Two Saskatchewan born players make Canada’s World Junior selection camp roster

Unlike last year’s tournament, which was held in Toronto and Montreal on NHL-sized ice, the 2016 event takes place in Helsinki, Finland on international-sized ice. Team Canada’s selection camp begins on December 10, and final rosters will be announced shortly thereafter.

The Leafs will be well represented on Team Canada this year.

Two Saskatchewan players will have a chance at wearing the red and white for the Canadian National Junior team over the holidays. “It just so happens that some of those guys this year are in the 5’11”-6’0″ range”. “That doesn’t mean we’re looking for a smaller team and it doesn’t mean we’re looking for a bigger team”. That’s one thing we like about the group is that they compete. “My conversation with Mike Babcock after Sochi was, ‘You can ask guys to work hard, you can teach guys to block shots”.

One player who fits the mould of exactly what Jankowski is talking about is Ottawa 67’s captain Travis Konecny.

Crouse, who has nine goals and 11 assists in 18 games with the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs this season, was pleased to be returning to Canada and assuming more of a leadership role.

“Players are going to conform because they want to play for Canada and they’ve got the jersey on”, said Jankowski. “He’s a natural centreman but has played a lot of right wing the last few years, which makes him very versatile for us”. The Canadian born and raised blue liner is of dual citizenship, and opted in his sophomore season at Providence College to accept an invite from the US training camp over the summer; with the IIHF ruling, he now has only the option to play for the Canadian flag.

“He’s been skating with us for a while, he’s going to play this week, and he’s going to get some game experience in the exhibition games (Canada) has during the camp”, Hamilton said of Chartier, who missed 19 games. Both players were selected to the mini-camp roster and will be under the microscope next week in Toronto. The two NHL draft picks were part of the 30-man roster unveiled by Hockey Canada on Tuesday.