Six WHL Players Named to Canada's National Junior Team
December 13, 2012 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release
CALGARY, Alta. - Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), announced Thursday the 23 players that will make up Canada's National Junior Team at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia.
Among the 23 players named to Canada's National Junior Team six players are from the Western Hockey League including; JC Lipon (Kamloops Blazers), Ty Rattie (Portland Winterhawks), Griffin Reinhart (Edmonton Oil Kings), Morgan Rielly (Moose Jaw Warriors), Tyler Wotherspoon (Portland Winterhawks) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, a product of the Red Deer Rebels, on loan to Canada's National Junior Team from the AHL's Oklahoma City Barons.
The announcement comes at the conclusion of Canada's National Junior Team selection camp, which ran from Dec. 10-13 at the Markin MacPhail Centre in Calgary. A total of 36 players attended camp.
Six members of this year's roster - 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 the bronze medal at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship in Alberta.
"On behalf of Hockey Canada, I want to congratulate the players named to the final 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. "Canada is lucky to have many great young players, and these players should be very proud of their achievement today."
Canada's National Junior Team will depart for Europe on Dec. 15 and play in two pre-competition games in Helsinki, Finland prior to the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship.
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.
Western Hockey League Stories from December 13, 2012
- Rielly Cracks Canada Roster - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Six WHL Players Named to Canada's National Junior Team - WHL
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