16 WHL PLAYERS INVITED TO CANADA’S JR CAMP

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), announced Monday that 41 of Canada’s top junior-aged players (born in 1992 or later) have been invited to take part in Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp, Dec. 10-14, 2011 at the WinSport Canada Athletic & Ice Complex in Calgary.

Among the 41 players invited, 16 are currently playing in the Western Hockey League, including the Moose Jaw Warriors’ Quinton Howden who helped Canada earn a Silver Medal at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo, NY.  Other notables include the WHL’s current leading scorer Mark Stone (Brandon Wheat Kings), Montreal Canadiens top prospect Brendan Gallagher (Vancouver Giants), first round 2011 NHL Draft picks Mark McNeill (Prince Albert Raiders) and Joseph Morrow (Portland Winterhawks), along with top rated WHL prospects heading into the 2012 NHL Draft Ryan Murray (Everett Silvertips) and Matt Dumba (Red Deer Rebels). 

WHL Players invited to Team Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp

Name	P	S/C	Ht.	Wt.	Born	Hometown	Club Team	Pro Status
Tyler Bunz	G	L/G	6’1”	206	02/11/92	St. Albert, AB	Medicine Hat (WHL)	EDM ’10 (5, 121)
Mathew Dumba	D	R/D	6’0”	172	07/25/94	Calgary, AB	Red Deer (WHL)	2012 Dft/Rep.
Brenden Kichton	D	R/D	5’11”	185	06/18/92	Spruce Grove, AB	Spokane (WHL)	NYI ’11 (5, 127)
Joseph Morrow	D	L/G	6’0”	198	12/09/92	Sherwood Park, AB	Portland (WHL)	PIT ’11 (1, 23)
Ryan Murray	D	L/G	6’0”	201	09/27/93	White City, SK	Everett (WHL)	2012 Dft/Rep.
Alex Petrovic	D	R/D	6’3.5”	202	03/03/92	Edmonton, AB	Red Deer (WHL)	FLA ’10 (2, 36)
Mark Pysyk	D	R/D	6’1.5”	187	01/11/92	Sherwood Park, AB	Edmonton (WHL)	BUF ’10 (1, 23)
Brett Bulmer	F/A	L/G	6’3”	193	04/26/92	Prince George, BC	Kelowna (WHL)	MIN ’10 (2, 39)
Michael Ferland	F/A	L/G	6’0.5”	210	04/20/92	Swan River, MB	Brandon (WHL)	CGY ’10 (5, 133)
Brendan Gallagher	F/A	R/D	5’8”	178	06/05/92	Tsawwassen, BC	Vancouver (WHL)	MTL ’10 (5, 147)
*Quinton Howden	F/A	L/G	6’1.5”	187	01/21/92	Oak Bank, MB	Moose Jaw (WHL)	FLA ’10 (1, 25)
Mark McNeill	F/A	R/D	6’1.5”	211	02/22/93	Edmonton, AB	Prince Albert (WHL)	CHI ’11 (1, 18)
Max Reinhart	F/A	L/G	6’0.5”	180	02/04/92	West Vancouver, BC	Kootenay (WHL)	CGY ’10 (3, 64)
Ty Rattie	F/A	R/D	5’11”	169	02/05/93	Airdrie, AB	Portland (WHL)	STL ’11 (2, 32)
Brad Ross	F/A	L/G	5’11”	174	05/28/92	Lethbridge, AB	Portland (WHL)	TOR ’10 (2, 43)
Mark Stone	F/A	R/D	6’2.5”	206	05/13/92	Winnipeg, MB	Brandon (WHL)	OTT ’10 (6, 178)

Visit http://hockeycanada.ca/ for FULL roster details.

Thirty-six of the players named to the selection camp roster were drafted in either the 2009 or 2010 NHL Entry Drafts, including fourteen first-round selections and nine second-round picks.

Hockey Canada can still add additional players prior to the opening of the selection camp on Dec. 10, in the event that NHL teams loan Canada’s National Junior Team junior-aged eligible players currently playing in the NHL.

“On behalf of Hockey Canada, we want to congratulate the players named to the camp roster today, along with their club teams, parents and minor hockey coaches that have helped them reach this level,” said Brad Pascall, Hockey Canada’s vice president of hockey operations/national teams. “As well, we would like to thank the Canadian Hockey League for its partnership and support of the Program of Excellence.”

“Thanks to Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence, many of these players have already received the experience necessary to deal with high-paced international competition such as the World Juniors,” said Kevin Prendergast, Hockey Canada’s head scout of the men’s Program of Excellence. “The quality and skill of the 41 players invited to camp next week is a testament to the hard work, commitment and development of all those involved in the Canadian minor hockey and junior hockey systems.”

Prendergast travelled coast to coast during the early months of the 2011-12 season, assessing players in preparation for the selection camp.

“On behalf of the Canadian Hockey League, I would like to congratulate all players who have been named to the selection camp roster,” said David Branch, president of the CHL. “This is a tremendous honour, and all have worked extremely hard to get to where they are today.”

SELECTION CAMP INFORMATION

There will be two Red-White intrasquad games (Dec. 11-12) and one game against a team of all-stars from Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS). The CIS team will be comprised of players from the University of Calgary and University of Lethbridge. Tickets for all three games can be purchased at Calgary Sport Chek locations or online at www.HockeyCanada.ca. Practices will be open to the public.

Media will require accreditation for games and to access the interview area after practices. Please send your media accreditation requests for Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp to [email protected].

Once the final roster is named at the conclusion of the selection camp on Dec. 14, Canada’s National Junior Team will play in three pre-competition games in Alberta prior to the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, Dec. 26, 2011 to Jan. 5, 2012 in Calgary and Edmonton.

Canada will play its first game of the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship on Boxing Day, Dec. 26 against Finland, a game that will be broadcast LIVE by TSN/RDS and on The FAN Radio Network (check local listings). While the event is officially sold out, tickets are available through a ticket exchange program at www.HockeyCanada.ca/2012juniors. 

Canada has medalled at thirteen consecutive IIHF World Junior Championships, including gold medal performances in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, silver medals in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2010 and 2011 and bronze medals in 2000 and 2001.

For more information on the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, please visit www.HockeyCanada.ca/2012juniors, or follow along via social media at www.facebook.com/worldjuniors and www.twitter.com/hc_wjc.