontario Hockey Federation
ro 7 – Hockey Alberta
ro 5 – BC Hockey
ro 4 – Hockey Quebec
ro 3 -Saskatchewan Hockey Association
ro 2 – Ottawa District Hockey Association, Hockey Nova Scotia
ro 1 – Hockey Manitoba
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r• Where they are playing:
ro 15 players from the Western Hockey League (WHL)
ro 13 players from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
ro 7 players from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
ro 2 players from U.S. College Hockey (NCAA)
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r• Program of Excellence experience:
ro Twenty-one of the 37 players have played for Canada’s National Under-18 Team;
ro Twenty-four (24) of the 37 players have been involved in Canada’s Regional Under-17 Program of Excellence;
ro Four players – MacLean, Perreault, Simmonds, Spaling – invited to Selection Camp will be looking for their first ever experience on a regional or national team;
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r• Leadership:
ro Six (6) players (Alzner, Bodnarchuk, Emmerton, Hickey, Holzapfel, Pyett) are currently captains of their respective teams, and twenty (20) players are alternate captains;
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r• Vital statistics:
ro Average age: 19 years, 0 months, 30 days (as of Dec. 26, 2007);
ro By year of birth: 1988 (23 players); 1989 (12 players); 1990 (2 players)
ro Average height: 6’0”
ro Average weight: 187 lbs
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r• NHL Entry Draft information:
ro Thirty-two (32) of the 37 players invited to camp have been drafted in either the 2006 or 2007 NHL Entry Drafts;
ro Thirteen (13) of the 32 NHL drafted players were First Round NHL Draft Picks, eleven (11) players are Second Round NHL Draft Picks, and four were selected in the Third Round;
ro Five undrafted players will be at Canada’s Selection Camp, including four who are eligible for the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and one who will be eligible for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft;
ro The NHL’s Boston Bruins, the Detroit Red Wings, the Los Angeles Kings and the Washington Capitals have the most drafted players invited Canada’s 2008 selection camp; NOTE – Detroit has a 4th drafted player whose rights were traded to Florida (Matthias)
ro Six NHL teams have two players at camp (Columbus, Florida, Montreal, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Jose) while eight NHL teams have one player at camp (Atlanta, Calgary, Carolina, Minnesota, Nashville, New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay)
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rSELECTION CAMP ROSTER
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rTeam Information
rTeam Abbreviation CAN Group Selection Camp
rCity/Country Canada
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r# Player Ht Wt Birthdate Hometown/Country 2006 – 2007 Team NHL Draft
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rGoaltenders
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rJonathan Bernier 6’0 185 08/07/1988 Laval, QC, CAN Lewiston Maineiacs/QMJHL LA ’06 (1, 11)
r* Leland Irving 6’0 177 04/11/1988 Swan Hills, AB, CAN Everett Silvertips/WHL CGY ’06 (1, 26)
rSteve Mason 6’3 186 05/29/1988 Oakville, ON, CAN London Knights/OHL CBJ ’06 (3, 69)
rTyson Sexsmith 6’0 204 03/19/1989 Priddis, AB, CAN Vancouver Giants/WHL SJ ’07 (3, 91)
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rDefence
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r* Karl Alzner 6’2 209 09/24/1988 Burnaby, BC, CAN Calgary Hitmen/WHL WAS ’07 (1, 5)
rAndrew Bodnarchuk 5’11 185 05/25/1905 Hammonds Plains, NS, CAN Halifax Mooseheads/QMJHL BOS ’06 (5, 128)
rDrew Doughty 6’0 214 12/08/1989 London, ON, CAN Guelph Storm/OHL 2008 (DFT/REP)
rKeaton Ellerby 6’3 185 11/05/1988 Calgary, AB, CAN Moose Jaw Warriors/WHL FLA ’07 (1, 10)
rJosh Godfrey 6’0 197 01/15/1988 Kingston, ON, CAN Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds/OHL WAS ’07 (2, 34)
rThomas Hickey 5’10.5 182 02/08/1989 Calgary, AB, CAN Seattle Thunderbirds/WHL LA ’07 (1, 4)
rKevin Marshall 6’0 205 03/10/1989 Boucherville, QC, CAN Lewiston/QMJHL PHI ’07 (2, 41)
rLogan Pyett 5’10 199 05/26/1988 Milestone, SK, CAN Regina Pats/WHL DET ’06 (7, 212)
rLuke Schenn 6’2 210 11/02/1989 Saskatoon, SK, CAN Kelowna Rockets/WHL 2008 (Dft/Rep.)
rBrendan Smith 6’1.5 170 02/08/1989 Toronto, ON, CAN Wisconsin /WCHA DET ’07 (1, 27)
rPK Subban 5’11 204 05/13/1989 Rexdale, ON, CAN Bellville Bulls/QMJHL MTL ’07 (2, 43)
rTy Wishart 6’4.5 205 05/19/1988 Comox, BC, CAN Prince George Cougars/WHL SJ ’06 (1, 16)
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rForwards
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rZach Boychuk 5’9 176 10/04/1989 Airdrie, AB, CAN Lethbridge Hurricanes/WHL 2008 Dft/Rep.
rCory Emmerton 6’0 190 06/01/1988 St. Thomas, ON, CAN Kingston Frontenacs/OHL DET ’06 (2, 41)
rAngelo Esposito 6’1 180 02/20/1989 Montréal, QC, CAN Quebec/QMJHL PIT ’07 (1, 20)
rColton Gillies 6’3.5 189 02/12/1989 Surrey, BC, CAN Saskatoon Blades/WHL MIN ’07 (1, 16)
rClaude Giroux 5’11 177 01/12/1988 Ottawa, ON, CAN Gatineau Olympiques/QMJHL PHI ’06 (1, 22)
rMatthew Halischuk 5’11 173 06/05/1905 Mississauga, ON, CAN Kitchener Rangers/OHL NJ ’07 (4, 117)
rZach Hamill 5’10.5 180 09/23/1988 Port Coquitlam, BC, CAN Everett Silvertips/WHL BOS ’07 (1, 8)
rRiley Holzapfel 5’11 185 08/18/1988 Regina, SK, CAN Moose Jaw Warriors/WHL ATL ’06 (2, 43)
rStefan Legein 5’9 187 11/24/1988 Oakville, ON, CAN Niagara/OHL CBJ ’07 (2, 37)
rBrett MacLean 6’1 196 12/24/1988 Port Elgin, ON, CAN Oshawa Generals/OHL PHX ’07 (2, 32)
r* Brad Marchand 5’9 183 05/11/1988 Hammonds Plains, NS, CAN Foreurs de Val d’Or/QMJHL BOS ’06 (3, 71)
rShawn Matthias 6’3.5 213 02/19/1988 Mississauga, ON, CAN Bellville Bulls/OHL FLA/DET ’06 (2, 47)
rMathieu Perreault 5’9 165 01/05/1988 Drummondville, QC, CAN Acadie Bathurst Titan/QMJHL WAS ’06 (6, 177)
rWayne Simmonds 6’1.5 175 08/26/1988 Pickering, ON, CAN Owen Sound/OHL LA ’07 (2, 61)
rNick Spaling 6’0 180 09/19/1988 Drayton, ON, CAN Kitchener/OHL NSH ’07 (2, 58)
rSteven Stamkos 6’0 178 02/07/1990 Unionville, ON, CAN Sarina Sting/OHL 2008 Dft/Rep.
rBrandon Sutter 6’3 170 02/14/1989 Red Deer, AB, CAN Red Deer Rebels/WHL CAR ’07 (1, 11)
rJohn Tavares 6’0 196 09/20/1990 Oakville, ON, CAN Oshawa Generals/OHL 2009 (DFT/REP)
rKyle Turris 6’1.5 170 08/14/1989 New Westminster, BC, CAN Wisconsin /WCHA PHX ’07 (1, 3)
rDana Tyrell 5’10 185 05/23/1989 Airdrie, AB, CAN Prince George Cougars/WHL TB ’07 (2, 47)
rRyan White 6’0 165 03/17/1988 Brandon, MB, CAN Calgary Hitman/WHL MTL ’06 (3, 66)
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rCoaches
rCraig Hartsburg , Head Coach, Stratford, ON, CAN Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
rClément Jodoin , Assistant Coach, St-Césaire, QC, CAN Lewiston Maineiacs
rCurtis Hunt , Assistant Coach, Regina, SK, CAN Regina Pats
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rNotes
r* 2007 World Junior Championship gold medalists
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