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The action’s on the ice this summer

Whistler gets to see young hockey stars at development camp

Forget the NHL, some of the most talented young hockey players in Canada are coming to play in Whistler, and that’s just the preview.

The real deal, the International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) World Junior Championship, is taking place in Vancouver in January 2006. Tickets for the games are hot commodities as the event sold out eight months in advance.

The reason for all the excitement is that this championship brings together the best junior hockey players on the planet. After a stunning victory last year, Canada wants to field another gold medal team. This is why, come Aug. 10, the best action in Whistler will be at the rink.

Team Canada’s National Development Camp is taking place in Whistler from Aug. 10 to 14 and concluding in Vancouver Aug. 15. It will be a chance for local residents to glimpse the players who will become the hockey superstars of tomorrow.

Forty-four of Canada’s top junior hockey players are invited to the camp that is taking place at Meadow Park Sports Centre. This is the first chance Team Canada staff will have to evaluate this group of players in an isolated environment. Only 22 spots are available on the roster and right now the field is wide open with only two returning players.

Head Coach Brent Sutter of the Red Deer Rebels, is returning for his second year with Team Canada. Sutter coached last year’s team to an undefeated streak that ended in a gold medal. The team dominated its opponents, beating Russia in the final 6-1. It wasn’t long before observers broke out the "best ever" labels.

Any coach would be hard pressed to second that kind of win, but this year playing on home turf, Sutter will want to match last year’s effort even if he can’t top it. Given the strength of the roster for this year’s development camp, Sutter may be able to produce another gold medal team.

There are several names Whistler residents may want to keep an eye out for come August. Sidney Crosby will be the main media draw. The talented young hockey player has been compared with Wayne Gretzky since he was 14 and this may be the last chance to see him before he turns pro. Others to watch for are Benoit Pouliot, Luc Bourdon, Mark Fistric, Ryan Parent, Marc Staal, Ryan O’Marra and B.C.’s own Gilbert Brule.

Among the players who will be fighting for the coveted 22 roster spots are several B.C. boys, led by Brule.

A Burnaby native who plays for the Vancouver Giants, Brule is a highly touted draft prospect. A small centre, Brule’s intensity is hard to rival and he hits like a much bigger man. He is blessed with good speed and a goal scoring flash. Brule should have a good shot at making the Team Canada with his all or nothing attitude.

Kenndal McArdle, captain of the Moose Jaw Warriors, is all heart and grit. Also from Burnaby and a first round draft prospect, McArdle is a talented winger with good hands and strong skating skills. He would fit well into Sutter’s demanding coaching system and is also a good bid for the final roster.

Carey Price of William’s Lake is a goaltender for the WHL’s Tri-City Americans. Price is the top ranked goaltender for his age. He is capable of pulling eye-popping saves out of the hat and has a showman’s streak in him, but with a strong field of goaltenders he’ll have to show that extra something special to get a lock on a roster spot.

Other B.C. natives taking a crack at making Sutter’s team are Kris Chucko (Minnesota–WCHA), Aaron Gagnon (Seattle Thunderbirds), Michael Funk (Portland Winterhawks), and Scott Jackson (Seattle Thunderbirds).

Invited players

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