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
