CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), announced Thursday that two players have been loaned by their respective NHL teams and will be in attendance for the start of Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek selection camp on Dec. 10.

PLAYERS ADDED TO CANADA’S NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM SPORT CHEK SELECTION CAMP

Forwards Brett Connolly (Prince George, B.C./Tampa Bay, NHL) 
            Devante Smith-Pelly (Scarborough, Ont./Anaheim, NHL)

Forty-three of Canada’s top junior-aged players (born in 1992 or later) will take part in Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp, Dec. 10-14, 2011 at the WinSport Canada Athletic & Ice Complex in Calgary.

A total of four players at camp won silver at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo, N.Y. – Connolly, Quinton Howden (Oak Bank, Man./Moose Jaw, WHL), Jaden Schwartz (Wilcox, Sask./Colorado College, WCHA) and Mark Visentin (Waterdown, Ont./Niagara, OHL).

“We would like to thank the Anaheim Ducks and  Tampa Bay Lightning for loaning us these players for the upcoming selection camp,” said Brad Pascall, Hockey Canada’s vice-president of hockey operations and national teams. “We believe that this will be a valuable experience for these two players, and will help them grow as players and individuals on the international stage.”

SELECTION CAMP INFORMATION

There will be two Red-White intrasquad games (Dec. 11-12) and one game against a team of all-stars from Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS). The CIS team will be comprised of players from the University of Calgary and University of Lethbridge. Tickets for all three games can be purchased at Calgary Sport Chek locations or online at www.HockeyCanada.ca. Practices will be open to the public.

Media will require accreditation for games and to access the interview area after practices. Please send your media accreditation requests for Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp to [email protected].

Once the final roster is named at the conclusion of the selection camp on Dec. 14, Canada’s National Junior Team will play in three pre-competition games in Alberta prior to the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, Dec. to Jan. in Calgary and Edmonton.

Canada will play its first game of the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship on Boxing Day, Dec. 26 against Finland, a game that will be broadcast LIVE by TSN/RDS and on The FAN Radio Network (check local listings). While the event is officially sold out, tickets are available through a ticket exchange program at www.HockeyCanada.ca/2012juniors.

Canada has medalled at thirteen consecutive IIHF World Junior Championships, including gold medal performances in 2005, 2006, 2007, 20, silver medals in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 20 and bronze medals in 20.

PRE-COMPETITION GAME TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets are available for most of the eleven pre-competition games being held across Alberta prior to the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship. 

For more information on the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, please visit www.HockeyCanada.ca/2012juniors, or follow along via social media at www.facebook.com/worldjuniors and www.twitter.com/hc_wjc.