Rockets Sissons Named to Team Canada's WJHC Tryout Roster
December 3, 2012 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release
Kelowna Rockets captain Colton Sissons has been named to Team Canada's World Junior Team tryout camp.
Sissons is among a list of 37 of Canada's top junior-aged players (born in 1993 or later) that have been invited to take part in Canada's National Junior Team selection camp, Dec. 11-13, 2012 at the Markin MacPhail Centre at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary.
The Rockets captain is off to a great start to his third season with the Rockets, having posted a point per game with 10 goals and 17 assists for 27 points in 27 games. The 6-foot-1 native of North Vancouver and is also plus 24 on the season so far.
A second round draft pick of the Nashville Predators, Sissons will be looking to become the 12th Kelowna Rockets player to be named to Team Canada's World Junior team. In its history, the Rockets have sent 11 players to Team Canada as well as four coaches and two trainers.
"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 Scott Salmond, Hockey Canada's senior director of hockey operations/national teams.
Of the 37 players named to the tryout camp, 31 of the players were drafted in either the 2011 or 2012 NHL Entry Drafts, including 13 first-round selections and eight second-round picks.
"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 37 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."
There are six are returning players - Dougie Hamilton (Toronto, Ont./Niagara, OHL), Scott Harrington (Kingston, Ont./London, OHL), Jonathan Huberdeau (St-Jérôme, Que./Saint John, QMJHL), Boone Jenner (Dorchester, Ont./Oshawa, OHL), Mark Scheifele (Kitchener, Ont./ Barrie, OHL) and Ryan Strome (Mississauga, Ont./ Niagara, OHL) helped Canada earn a bronze medal at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship in Alberta. A seventh potential returning player, Ryan Murray (White City, Sask./Everett, WHL), is unavailable due to an injury.
The selection camp will consist of one Red-White intrasquad game (Dec. 11) and two games against teams from Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) on Dec. 12 and 13. The CIS teams will be comprised of players from the University of Calgary, University of Alberta and Mount Royal University.
Canada's National Junior Team will depart for Europe on Dec. 15, and play in two pre-competition games in Helsinki prior to the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship to be held in Ufa, Russia.
Canada will play its first game of the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship on Boxing Day, Dec. 26 against Finland, a game that will be broadcast LIVE by TSN/RDS.
Canada has medalled at 14 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, 2001 and 2012.
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