14 OHLers invited to final Team Canada camp

NEWS RELEASES

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE

HOCKEY CANADA

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14 OHL Players Invited to Team Canada Final Selection Camp

Thirty-five Canadian Hockey League stars have been invited to the final selection camp for Canada’s entry at the World Junior Hockey Championships, which open later this month Sweden. Fourteen of the players named to the selection camp roster currently play in the Ontario Hockey League.

The final selection camp will include 14 players from the OHL, 13 from the WHL and eight from the QMJHL. The other three players invited are playing in the NCAA. The camp opens in Calgary, Alberta on December 10.

The invitation list includes 11 returning players from the team that won gold at last year’s 2006 IIHF World Junior Championship in Vancouver. Of these 11 returnees, five are from the OHL - Steve Downie (Peterborough Petes), Ryan O’Marra (Saginaw Spirit), Ryan Parent (Guelph Storm), Tom Pyatt (Saginaw Spirit) and Marc Staal (Sudbury Wolves).

“This is an impressive group of young men that are anxious for the opportunity to represent our country,”said CHL President David Branch. “We were extremely proud of all of the CHL players who won the gold medal last year in Vancouver and we look forward to cheering them on again this year.”

The list also includes 15 first round NHL draft picks, including goaltenders Leland Irving (Everette Silvertips) and Jonathan Bernier (Lewiston Maine-iacs) along with forwards Bryan Little (Barrie Colts), Chris Stewart (Kingston Frontenacs), and Claude Giroux (Gatineau Olympiques) who were all selected in the first round of the 2006 draft last July.

Included on the list of invitees were London Knights’ forward Sam Gagner who is eligible for the upcoming NHL Entry Draft, Guelph Storm defenceman Drew Doughty who is not eligible to be drafted until 2008 as well as Oshawa Generals’ forward John Tavares who is not eligible to be drafted into the NHL until 2009.

“The quality and skill of the 38 players named today, is a testament of the hard work, commitment and development of all those involved in the Canadian minor hockey and junior hockey system,” said Jim Hammett, Head Scout, Hockey Canada. “Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence, including our Under-17 and Under-18 Programs, has provided many of these players with the preparation and experience to deal with the rigors of the upcoming World Juniors and the high paced international competition. We are looking forward to a very competitive camp next week in Calgary.”

Canada will play its first game of the 2007 World Juniors in Sweden on Boxing Day, December 26th, versus Sweden at 1:00pm ET (7:00pm local), which will be broadcast LIVE by TSN/RDS and on the FAN radio network.

Canada has medaled in eight straight World Junior Championships including: back to back gold medal performances in 2006 and 2005, silver medals in 2004, 2003, 2002, 1999 and bronze medals in 2001 and 2000.

At the 2007 IIHF World Junior Championship in Sweden, Canada will look to win a third consecutive gold medal for the first time since Canada’s string of five consecutive World Junior Championship titles (1993-1997).

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38 PLAYERS INVITED TO TEAM CANADA’S NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM SELECTION CAMP, DECEMBER 10-15TH IN CALGARY, AB

CALGARY, AB – Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), announced on Monday that 38 of Canada’s best junior-aged hockey players (born in 1987 or later) have been invited to take part in Canada’s National Junior Selection Camp from December 10-15, 2006 at the Father David Bauer Olympic Arena in Calgary, AB.

Of the 38 players invited, 11 are returning players, having won gold at last year’s 2006 IIHF World Junior Championship in Vancouver. Twenty-nine (29) of the 38 named today attended Canada’s August National Junior Team Development Camp in Calgary in August 2006.

Team Canada’s Head Scout Jim Hammett traveled coast to coast during the first part of the 2006-07 hockey season assessing, evaluating and selecting players for this December Selection Camp in Calgary. Hammett also oversaw player evaluations at Canada’s August National Junior Team Development Camp in Calgary.

“Hockey Canada would like to congratulate all the players named today that will attend our camp, as well as their club teams, the coaches, the volunteers and the parents that have helped them from minor hockey through to now and finally their parents,” said Brad Pascall, Senior Director, Men’s National Teams. “It is a difficult task each and every year to assemble this list due to the depth of such skilled Canadian players across Canada. Jim Hammett has done an excellent job of evaluating and naming these players that will compete for a spot on our team.”

SELECTION CAMP INFORMATION

Players will be released from their club teams, to Team Canada, following games on Dec. 9th. Players and staff will travel and report to camp in Calgary on Sunday, December 10th, in time for meetings and the first ice sessions on the 10th (view the December Calgary camp schedule at here ).

All practices at the Selection Camp in Calgary December 10-14, are open to the public free of charge;

December 12th and 13th - intersquad games

Team Canada vs. CIS Western Conference All-Star Team - December 14th

CAMP ROSTER: Goaltenders

Carey Price (Tri-City Americans) Jonathan Bernier (Lewiston Maineiacs) Leland Irving (Everett Silvertips) Steve Mason (London Knights)

Defence

Brendan Mikkelson (Vancouver Giants) Cody Franson (Vancouver Giants) Drew Doughty (Guelph Storm) Dustin Kohn (Brandon Wheat Kings) Karl Alzner (Calgary Hitmen) Keaton Ellerby (Kamloops Blazers) Kris Russell (Medicine Hat Tigers) Kristopher Letang (Foreurs de Val d'Or) Luc Bourdon (Moncton Wildcats) Marc Staal (Sudbury Wolves) Patrick McNeill (Saginaw Spirit) Ryan Parent (Guelph Storm)

Forwards

Andrew Cogliano (U. of Michigan Wolverines) Angelo Esposito (Quebec Remparts) Ben Maxwell (Kootenay Ice) Brad Marchand (Foreurs de Val d'Or) Bryan Little (Barrie Colts) Chris Stewart (Kingston Frontenacs) Claude Giroux (Gatineau Olympiques) Codey Burki (Brandon Wheat Kings) Cody Bass (Mississauga Ice Dogs) Dan Bertram (Boston College Eagles) Darren Helm (Medicine Hat Tigers) Devin Setoguchi (Prince George Cougars) James Neal (Plymouth Whalers) John Tavares (Oshawa Generals) Jonathan Toews (North Dakota Fighting Sioux) Kenndal McArdle (Vancouver Giants) Marc-André Cliche (Lewiston Maineiacs) Mathieu Perreault (Acadie Bathurst Titan) Ryan O'Marra (Saginaw Spirit) Sam Gagner (London Knights) Steve Downie (Peterborough Petes) Tom Pyatt (Saginaw Spirit)

Coaches

Craig Hartsburg, Head Coach (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds) Clément Jodoin, Assistant Coach (Lewiston Maineiacs) Curtis Hunt, Assistant Coach (Regina Pats) Jamie Pringle, Video Coach (Hockey Canada)

Staff

Bob Nicholson, President Johnny Misley, Vice president Brad Pascall, Dir., Men’s National Team Scott Salmond, Dir., Men’s National Team Jim Hammett, Head Scout Corey Hirsch, Goaltending Consultant Tyler Broderson, Equipment manager (Lethbridge Hurricanes) Steve Lines, Equipment manager (Hockey Canada) Dr. Brian Benson Philippe Fait, Athletic Therapist (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies) André Brin, Media Relations

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