Purple_Monkey_Dishwasher
12-03-2008, 11:43 AM
www.wheatkings.com
Ottawa, Ontario -- Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League have unveiled the list of 38 players that will be invited to attend this year's National Junior Selection Camp in Ottawa and the Western Hockey League's Brandon Wheat Kings will be well represented.
Of the players invited, four won gold medals at last year's World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic and three of them are current members of the Wheat Kings.
19-year old Brandon captain Keith Aulie of Rouleau, Saskatchewan will be joined by 17-year old Saskatoon product Brayden Schenn and 19-year old Matt Calvert of Brandon.
Schenn, Calvert and Aulie represent three of 18 Western Leaguers named to this year's Training Camp roster. Of those, three are from Manitoba. Joining Calvert is Winnipeg goalkeeper Chet Pickard of the Tri-City Americans and Moose Jaw Warriors' defenceman Travis Hamonic of St. Malo.
Entering Friday's game in Swift Current, Schenn sits second in team scoring with fourteen goals and 31 points in 28 games, Aulie leads all Wheat King defencemen in scoring with a goal and 15 points while Calvert has nine goals and 24 points in 24 games.
Last year's gold medal winners include Zach Boychuk of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Seattle's Thomas Hickey, PK Subban of Belleville and Oshawa's John Tavares.
Hockey Canada may add additional players prior to the opening of the selection camp on December 11th, in the event that any National Hockey League teams loan the Team junior-aged players currently playing in the NHL.
On behalf of Hockey Canada, I would like to congratulate the players named today, along with their club teams, their parents and all of the minor hockey coaches and officials who helped them along the way, said Brad Pascall, Hockey Canada's senior director of the men's National teams. I would also like to make special note of the great partnership that Hockey Canada has with the Canadian Hockey League, which is essential to the success of the Program of Excellence.
While the Wheat Kings lead all WHL teams with three invites, four teams - the Regina Pats, Spokane Chiefs, Vancouver Giants and Kelowna Rockets - had two players chosen. Representing Regina will be defenceman Colton Teubert and forward Jordan Eberle, defenceman Tyler Myers and forward Jamie Benn of the Rockets were selected, the Giants will send goalkeeper Tyson Sexsmith and forward Evander Kane while Spokane will be represented by defenceman Jared Spurgeon and goalkeeper Dustin Tokarski.
Rounding out the list of Western Leaguers named to the team are Dana Tyrell of Prince George, Calgary's Brett Sonne, Tyler Ennis of the Medicine Hat Tigers and Thomas Hickey of the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Eleven of the remaining players invited are from the Ontario Hockey League, five were chosen from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and four are from the U.S. College ranks.
Aulie is one of seven players that are currently serving as captains of their respective teams. Thirteen of the 31 NHL drafted players were first round picks, while eight were chosen in the second round. The NHL's St. Louis Blues have the most drafted players with three, while Buffalo, Columbus, Edmonton, the Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning will have two prospects at camp.
Canada will play its first game of the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship on Boxing Day, December 26th vs. Czech Republic.
Canada has medaled in ten straight World Junior Championships, including gold medal performances in 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005.
Congrats guys
Ottawa, Ontario -- Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League have unveiled the list of 38 players that will be invited to attend this year's National Junior Selection Camp in Ottawa and the Western Hockey League's Brandon Wheat Kings will be well represented.
Of the players invited, four won gold medals at last year's World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic and three of them are current members of the Wheat Kings.
19-year old Brandon captain Keith Aulie of Rouleau, Saskatchewan will be joined by 17-year old Saskatoon product Brayden Schenn and 19-year old Matt Calvert of Brandon.
Schenn, Calvert and Aulie represent three of 18 Western Leaguers named to this year's Training Camp roster. Of those, three are from Manitoba. Joining Calvert is Winnipeg goalkeeper Chet Pickard of the Tri-City Americans and Moose Jaw Warriors' defenceman Travis Hamonic of St. Malo.
Entering Friday's game in Swift Current, Schenn sits second in team scoring with fourteen goals and 31 points in 28 games, Aulie leads all Wheat King defencemen in scoring with a goal and 15 points while Calvert has nine goals and 24 points in 24 games.
Last year's gold medal winners include Zach Boychuk of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Seattle's Thomas Hickey, PK Subban of Belleville and Oshawa's John Tavares.
Hockey Canada may add additional players prior to the opening of the selection camp on December 11th, in the event that any National Hockey League teams loan the Team junior-aged players currently playing in the NHL.
On behalf of Hockey Canada, I would like to congratulate the players named today, along with their club teams, their parents and all of the minor hockey coaches and officials who helped them along the way, said Brad Pascall, Hockey Canada's senior director of the men's National teams. I would also like to make special note of the great partnership that Hockey Canada has with the Canadian Hockey League, which is essential to the success of the Program of Excellence.
While the Wheat Kings lead all WHL teams with three invites, four teams - the Regina Pats, Spokane Chiefs, Vancouver Giants and Kelowna Rockets - had two players chosen. Representing Regina will be defenceman Colton Teubert and forward Jordan Eberle, defenceman Tyler Myers and forward Jamie Benn of the Rockets were selected, the Giants will send goalkeeper Tyson Sexsmith and forward Evander Kane while Spokane will be represented by defenceman Jared Spurgeon and goalkeeper Dustin Tokarski.
Rounding out the list of Western Leaguers named to the team are Dana Tyrell of Prince George, Calgary's Brett Sonne, Tyler Ennis of the Medicine Hat Tigers and Thomas Hickey of the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Eleven of the remaining players invited are from the Ontario Hockey League, five were chosen from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and four are from the U.S. College ranks.
Aulie is one of seven players that are currently serving as captains of their respective teams. Thirteen of the 31 NHL drafted players were first round picks, while eight were chosen in the second round. The NHL's St. Louis Blues have the most drafted players with three, while Buffalo, Columbus, Edmonton, the Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning will have two prospects at camp.
Canada will play its first game of the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship on Boxing Day, December 26th vs. Czech Republic.
Canada has medaled in ten straight World Junior Championships, including gold medal performances in 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005.
Congrats guys