Nine WHL players named to Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp
Calgary, Alta.- A trio of Moose Jaw Warriors stars highlight the WHL contingent heading to Ontario to battle for a roster spot on Team Canada ahead of the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship.
The nine WHLers will take part in Canada’s National Junior Team Selection camp from Dec. 10-13 in Oakville, Ont.
WHL Selection Camp Invitees
Goal:
Scott Ratzlaff (Seattle Thunderbirds/Buffalo Sabres)
Defence:
Denton Mateychuk (Moose Jaw Warriors/Columbus Blue Jackets)
Tanner Molendyk (Saskatoon Blades/Nashville Predators)
Forwards:
Nate Danielson (Brandon Wheat Kings/Detroit Red Wings)
Jagger Firkus (Moose Jaw Warriors/Seattle Kraken)
Conor Geekie (Wenatchee Wild/Arizona Coyotes)
Fraser Minten (Saskatoon Blades/Toronto Maple Leafs)
Matthew Savoie (Wenatchee Wild/Buffalo Sabres)
Brayden Yager (Moose Jaw Warriors/Pittsburgh Penguins)
“It’s a dream of mine to play in the World Juniors, so to get named to the camp is pretty special,” Wheat Kings Captain and Detroit Red Wings prospect Nate Danielson said. “It’s definitely a tradition for me and my family and it’s exciting to maybe be a part of it.”
Jagger Firkus (24 goals, 25 assists) and reigning WHL Player of the Week Conor Geekie (20 goals, 29 assists) are tied for fourth in the CHL scoring race with 49 points each.
“This will be Geeks’ (Geekie) and I’s first camp, so to go with him will be pretty special,” Buffalo Sabres prospect Matthew Savoie said. “Be good to see some of the guys I’ve played with previously and played against.”
The 30 invited players, four goaltenders, 10 defencemen and 16 forwards, will battle for the chance to rep the maple leaf at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, which runs from Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Kamloops Blazers Head Coach Shaun Clouston will serve as an Assistant Coach at the tournament.
The Vikings, Alta. product won two goal medals behind the bench with Canada’s National Men’s Summer U18 Team at the 2014 and 2015 editions of the Ivan Hlinka tournament, as well as a bronze with Canada’s National Men’s U18 team at the 2016 IIHF U18 World Championship.
The selection camp includes a pair of games against a squad of U SPORTS all-stars on Dec. 12 and 13. Game livestreams will be available at HockeyCanada.ca.
Canada’s National Junior Team will head to Malmo, Sweden on December 14 before opening its pre-tournament schedule with a match against a Danish U25 team on Dec. 19, Switzerland on Dec. 22 and the United States on Dec. 23.
Canada kicks off its IIHF World Junior Championship title defense on Boxing Day against Finland.
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