Canada’s Under-18 team tabs Wolski
BRAMPTON, Ont. Battalion left winger Wojtek Wolski is one of 22 players on the Canadian roster for the Under-18 Junior World Cup in the Czech Republic from Aug. 11-18, Hockey Canada announced Thursday.
“It’s exciting to finally make the team,” Wolski said from Calgary as players prepared to leave Thursday evening for the Czech Republic.
“I don’t think I’ve played up to my full potential yet. I think I’ve been just coming out of a summer funk. I played okay in my last scrimmage. I picked up two assists and carried the puck more than I had in the other games. I think things will only get better from here.”
Wolski, who led Battalion rookies in scoring last season with 57 points, was one of 40 players at the week-long selection camp at Calgary. The Mississauga resident, who earned a bronze medal with the Team Ontario Under-17 squad at the Canada Winter Games last February, is one of five Ontario Hockey League players named to Canada’s roster for the eight-team tournament.
“There were a lot of good players here,” said Wolski, who will skate alongside a pair of Quebec Major Junior Hockey League players, 16-year-old phenom Sidney Crosby of the Rimouski Oceanic and Alex Bourret of the Lewiston Maineiacs.
“The coaches picked the 22 players that they thought would make the best team and, at this point, there are three or four good lines. We have a lot of talent here.”
Wolski is the fourth Battalion player to be named to the summer Under-18 team. In 1999, head coach Stan Butler of the Troops guided a Canadian team featuring Brampton defencemen Jay Harrison and Tyler Hanchuck to a gold medal in the Czech Republic. Centre Jay McClement captured gold in Slovakia in 2000.
“I’m very happy to keep the Battalion presence going at this tournament,” said Wolski, who will be joined overseas by his parents as well as some relatives from Poland. “We always want to produce good players, and Stan is always producing players and trying to get them opportunities like this.”
