Blackwood Named to Team Canada National Junior Team Selection Camp Roster
Courtesy of ontariohockeyleague.com
TORONTO, Ont. – Just weeks away from the official puck drop of Canada’s opening game of the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship, Hockey Canada revealed the names of the 30 players invited to participate in Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp, being held Dec. 10-14 in Toronto.
The roster was released at a news conference on Tuesday and includes two goaltenders, 11 defencemen, and 17 forwards. Ryan Jankowski, director of player personnel for Hockey Canada, and Tim Speltz, member of the Program of Excellence management group, were responsible for all player selection, with input from coaches and general managers from across the Canadian Hockey League. Three players from the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship-winning team are included on the roster: Lawson Crouse (Mt. Brydges, Ont./Kingston, OHL), Joe Hicketts (Kamloops, B.C./Victoria, WHL), and Brayden Point (Calgary/Moose Jaw, WHL).
“We’re looking to assemble the best possible team to represent the country in Helsinki at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship. With the talent we have attending camp, it’s going to come down to some difficult decisions for us in selecting the players who make the final team,” said Scott Salmond, vice-president of hockey operations and national teams for Hockey Canada.
The selection camp, being held at the MasterCard Centre in Etobicoke, Ont., will feature two games against a team of players from Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) on Dec. 12 and 13. In total, 22 players will be selected to represent Canada at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship, Dec. 26, 2015 to Jan. 5, 2016 in Helsinki, Finland.
Canada won gold at the IIHF World Junior Championship on home ice in January. The team has not won in Europe since 2008 – the fourth of five consecutive gold medals for Canada’s National Junior Team from 2005-09.
“We have some returning players from last year’s gold medal-winning team, and a lot of international experience with the group as a whole. We’re looking forward to getting everyone together in Toronto next week and getting started,” said Jankowski, who also noted the management team remains in contact with NHL clubs regarding eligible players who may be made available to join the team before Canada finalizes its roster on Dec. 20.
Canada opens the tournament against the United States on Saturday, Dec. 26 at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT. Hockey Canada’s official broadcasters, TSN and RDS, are scheduled to broadcast all tournament games, including three pre-tournament games Dec. 19, 20, and 23; check local listings for details.
Goaltenders:
Mackenzie Blackwood (Barrie Colts)
Mason McDonald (Charlottetown Islanders)
Defencemen:
Thomas Chabot (Saint John Sea Dogs)
Jakob Chychrun (Sarnia Sting)
Travis Dermott (Erie Otters)
Vince Dunn (Niagara IceDogs)
Haydn Fleury (Red Deer Rebels)
Joe Hicketts (Victoria Royals)*
Noah Juulsen (Everett Silvertips)
Roland McKeown (Kingston Frontenacs)
Travis Sanheim (Calgary Hitmen)
Forwards:
Mathew Barzal (Seattle Thunderbirds)
Anthony Beauvillier (Shawinigan Cataractes)
Rourke Chartier (Kelowna Rockets)
Lawson Crouse (Kingston Frontenacs)*
Michael Dal Colle (Oshawa Generals)
Pierre-Luc Dubois (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles)
Julien Gauthier (Val-d’Or Foreurs)
Jayce Hawryluk (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Travis Konecny (Ottawa 67’s)
Mitchell Marner (London Knights)
Nick Merkley (Kelowna Rockets)
Brendan Perlini (Niagara IceDogs)
Brayden Point (Moose Jaw Warriors)*
John Quenneville (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Mitchell Stephens (Saginaw Spirit)
Dylan Strome (Erie Otters)
Spencer Watson (Kingston Frontenacs)
*Played for Canada at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship
CLICK HERE FOR CANADA’S NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM SELECTION CAMP ROSTER
CLICK HERE FOR CANADA’S NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM SELECTION CAMP SCHEDULE
CLICK HERE FOR THE 2016 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
