Canada names camp invites for 3 National Teams.

It is that time of year again, Team Canada is getting themselves ready for upcoming tournaments by announcing rosters for training camps.

The 2018 World Juniors will be held in December and January in Buffalo and Orchard Park, NY, USA. Canada would like to have a great showing after finishing 2nd to the US at last year’s event.

For this year, two goaltenders have been invited to train with the team. Stuart Skinner (’17 draft eligible, Lethbridge) and Carter Hart (’16 PHI, Everett) were chosen to represent the WHL.

NHL Drafted Defensemen who played in the WHL last year include Jake Bean (’16 CAR, Calgary), Kale Clague (’16 LA, Brandon), Josh Mahura (’16 ANA, Regina), and David Quenneville (’16 NYI, Medicine Hat). Cal Foote is the only player invited from the WHL who is not yet drafted (’17 eligible, Kelowna).

The forward pool is eight players deep, and includes three players not yet NHL drafted. Cody Glass (Portland), Mason Shaw (Medicine Hat) and Nolan Patrick (Brandon) all hope to have their names called over the weekend in Chicago. Already drafted picks include; Tyler Benson (’16 EDM, Vancouver), Dillon Dube (’16 CGY, Kelowna), Brett Howen (’16 TB, Moose Jaw), Tanner Kaspick (’16 STL, Brandon) Matthew Phillips (’16 CGY, Victoria) and Sam Steel (’16 ANA, Regina).

The Under 18 training camp roster was also unveiled, they will play for the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in August.

Seattle Thunderbirds goaltender Carl Stankowski was the only WHL goalie selected for training camp. Five defensemen were named and they include Calen Addison (Lethbridge), Dawson Barteux (Red Deer), Ty Smith (Spokane), Jett Woo (Moose Jaw) and Luke Zazula (Kamloops).

The forward group has six players from the WHL, Luke Barzan (Moose Jaw), Nolan Foote (Kelowna), Jackson Leppard (Prince George), Jackson Shepard (Kamloops), Riley Stotts (Swift Current) and Chase Wouters (Saskatoon).

All players in this age group are eligible for the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

Finally, the Under 17 team training camp, that plays in the U-17 World Hockey Challenge in November in Fort St. John and Dawson Creek, BC. had their selections as well.

Byron Fancy (Red Deer), Roman Basran (Kelowna), Tyler Gauthier (Prince George), Nolan Maier (Saskatoon) and Trent Miner (Vancouver) have all been invited to participate, looking to secure a spot as a goaltender on one of the teams.

Layton Ahac (SEA), Jacson Alexander (SC), Daniel Baker (MH), Mitchell Brown (TC), Bowen Byram (VAN), Kaedan Korczak (KEL), Jake Lee (SEA), Kirby Proctor (LET), Luke Reid (VIC), Rhett Rhinehart (PA), Matthew Robertson (EDM), Braden Schneider (BDN) and Jackson van de Leest (CGY) are the defensemen vying for spots out of the WHL.

Logan Barlage (SC), Kyle Bettens (BDN), Harrison Blaisdell (VAN), Connor Bouchard (TC), Ethan Browne (EVT), Carter Chorney (SPO), Dylan Cozens (LET), Kirby Dach (SAS), Jonny Hooker (BDN), Liam Keeler (EDM), Payton Krebs (KTN), Ben McCartney (BDN), Cole Muir (REG), Sasha Mutala (TC), Massimo Rizzo (KAM), Henrik Rybinski (MH), Alex Swetlikoff (SEA), Brayden Tracey (MJ), Josh Williams (MH), and Connor Zary (KAM) will be among those brought in to vie for a forward spot on one of the teams.

Congratulations and best of luck to all the WHL players and draft picks as they make their way through the camps from all of us at DUBNetwork.