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WHL Edmonton Oil Kings

Four Oil Kings Named to Canada's National Junior Team

December 12, 2021 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Edmonton Oil Kings News Release


Edmonton, AB - Edmonton Oil Kings forwards Jake Neighbours and Dylan Guenther, along with defenceman Kaiden Guhle will join goaltender Sebastian Cossa on Team Canada's roster for the 2022 World Junior Championship.

The announcement comes after Hockey Canada unveiled its 25-man roster for the tournament following a four-day selection camp in Calgary that included a pair of games against a team of U SPORTS all-stars.

Canada's National Junior Team will now head to Banff for a training camp at the Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre from December 14-19. They will then travel to Red Deer for a pair of pre-tournament games on December 19 and 20 against Switzerland and Sweden, respectively, before moving to Edmonton for its final pre-tournament match-up on December 22 against Russia.

The 2022 World Junior Championship begins on December 26 in Edmonton and Red Deer.

Neighbours, an Airdrie, AB product, is in his fourth season with the Oil Kings and has appeared in 151 career games, racking up 149 points (48G, 101A), 97 penalty minutes and a +55 plus/minus rating.

The 6-foot, 197-pound left-winger began this season with the NHL's St. Louis Blues, appearing in nine games and scoring two points (1G, 1A) before being assigned back to the Oil Kings on November 10.

Since rejoining the Oil Kings, he has put up 18 points (5G, 13A), 10 penalty minutes and a +8 plus/minus rating in 10 games, while also being named the team's 14th captain in modern franchise history. His 1.80 points per game this season leads all WHL players.

Neighbours has represented Canada multiple times. First, at the 2018 World Under-17 Challenge as he captained Team Canada White in the tournament. He then served as an alternate captain at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup where he won a silver medal.

Neighbours was selected in the first-round, 26th overall, of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Blues.

Guenther, an Edmonton, AB native, is in his third season with the Oil Kings and has played 103 career games, scoring 119 points (57G, 62A), 42 penalty minutes and a +58 plus/minus rating.

This past summer he was selected in the first-round, ninth overall, by the Arizona Coyotes at the 2021 NHL Draft.

Through 25 games played this year, he currently ranks ninth in points (32) and fourth in goals (16) in the WHL.

Last season he was named the WHL's Central Division Player of the Year and Most Sportsmanlike Player after putting up 24 points (12G, 12A) in just 12 games during the pandemic shortened season. Following his rookie season in 2019-20, he was named the WHL's Rookie of the Year, becoming the first Oil Kings player in franchise history to capture the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy after setting franchise records for both points (59) and goals (26) by a rookie.

The 6-foot-1, 181-pound centermen has represented Canada on two previous occasions. He played for Team Canada White at the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and then helped Canada capture gold at the 2021 World Under-18 Hockey Championship for the first time since 2013 after putting up seven points (4G, 3A) in seven games while also serving as an alternate captain.

Guhle, a Sherwood Park, AB product was acquired by the Oil Kings on December 1 in a trade with the Prince Albert Raiders. In three games played with the Oil Kings this year, he has three points (1G, 2A), two penalty minutes and a +1 plus/minus rating.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound defenceman has appeared in 159 career WHL games registering 78 points (18G, 60A), 130 penalty minutes and a +43 plus/minus rating. In 2019 he became a WHL champion helping the Prince Albert Raiders capture the Ed Chynoweth Cup.

This will be his fourth time dawning the Maple Leaf after representing Canada at the 2021 World Junior Championship, the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and serving as captain for Team Canada Red at the 2018 World Under-17 Challenge.

Guhle was selected in the first-round, 16th overall, by the Montreal Canadiens at the 2020 NHL Draft.

Cossa, a Fort McMurray, AB native, is in his third season with the Oil Kings and has posted a career record of 53-10-4-3 with a 2.07 goals-against average, .927 save percentage and 10 shutouts.

This past summer, he was drafted in the first-round, 15th overall, by the Detroit Red Wings at the 2021 NHL Draft.

This season, he has started all but seven games for the Oil Kings, registering a 15-3-2-1 record with a 2.26 goals-against average, .924 save percentage and two shutouts.

Last season, he was named the WHL's Central Division Goaltender of the Year after posting a near perfect record of 17-1-0-1 with a 1.57 goals-against average, .941 save percentage and four shutouts.

The 6-foot-6, 215-pound goaltender represented Canada on one prior occasion, playing for Team Canada White at the 2018 World Under-17 Challenge.

The four Oil Kings become the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh players in modern franchise history to play for Team Canada at the World Junior Championship, joining Mark Pysyk (2011), Griffin Reinhart (2012, 2013) and Curtis Lazar (2013).

The 2022 World Junior Championship begins in Edmonton and Red Deer on December 26.

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