The whirlwind that is the 2013/2014 hockey season for Kootenay ICE leading scorer and captain Sam Reinhart has doubled in intensity.

Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League announced Monday that 25 players have been invited to attend Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp, beginning Dec. 12 at the MasterCard Centre for Hockey Excellence in Etobicoke, Ont., and no surprise, the early consensus first over NHL Draft pick Reinhart is on the list.

Reinhart has 15 goals and 30 assists in 28 games this season for the ICE. He was captain of Canada’s gold medal World Under-18 Championship team earlier this year.

The announced roster includes two goaltenders, eight defensemen and 15 forwards.

Canada’s final roster for the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship in Malmö, Sweden, will include 22 players, and must be finalized by Dec. 25.

Nine of the players invited to the selection camp are from the Western Hockey League, including Sam Reinhart’s Edmonton Oil Kings’ defenseman brother Griffin, who played for Canada’s national junior team at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Also included on the list of invitees is former Red Deer Rebels defenseman Mathew Dumba, currently playing in the NHL with the Minnesota Wild but on loan for the tourney.

Sixteen-year-old Ontario Hockey League phenom Connor McDavid has been invited to camp, as has 2013 third overall draft pick (Tampa Bay) and 2013 WJC team member Jonathan Drouin.

Goaltender Jake Paterson, third stringer for the 2013 club, is returning for a second tourney, and Vancouver Canucks 2013 draft choice Bo Horvat will be bringing his leadership and skills to the camp. Prince Albert Raiders captain Josh Morrissey, a Winnipeg Jets first rounder from 2013, and currently leading blueline scorer in the WHL, has also received an invite.

“Hockey Canada is looking forward to an extremely competitive camp in December, as we look to assemble a team that will make all Canadians proud,” said Scott Salmond, Hockey Canada’s senior director of men’s national teams and hockey operations. “This is a first step towards naming our roster for the IIHF World Junior Championship. We look forward to the camp getting underway.”

“On behalf of the Canadian Hockey League, congratulations and best of luck to all of the players named to Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp,” said CHL President David Branch. “The CHL is very proud of our partnership with Hockey Canada and we look forward to watching our players and coaches represent our league at the World Junior Championship in Sweden.”

“On behalf of the Program of Excellence management group, I would like to thank Ryan Jankowski for all his work,” said Bruce Hamilton, a member of the Program of Excellence management group. “I would also like to make note of the great contributions of the other members of the management group, Sean Burke, Mark Hunter and Joel Bouchard, who have provided great insight and leadership throughout.”

“I would like to congratulate the 25 players that received an invitation today,” said Ryan Jankowski, head scout for Canada’s National Junior Team. “Canada is fortunate to have great depth of talent, and these players should be proud of this special opportunity. I would also like to thank the general managers and coaches of the Canadian Hockey League for their great support throughout this process.”

In regards to eligible players currently in the NHL, Hockey Canada will continue to communicate with NHL teams and is hopeful players may still be made available to Canada’s National Junior Team.

The 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship will be broadcast on TSN and RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcasters.  Check local listings for broadcast times in your area.

For more information on Hockey Canada, the Program of Excellence and Canada’s National Junior Team, go to www.HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media at www.facebook.com/hockeycanada, www.twitter.com/hockeycanada and www.twitter.com/hc_men.

WHL PLAYERS NAMED TO CANADA NJT SELECTION CAMP ROSTER:

Defencemen:
Mathew Dumba, Red Deer Rebels (Currently with Minnesota Wild);
 Josh Morrissey, Prince Albert Raiders;
 Derrick Pouliot, Portland Winterhawks;
 Griffin Reinhart, Edmonton Oil Kings;
 Damon Severson, Kelowna Rockets. 

Forwards:
 Curtis Lazar, Edmonton Oil Kings;
 Taylor Leier, Portland Winterhawks;
 Nicolas Petan, Portland Winterhawks; 
Sam Reinhart, Kootenay Ice;
 Hunter Shinkaruk, Medicine Hat Tigers.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW AND DOWNLOAD THE SELECTION CAMP ROSTER

Lead image: hockeycanada.ca

e-KNOW

---

Article Share

---