SOCHI, Russia – Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), announced Friday that Sam Reinhart (West Vancouver, B.C./Kootenay, WHL) has been named captain of Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team for the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship.

Head coach Don Hay made the announcement ahead of Canada’s first pre-tournament game on Sunday.

It is the second time Reinhart will wear the ‘C’ with Team Canada during the 2012-13 season; he captained Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team to a gold medal at the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament in the Czech Republic and Slovakia last August.

Hay will name alternate captains following Canada’s two pre-tournament games, on April 14 against the United States and April 16 against the Czech Republic.

Canada will open the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship on April 18 against Slovakia. It will also take on Germany, Switzerland and Sweden in Group B preliminary round play.

A roster of 23 players (three goaltenders, seven defencemen and 13 forwards) is currently in Sochi preparing for pre-tournament games. Hockey Canada has invited select under-age players that have travelled to Sochi, Russia, to play in pre-competition games to get added experience playing international competition before returning to Canada prior to the start of the tournament. Players that have been eliminated from the CHL playoffs will be added to complete the roster for the world championship.

Since first taking part in the IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship in 2002, Canada has won two gold medals (2003 and 2008), one silver (2005) and one bronze (2012).

For more information on Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team and Hockey Canada, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca, or follow along through social media at www.facebook.com/hockeycanada, www.twitter.com/hockeycanada and www.twitter.com/hc_men.