CALGARY, AB – Canada’s National Junior Selection Camp begins Sunday, December 12th at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, MB and will run through .  Thirty-two of Canada’s top junior aged players were named on December 6th and will attend this year’s camp to compete for one of 22 spots on Canada’s 2005 National Junior Team roster.

Team Canada's selection camp in Winnipeg serves to prepare, evaluate and name the final 22 players on Canada's roster for the 2005 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Grand Forks, ND, which takes place December 25 to . Canada opens the tournament on Christmas day, against Slovakia at 3:30pm CT / 4:30pm ET (TSN/RDS and the FAN radio network – check local listings).

Team Canada’s Head Coach Brent Sutter and assistant coaches Jim Hulton and Peter DeBoer will oversee the evaluations of the selection camp, along with Hockey Canada’s Head Scout, Blair Mackasey.

All of Team Canada’s practices and the Red/White game on December 13th at the MTS Centre are open to the public, free of charge.

Canada will participate in two games with the University of Manitoba on December 14 and 15th.  The University of Manitoba will be a mix of university players and members of Team Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp. Tickets for these games are $5 for adults and $3 for students, plus applicable charges, and are available through all Ticketmaster outlets and www.ticketmaster.ca.

Following the National Junior Team Selection Camp, Canada will host the ‘Team Canada Junior Series’ versus Finland and Switzerland, in a three team tournament, Dec. 21, 22 and 23 at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg.  Tickets for the three games of the ‘Team Canada Junior Series’ are on sale now, viawww.ticketmaster.ca or visiting or calling your local Ticketmaster outlet.

Canada has medaled in six straight National Junior Championships having taken home the silver medal in 2004, 2003, 2002, 1999 and the bronze medal in 20.  At the 2005 World Junior Championship Canada will look to win it’s first gold medal since 1997, the last year of Canada’s string of five consecutive World Junior Championship titles (1993-1997).

ALL MEDIA REQUESTS: Brad Pascall or Mat Litalien (contact information at bottom of release)

** - University of Manitoba team will include members of Team Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp

Media availability for players and coaches will be after practices and after games.  Priority for interviews will be given to media on-site, and best efforts will be made for phone interviews.