CHL continues tradition of supplying talent for Team Canada

Hockey Canada today announced the roster for the Canadian World Junior Team that will participate in the 2006 World Junior Hockey Championships. The tournament will begin Boxing Day and runs through to January 5th. This year’s event will be played in Vancouver, Kelowna & Kamloops, British Columbia.

Over the course of the history of Hockey Canada’s Program of excellence (1982-2006), the CHL has placed a total of 488 players (of 533) on Canada’s National Junior Team roster, which represents 92% of National Junior Team Alumnus. Over this time, Canada has won 11 gold medals, five silver medals as well as three bronze medals. With this being the 25th year that CHL players will be involved with the event, you can be sure that they will be looking to increase the number of gold medals to 12.

Named to this year’s squad from the Canadian Hockey League were goaltenders Justin Pogge (Calgary Hitmen) & Devan Dubnyk (Kamloops Blazers).

The defence will include Ryan Parent (Guelph Storm) and Marc Staal (Sudbury Wolves) from the Ontario Hockey League. Luc Bourdon & Kristopher Letang (Val d’Or Foreurs) are defence partners in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and are expected to be partnered in Vancouver as well. Kris Russell & Cam Barker (Medicine Hat Tigers) from the Western Hockey League are also defence partners with their respective club. Barker is the only returning member of the 2005 World Junior Champions.

Up front the Canadians will have a young squad that will look for an offensive contribution from every line. Michael Blunden (Erie Otters), David Bolland (London Knights), Dustin Boyd (Moose Jaw Warriors), Kyle Chipchura (Prince Albert Raiders), Blake Comeau (Kelowna Rockets), Steve Downie (Peterborough Petes), Guillaume Latendresse (Drummondville Voltigeurs), Ryan O’Marra (Erie Otters), Benoit Pouliot (Sudbury Wolves) & Tom Pyatt (Saginaw Spirit) are CHL forwards that have earned a spot on the club.

In addition, the Canadian Hockey League has also been successful in supplying past teams with coaches as well. Every head coach of Canada’s National Junior Team since 1977 has spent time coaching in the CHL. Over this period, 41 members of the Team Canada coaching staff are CHL Alumnus.

This year the CHL is just as involved with the team from a staff perspective with Brent Sutter of the Red Deer Rebels as the head coach. Craig Hartsburg (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds) & Clement Jodoin (Lewiston MAINEiacs) are his assistants. Dave Hunchak (Swift Current Broncos) will be the video coach. Bryan Boyes (Oshawa Generals) will be the Equipment Manager while Darcy Bishop (Spokane Chiefs) will be the Athletic Trainer and Dr. Ian Auld (Calgary Hitmen) will be the Team Physician.

The Canadian Hockey League is comprised of the Ontario Hockey League, the Quebec Major Junior League and the Western Hockey League. Forty-nine (49) of the 58 existing CHL franchises are located in Canada (A 59th expansion, in Chilliwack, BC, is set to join the CHL for the 2006-07 season). The CHL is the premier development league in the World, and has helped develop over 50% of current NHL players.

The Canadian Hockey League assists Hockey Canada in assembling Canada’s National Junior Team, as well as presenting the World Junior Championship, when it is held in Canada. League commissioners David Branch (OHL), Gilles Courteau (QMJHL) and Ron Robison (WHL) are members of the National Junior Team Policy Committee and Branch was also a member of the 2006 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship Site Selection Committee.

The Canadian Hockey League is the leading supplier of talent to Hockey Canada for both the Canadian National Junior Team as well as the Under 18 Team. 52% of all NHL players drafted come from the CHL and the CHL is also the leading supplier of talent to the CIS.