Monday, December 3, 2012

THIRTY-SEVEN PLAYERS INVITED TO CANADA'S NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM SELECTION CAMP

Press Release

Sel. Camp roster

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), announced Monday that 37 of Canada’s top junior-aged players (born in 1993 or later) have been invited to take part in Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp, Dec. 11-13, 2012 at the Markin MacPhail Centre at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary.

Of the 37 players invited, six are returning players – Dougie Hamilton (Toronto, Ont./Niagara, OHL), Scott Harrington (Kingston, Ont./London, OHL), Jonathan Huberdeau (St-Jérôme, Que./Saint John, QMJHL), Boone Jenner (Dorchester, Ont./Oshawa, OHL), Mark Scheifele (Kitchener, Ont./ Barrie, OHL) and Ryan Strome (Mississauga, Ont./ Niagara, OHL) helped Canada earn a bronze medal at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship in Alberta. A seventh potential returning player, Ryan Murray (White City, Sask./Everett, WHL), is unavailable due to an injury.

In total, 31 of the players named to the selection camp roster were drafted in either the 2011 or 2012 NHL Entry Drafts, including 13 first-round selections and eight second-round picks.

“On behalf of Hockey Canada, we want to congratulate the players named to the camp roster today, along with their club teams, parents and minor hockey coaches that have helped them reach this level,” said Scott Salmond, Hockey Canada’s senior director of hockey operations/national teams.

“Thanks to Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence, many of these players have already received the experience necessary to deal with high-paced international competition such as the World Juniors,” said Kevin Prendergast, Hockey Canada’s head scout of the men’s Program of Excellence. “The quality and skill of the 37 players invited to camp next week is a testament to the hard work, commitment and development of all those involved in the Canadian minor hockey and junior hockey systems.”

Prendergast travelled coast to coast during the early months of the 2012-13 season, assessing players in preparation for the selection camp.

“On behalf of the Canadian Hockey League, I would like to congratulate all players who have been named to the selection camp roster,” said David Branch, president of the CHL. “This is a tremendous honour, and all have worked extremely hard to get to where they are today."


 (Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)

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