The Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League are proud to announce that defenseman Adam Pelech (Pell-eck) is one of 28 players who will represent Team Canada at the 2012 Canada-Russia Challenge in August.

A native of Toronto, Pelech rebounded after an early-season injury and was a steady influence on the blue line, collecting 20 points in 44 games. He was the first player in OHL history to receive the Ivan Tennant and Bobby Smith Awards for academic excellence in April.

At the Otters Annual Awards Banquet in April, Pelech took home Player of the Year and Defenseman of the Year honors, joining Chris Campoli as the only defensemen to be named as Otters Player of the Year.

Pelech has had considerable experience at the international level, winning gold medals with Canada and Team Ontario at the 2011 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka and the 2011 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, respectively.

He also helped Canada win a bronze medal at the World Under-18 Championships in the Czech Republic, the country’s first medal at the event since 2008. Pelech served as an assistant captain and was named by opposing coaches as one of Canada’s top three players at the tournament.

The 2012 Canada-Russia Challenge is a collaboration between Hockey Canada, the Canadian Hockey League, Halifax Mooseheads and Halifax Trade Centre Limited, which will see Canada and Russia’s national junior programs face off in four games, two in Russia and two in Canada, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series. The series begins August 9 in Russia and concludes August 14 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Canada’s roster, comprised of three goaltenders, 10 defensemen and 15 forwards, was selected by Kevin Prendergast, head scout of the men’s Program of Excellence for Hockey Canada, along with Hockey Canada senior director of hockey operations and national teams Scott Salmond, and the team’s coaching staff, comprised of head coach Steve Spott, Mario Duhamel, Don Nachbaur and André Tourigny.

- From Erie Otters news release

The Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League are proud to announce that forward Stephen Harper is one of 40 players invited by Hockey Canada to attend Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team selection camp, August 3-6 at the MasterCard Centre in Toronto, Ont.

Harper last played on the international stage at the 2012 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Windsor, Ont., where he won a bronze medal with Team Ontario. Harper scored two goals in five games during the tournament.

In his first OHL season with the Otters, Harper collected 24 goals and 11 assists, sharing team Rookie of the Year honors with Connor Brown. Harper’s 24 goals were the most among 1995-born players in the OHL last season.

The roster includes four goaltenders, 12 defensemen and 24 forwards. The players, born in 1995 and 1996, were selected by Hockey Canada head scout Kevin Prendergast, in consultation with head coach Todd Gill and assistant coaches Yanick Jean and Scott Walker.

“These players are the cream of the crop of under-18 talent in Canada, and it’s going to be exciting to see them battle for 22 roster spots,” Prendergast said. “As it is every year, there were some tough decisions to get down to 40, and they’ll be even tougher decisions to make to finalize the roster.”

The camp roster includes 17 players from the Ontario Hockey League, 13 from the Western Hockey League and 10 from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Of the 40 players who have been invited to the selection camp, 22 will be selected for Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team, which will play in the 2012 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament, scheduled for August 13-18 in Piestany, Slovakia and Breclav, Czech Republic.

Otters defenseman Adam Pelech won a gold medal with Team Canada at last year’s Memorial of Ivan Hlinka.

Also participating in the selection camp is Otters equipment manager Mike Hildenbrand, who is set to begin his third season with the Otters after stints with the Windsor Spitfires and ECHL’s Victoria Salmon Kings.

- From Erie Otters news release

TORONTO – Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced Wednesday the 22 players who will comprise Canada’s National Junior Team at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo, N.Y. from Dec. 26-Jan. 5.

Hockey Canada’s senior director of hockey operations and national teams, Scott Salmond, head scout Kevin Prendergast, head coach Dave Cameron (Mississauga, OHL) and the coaching staff named the final roster at the conclusion of a four-day selection camp, which included two Red-White intrasquad games and a 6-2 win over a CIS all-star team on Tuesday night in Toronto.

Four of the players named on Wednesday are returning players – Jared Cowen (Allan, Sask./Spokane, WHL), Calvin de Haan (Carp, Ont./Oshawa, OHL), Ryan Ellis (Freelton, Ont./Windsor, OHL) and Brayden Schenn (Saskatoon, Sask./Brandon, WHL), helped Canada earn the silver medal at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship in Regina and Saskatoon, Sask.

Ellis also won a gold medal with Canada at the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa, Ontario, and will become only the seventh player all-time to represent Canada at three IIHF World Junior Championships (Jason Botterill, Jay Bouwmeester, Eric  Lindros, Trevor Kidd, Martin Lapointe, Jason Spezza).

CHL Players:

Goaltenders:

Olivier Roy, Acadie-Bathurst Titan

Mark Visentin, Niagara IceDogs

Defencemen:

Tyson Barrie, Kelowna Rockets

Jared Cowen, Spokane Chiefs

Simon Desprès, Saint John Sea Dogs

Calvin de Haan, Oshawa Generals

Ryan Ellis, Windsor Spitfires

Erik Gudbranson, Kingston Frontenacs

Forwards:

Carter Ashton, Regina Pats

Casey Cizikas, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors

Brett Connolly, Prince George Cougars

Sean Couturier, Drummondville Voltigeurs

Cody Eakin, Swift Current Broncos

Marcus Foligno, Sudbury Wolves

Curtis Hamilton, Saskatoon Blades

Quinton Howden, Moose Jaw Warriors

Ryan Johansen, Portland Winterhawks

Zack Kassian, Windsor Spitfires

Louis Leblanc, Montreal Juniors

Brayden Schenn, Brandon Wheat Kings

Canada’s National Junior Team will remain in Toronto until Friday, when it will move its home base to Niagara Falls, Ont. All of Canada’s on-ice sessions at the Gale Centre are open to the public free of charge.

Canada’s National Junior Team will play in three pre-competition games in southern Ontario prior to the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship, including games against Switzerland (Dec. 20 in Oshawa), Sweden (Dec. 21 in Toronto) and Finland (Dec. 23 in Kitchener). While the games in Oshawa and Kitchener are sold out, there are still tickets available for the game in Toronto on December 21.

Canada will play its first game of the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship on Boxing Day, December 26 in Buffalo versus Russia, a game that will be broadcast LIVE by TSN/RDS and on The FAN Radio Network (check local listings). Canada has medaled at twelve straight IIHF World Junior Championships, including gold medal performances in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, silver medals in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2010 and bronze medals in 2000 and 2001.

- From CHL news release

Toronto – The Canadian Hockey League in association with the Ontario Hockey League, London Knights and Sudbury Wolves announced on Thursday the rosters for Team OHL that will compete against Team Russia in the 2010 SUBWAY® Super Series.

Following two games hosted in the QMJHL, the OHL leg of the six-game series begins in London on Nov. 11 at the John Labatt Centre before moving north to the Sudbury Community Arena on Nov. 15.  Erie Otters captain Greg McKegg will play in the Nov. 15 game.

The series then shifts west for two games hosted in the WHL.

“The SUBWAY® Super Series provides these players with a tremendous opportunity to demonstrate that they can compete amongst the best players eligible for the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship,” said Dave Cameron of the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors, who will serve as head voach of both Team OHL and Team Canada.  “The OHL has had a lot of success against the Russians in this event and I am confident that we have assembled another strong group of players in all positions that will make us competitive in these games, and with players who will make a strong push to represent the OHL on Team Canada in Buffalo this December.”

A total of 36 players in total were selected for Team OHL rosters, including 2010 Team Canada members Calvin de Haan of the Oshawa Generals and Ryan Ellis of the Windsor Spitfires who won silver last year at the IIHF World Junior Championship.

The rosters are also highlighted by three first round picks in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, including Erik Gudbranson of the Kingston Frontenacs, Joey Hishon of the Owen Sound Attack and Mark Visentin of the Niagara IceDogs.

In addition to de Haan and Ellis, 2009 first-round picks Peter Holland of the Guelph Storm and Zack Kassian of the Spitfires will compete in the series.  London’s Scott Harrington is one of seven players competing that are eligible for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.  He will represent the host Knights in London alongside forward Michael MacDonald, while Wolves forwards Marcus Foligno and John McFarland will represent the host team in Sudbury.

The Team OHL rosters were assembled by a selection committee that includes Brampton Battalion general manager and coach Stan Butler and London general manager Mark Hunter.  They worked in conjunction with Hockey Canada head scout Kevin Prendergast.

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