Bitten to Represent Canada at IIHF U-18 World Championship
Published on April 16, 2016 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release
Flint Firebirds Forward Will Bitten
(Flint Firebirds, Credit: Rena Laverty)
CALGARY, Alta. - Flint Firebirds' Will Bitten is among the 18 players that Hockey Canada announced to suit up for Canada's National Men's Under-18 Team at the 2016 IIHF U18 World Championship, April 14-24 in Grand Forks, N.D.
This is the fourth time Bitten will represent Canada on the international stage. He was among the 20 Ontario Hockey League players that represented the OHL in the CHL Canada Russia Series in Windsor on Nov. 16. Prior to that, Bitten won a Gold Medal with Canada at the 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup, Aug. 10-15 in Breclav, Czech Republic, and Bratislava, Slovakia. He was also a member of Team Canada Red at the 2014 World U-17 Challenge where he had five points (2G, 3A) in five games.
Bitten led the Firebirds this past season with 30 goals and 35 assists, totaling 65 points in 67 games played this season and has earned multi-point nights 16 times. Bitten also competed in 2016 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Vancouver, BC on Thursday Jan. 28.
Bitten is ranked #43 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting in their Final Rankings for the 2016 NHL Draft which takes place June 24-25 in Buffalo, New York.
TSN will broadcast all of Canada's games and the NHL Network will carry USA's games.
The 1998- and 1999-born players were selected by Hockey Canada's director of player personnel, Ryan Jankowski who built the roster with support from head coach Shaun Clouston (Viking, Alta./Medicine Hat, WHL), and assistant coaches Serge Lajoie (St. Albert, Alta./University of Alberta, CWUAA) and Jarrod Skalde (Niagara Falls, Ont./Guelph, OHL), along with national team alumnus Ryan Smyth, who is part of Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence management group.
"Following our pre-competition camp and pre-tournament schedule, we feel we have built a team that is well-prepared as we move forward throughout the tournament and as we look to bring home a gold medal," said Jankowski.
Canada opens the 2016 IIHF U18 World Championship tonight, April 15 against Denmark; it will also play the Czech Republic, Finland, and Slovakia in preliminary-round action. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast 12 games, including all Team Canada match-ups.
Canada has won seven medals at the IIHF U18 World Championship, including three gold medals (2003, 2008 and 2013).
CHL talent on Canada's National Men's Under-18 Team roster for the 2016 IIHF U18 World Championship includes two goaltenders, five defencemen and eight forwards.
Goaltenders:
Evan Fitzpatrick (Sherbrooke Phoenix)
Stuart Skinner (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
Defencemen:
Jakob Chychrun (Sarnia Sting)
Nicolas Hague (Mississauga Steelheads)
Markus Phillips (Owen Sound Attack)
David Quenneville (Medicine Hat Tigers)
Logan Stanley (Windsor Spitfires)
Forwards:
Will Bitten (Flint Firebirds)
Maxime Comtois (Victoriaville Tigres)
Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)
Pascal Laberge (Victoriaville Tigres)
Beck Malenstyn (Calgary Hitmen)
Michael McLeod (Mississauga Steelheads)
Mason Shaw (Medicine Hat Tigers)
Owen Tippett (Mississauga Steelheads)
Images from this story
 Flint Firebirds Forward Will Bitten (Rena Laverty) |
Ontario Hockey League Stories from April 16, 2016
- Rangers Name Winners at 2015-16 Awards Ceremony - Kitchener Rangers
- Bitten to Represent Canada at IIHF U-18 World Championship - Flint Firebirds
- OHL Announces Western Conference Championship Series Schedule - OHL
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