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Canadian hockey juniors coming to Whistler

44 top prospects to try out for IIHF World Junior Championships

Meadow Park ice rink will be mostly closed to the public from August 10 to 15 this summer, but I doubt any hockey fans are going to mind.

Last week it was announced that Whistler will host Canada’s 2006 National Junior Development Camp in preparation for the annual International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Junior Championships. The championships take place from December 26 to January 5 in Vancouver, Kelowna and Kamloops.

This is arguably the biggest event for Meadow Park since Whistler hosted the 1996 World Cup of Hockey training camp.

"Whistler is such a great spot," said Brad Pascall, director of communications for Hockey Canada. "We used it before (in 1996) and that went really well. Stan Smyl, who runs his hockey camps in Whistler every summer is always in touch with us and telling us how great the facilities are. It’s also close to the Lower Mainland, which is important, but it’s a little bit removed as well so we can really get away from things for a few days and concentrate on hockey."

The schedule for the camps is still being worked out, but there will likely be a training session every morning, and a scrimmage in the afternoons. The public will likely be welcome to at least some of the events, if not all of the sessions. "Those are the kinds of things we’re still working out," said Pascall.

Accommodation is also being worked out, and Hockey Canada is negotiating with hotels to house the team for the duration of the camp.

Handling the sports media will also be a big job.

"There’s always a lot of interest in the Canadian junior team, the kids are from everywhere across the country and so the whole country tunes in," said Pascall.

"We don’t have numbers, but there will be a lot of media on hand."

There are no specific plans as of yet, but the world junior camp usually involves the local minor hockey association in planning and running the events.

"I know we partnered with the local minor hockey association in 1996," Pascall said.

"We’re always looking for volunteers, and we’re always keen to work with the minor hockey association and to get a few of the local kids involved.

"This was only announced recently but we have already had a few people contact us."

Bill Murray, the president of the Whistler Minor Hockey Association, just learned that the juniors were coming early this week, but is looking forward to getting involved.

"That’s going to be great for minor hockey, whatever the arrangement is, just for our own juniors to be able to see that level of hockey here," he said. "Especially to be able to see all these young guys that still have so much passion for the game. It just raises local interest in hockey in general, and that’s always good for the club."

Brent Sutter, the head coach and GM of the Red Deer Rebels, will return as head coach for the team for the second straight year, joined by assistant coaches Craig Hartsburg of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and Celement Jodoin of the Lewiston Maineiacs.

The list of 44 player prospects includes the very best juniors born in 1986 and 1987, but will be short on experience with just two players returning from the 2005 gold medal team – including top NHL prospects Sidney Crosby and Cam Barker.

For hockey fans, that means that the 22-spot Team Canada roster is practically wide open – every player has an almost equal chance to impress the coaches and make the team. They won’t be holding anything back.

"There are only two returning players from the 2005 gold medal team and as a result, the camp will have a completely different dynamic with so many open spots," said Blair Mackasey, Hockey Canada’s director of Player Personnel and the head scout for the junior team.

"The development camp gives us a unique opportunity to look at our top 19 year olds and assess some of our top young prospects. It will be a very intense and competitive camp and will be exciting for all those involved."

Of the invited players, 41 played in the Canadian Hockey League last season in the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Two players are in the NCAA Division I, and one player played Junior A in the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League.

The IIHF Junior Championships have taken place since 1982.

Roster

Goaltenders

Devan Dubnyk, Calgary AB

Julien Ellis-Plante, Sorel QC

Pier-Olivier Pelletier – St. Louis QC

Carey Price – Williams Lake BC

Defence

Cam Barker, Winnipeg MB

Luc Bourdon, Shippagan NB

Chad Denny, Eskasoni NS

Mark Fistric, Edmonton AB

Michael Funk, Abbotsford BC

Marc-Andre Gragnani, Ile-Bizard QC

Scott Jackson, Salmon Arm BC

Dustin Kohn, Edmonton AB

Kristopher Letang, Montreal QC

Brendan Mikkelson, St. Albert AB

Ryan Parent, Sioux Lookout ON

Andy Rogers, Calgary AB

Kris Russell, Caroline AB

Marc Staal, Thunder Bay ON

Logan Stephenson, Outlook SK

Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Montreal QC

Forwards

Cody Bass, Guelph ON

Daniel Bertram, Calgary AB

Michael Blunden, Gloucester ON

David Bolland, Mimico ON

Alex Bourret, St.-Guillaum QC

Dustin Boyd, Winnipeg MB

Gilbert Brule, Burnaby BC

Frederik Cabana, Fleurimont QC

Kyle Chipchura, Vimy AB

Kris Chucko, Burnaby BC

Andrew Cogliano, Woodbridge ON

Blake Comeau, Meadow Lake SK

Sidney Crosby, Cole Habour NS

Aaron Gagnon, Armstrong BC

Tyler Kennedy, Sault Ste. Marie ON

Guillaume Latendresse, Ste-Catherine ON

Bryan Little, Cambridge ON

Kenndal McArdle, Burnaby BC

Evan McGrath, Oakville ON

Ryan O’Marra, Mississauga ON

Benoit Pouliot, Ottawa ON

Tom Pyatt, Thunder Bay ON

Liam Reddox, Whitby ON

Wotjek Wolski, Mississauga ON