21 CHL Graduates to Represent Canada at 2017 FISU Winter Universiade
BURLINGTON, Ont. – Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and U SPORTS announced Friday the 22-man roster that will represent Canada at the upcoming FISU Winter Universiade in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
The roster includes a total of 13 forwards, 7 defencemen and two goaltenders.
“Our staff feels the training camp from December 27-30 could not have gone any better,” said Brett Gibson, Head Coach of Team Canada. “We got to evaluate the top 40 players in our league very closely and they did not disappoint.”
“We feel as though we have selected the top 22 players who fit the needs we were looking for in selecting a team to represent Canada at the FISU games; Speed, discipline and character,” continued Gibson. “I believe this is a very strong group of players who I am excited to work with in pursuit of a gold medal in early February.”
The roster features 21 CHL graduates including 12 from the OHL and nine from the QMJHL. Team Canada head coach Brett Gibson (Queen’s) is an OHL graduate of the London Knights while assistant coach Craig Duncanson (Laurentian) is a graduate of the Cornwall Royals.
Canada looks for a sixth consecutive podium finish dating back to the 2007 Winter Universiade in Turin, Italy. They last won the event in 2013 before a third place finish in 2015.
Team Canada will open their tournament on Monday, January 30 against the rival United States of America at 8:30 AM ET (7:30 PM ALMT).
CHL Graduates representing Canada at the 2017 FISU Winter Universiade:
Goaltenders:
Sebastian Auger (UQTR/Saint John Sea Dogs)
Kevin Bailie (Queen’s/London Knights)
Defencemen:
Spencer Abraham (Queen’s/Erie Otters)
Alex Basso (Ryerson/London Knights)
Charles-David Beaudoin (UQTR/Drummondville Voltigeurs)
Etienne Boutet (McGill/Gatineau Olympiques)
Nathan Chiarlitti (McGill/Owen Sound Attack)
Martin Lefebvre (UQTR/Quebec Remparts)
Michael Moffat (Waterloo/Kingston Frontenacs)
Forwards:
Guillaume Asselin (UQTR/Chicoutimi Sagueneens)
Slater Doggett (Queen’s/Windsor Spitfires)
Corey Durocher (Carleton/Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Tommy Giroux (UQTR/Blainville-Boisbriand Armada)
Olivier Hinse (Concordia/Blainville-Boisbriand Armada)
Michael McNamee (Carleton/Sherbrooke Phoenix)
Eric Ming (Queen’s/Niagara IceDogs)
Pierre-Olivier Morin (UQTR/Shawinigan Cataractes)
Brent Pedersen (Laurentian/Oshawa Generals)
Scott Simmonds (Guelph/Belleville Bulls)
Ryan Van Stralen (Carleton/Ottawa 67’s)
Brett Welychka (Carleton/Belleville Bulls)
Follow along with the 2017 FISU Winter Universiade in Almaty, Kazakhstan at USports.ca or at almaty2017.com.