Canadian Under-18 Summer Team Roster Announced
Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League, announced this week the 22 players who will represent Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team at the 2008 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament.
The 22-player roster was finalized on Tuesday following Hockey Canada's four-day camp at the Father David Bauer Olympic Arena in Calgary. The camp included daily practices, along with three Red-White intersquad games.
Canada's roster is made up of 13 forwards, seven defencemen and two goaltenders. Bill Peters, Canada's head coach, assembled the roster along with assistants Steve Spott and André Tourigny. Hockey Canada's head scout, Al Murray, provided support throughout the process.
"We have a roster that we feel will compete for the gold medal in Slovakia," says Peters. "It was difficult for us to pick 22 players out of the original group of 40. This was as competitive of a camp as it gets."
National Men's Summer Under-18 Team breakdown
2 goaltenders, 7 defencemen, 13 forwards
20 players from the CHL
10 players from the WHL
8 players from the OHL
2 players from the QMJHL
1 player from the BCHL
1 player from the Quebec Midget AAA Hockey League
21 players with experience in Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence
Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team will compete in the 2008 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament from August 12-16, 2008. Canada has won the tournament three of the past four years. Canada will play in Group B with Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland, a group that will be based in Piestany, Slovakia. Group A, which will play in Breclav, Czech Republic, consists of Czech Republic, Finland, Russia and the United States.
Canada's schedule for Wednesday, August 6th
Canada will face the United States in Trnava, Slovakia on August 9th and Canada's second and final exhibition game will be versus Czech Republic on August 10th in Breclav, Czech Republic. The 2008 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament begins on August 12th with Canada facing Switzerland.
There will be no TV or radio coverage of the event. Hockey Canada's official website, www.hockeycanada.ca, is the place to find complete coverage of Canada at the tournament.
2008 National Men's Under-18 Team
Goaltenders
Bryce O'Hagan, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
Nathan Lieuwen, Westside (BCHL)
Defence
Jared Cowen, Spokane (WHL)
Brayden McNabb, Kootenay (WHL)
Simon Després, Saint John (QMJHL)
Hubert Labrie, Gatineau (QMJHL)
Stefan Elliott, Saskatoon (WHL)
Ryan Ellis, Windsor (OHL)
Taylor Doherty, Kingston (OHL)
Forwards
Carter Ashton, Lethbridge (WHL)
Zack Kassian, Peterborough (OHL)
Taylor Hall, Windsor (OHL)
Garrett Mitchell, Regina (WHL)
Ryan O'Reilly, Erie (OHL)
Louis Leblanc, Lac St-Louis, QC Midget AAA
Jimmy Bubnick, Kamloops (WHL)
Brayden Schenn, Brandon (WHL)
Cody Eakin, Swift Current (WHL)
Casey Cizikas, Mississauga (OHL)
Scott Glennie, Brandon (WHL)
Evander Kane, Vancouver (WHL)
Matthew Duchene, Brampton (OHL)
