Giants’ Evander Kane to replace Dana Tyrell on Team Canada roster
ORANGEVILLE, ON – Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced on Sunday that forward Dana Tyrell (Airdrie, AB/Prince George, WHL) will be unable to participate in the upcoming 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship after suffering a knee injury in a pre-competition game on Friday, December 19 against Sweden. Forward Evander Kane (Vancouver, BC/Vancouver, WHL) has been added to Canada’s National Junior Team roster.
Tyrell, who has represented Canada on one previous occasion, at the 2007 Canada-Russia Super Series, will be returning home on December 21.
Kane, a 17 year old centreman with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, currently sits sixth among all WHL scorers netting 22 goals and 26 assists for 48 points thus far this season. He has also maintained a plus minus rating of +28, which places him fourth in the WHL in that category, and accumulated 45 PIM. In his rookie campaign last year Kane picked up 24 goals and 17 assists for 41 points and was the WHL Western Conference Rookie of the Year nominee. The Vancouver Giants made Kane there first pick at the 2006 WHL Bantam Draft selecting him 19th overall in the first round.
He also was a member of Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team at the 2008 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka in August, helping Canada win a gold medal. He will join the team in Ontario on the afternoon of December 21.
Canada will play its first game of the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship on Boxing Day, December 26, versus the Czech Republic.
TSN, TSN HD and TSN.ca, along with RDS, RDS HD and RDS.ca have live coverage of the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship, airing December 26 to January 5 from Ottawa. Twelve Pool B games are available on Rogers television stations in Ontario.
Team Canada games will also be broadcast LIVE on The FAN Radio Network (check local listings).
Canada has medaled at 10 consecutive IIHF World Junior Championships, including gold medal performances in 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005, silver medals in 2004, 2003, 2002 and 1999, and bronze medals in 2001 and 2000.
For more information on the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship, or Canada’s National Junior Team, visit Hockey Canada’s official website at www.hockeycanada.ca.