Thirty-Seven Players Invited to Team Canada's National Junior Team Selection Camp in Calgary, AB

NR.162.07
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December 2, 2007
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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.

Of 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 20 NHL Entry Draft, including thirteen 1st round selections and eleven 2nd round selections.

Hockey 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.

“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.”

Murray traveled coast to coast during the first part of the hockey season assessing players in preparation of the Selection Camp.

SELECTION CAMP INFORMATION

Players 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 ).

All 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.

Canada 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).

Canada has medaled in nine straight World Junior Championships including: gold medal performances in 2007, 20, silver medals in 2004, 2003, 2002, 1999 and bronze medals in 20.

Canada’s 2008 NJT Selection Camp Breakdown ‘By The Numbers’

Returning 2007 National Junior Team players:

3 - Karl Alzner, Leland Irving, Brad Marchand

Players who represented Canada in the 2007 Canada/Russia Super Series: 22

G – Jonathan Bernier, Leland Irving, Steve Mason

D – Karl Alzner, Drew Doughty, Keaton Ellerby, Josh Godfrey, Thomas Hickey, Logan Pyett, Luke Schenn, Ty Wishart

F – Zach Boychuk, Cory Emmerton, Colton Gillies, Claude Giroux, Zach Hamill, Stefan Legein, Brad Marchand, Brandon Sutter, John Tavares, Kyle Turris, Dana Tyrell

Players who took part in the ADT CHL Canada/Russia Challenge : 35

G – Bernier, Irving, Mason, Sexsmith

D – Alzner, Bodnarchuk, Doughty, Ellerby, Godfrey, Hickey, Marshall, Pyett, Schenn, Subban, Wishart

F – Boychuk, Emmerton, Esposito, Gillies, Giroux, Halischuk, Hamill, Holzapfel, Legein, MacLean, Marchand, Matthias, Perreault, Simmonds, Stamkos, Sutter, Tavares, Turris, Tyrell, White

Minor Hockey / Hockey Canada Branch breakdown:

13 – Ontario Hockey Federation

7 – Hockey Alberta

5 – BC Hockey

4 – Hockey Quebec

3 –Saskatchewan Hockey Association

2 – Ottawa District Hockey Association, Hockey Nova Scotia

1 – Hockey Manitoba

Where they are playing:

15 players from the Western Hockey League (WHL)

13 players from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)

7 players from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)

2 players from U.S. College Hockey (NCAA)

Program of Excellence experience:

Twenty-one of the 37 players have played for Canada’s National Under-18 Team;

Twenty-four (24) of the 37 players have been involved in Canada's Regional Under-17 Program of Excellence;

Four players – MacLean, Perreault, Simmonds, Spaling - invited to Selection Camp will be looking for their first ever experience on a regional or national team;

Leadership:

Six (6) players (Alzner, Bodnarchuk, Emmerton, Hickey, Holzapfel, Pyett) are currently captains of their respective teams, and twenty (20) players are alternate captains;

Vital statistics:

Average age: 19 years, 0 months, 30 days (as of Dec.);

By year of birth: 1988 (23 players); 1989 (12 players); 1990 (2 players)

Average height: 6’0”

Average weight: 187 lbs

NHL Entry Draft information:

Thirty-two (32) of the 37 players invited to camp have been drafted in either the 20 NHL Entry Drafts;

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;

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;

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)

o 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)

For more information:

Esther Madziya
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 284-6484 

[email protected] 

Spencer Sharkey
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 777-4567

[email protected]

Jeremy Knight
Manager, Corporate Communications
Hockey Canada

(647) 251-9738

[email protected]

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