Hockey Canada unveiled the list of invitees who will report to Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp in Blainville, Que., Dec. 10-14, during coinciding news conferences in Montreal and Toronto on Tuesday. The cities will co-host the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship when it returns to Canadian ice next month.

The selection camp roster includes 19 forwards, 10 defencemen, and three goaltenders. The evaluation process was led by Ryan Jankowski, Hockey Canada’s director of player personnel, and Joël Bouchard of the organization’s Program of Excellence management group, with input from coaches and general managers from across the Canadian Hockey League (CHL).

“Congratulations to the 32 players named today to the National Junior Team selection camp roster,” said Scott Salmond, vice-president of hockey operations and men’s national teams, Hockey Canada. “With the number of talented players across Canada, it is a difficult process to get to this point. We are confident that the 22 players who emerge from this camp will wear the Team Canada jersey with pride, and give Canada the best opportunity to play for gold on January 5th.”

Five players return from the Canada’s National Junior Team that competed at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship in Helsinki, Finland: Mathew Barzal (Coquitlam, B.C./Seattle, WHL), Thomas Chabot (Sainte-Marie-de-Beauce, Que./Saint John, QMJHL), Julien Gauthier (Pointe-aux-Trembles, Que./Val-d’Or, QMJHL), Mitchell Stephens (Peterborough, Ont./Saginaw, OHL), and Dylan Strome (Mississauga, Ont./Erie, OHL).

“There have been a number of difficult decisions to make just to get us to this point, and I expect these players will continue to impress us and make the next round of decisions tough as well, which speaks to the talent Canada continues to produce on the ice,” said Jankowski. “We’re eager to get the players and our coaching and support staff together and get started.”

The selection camp will be held at the home of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, the Centre d’Excellence Sports Rousseau, and features three games: two against the USport All-Stars on Dec. 12 and 13, and a final game against the Czech Republic on Dec. 14.

Following the four-day camp, 22 players will be selected to represent Canada and don the Maple Leaf on home ice for the first time since 2015 when Canada won gold in front of a sold-out crowd of over 19,000 fans at the Air Canada Centre. This year, gold will be won in Montreal.

Single-game tickets to World Juniors on sale Nov. 30

Fans can purchase single-game tickets to the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship beginning Wednesday, Nov. 30. Single-game tickets for both host-venues, as well as other Montreal and Toronto ticket options can be found online.

“As a Team Canada and World Junior Championship alumnus, there’s no experience like being part of a World Junior Championship – whether it’s as a player, or as a fan cheering on your national team,” said Wendel Clark, honourary captain, 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship. “This is a special event for hockey fans around the world, but it’s an annual tradition for Canadians - one that we don’t take for granted when it’s here on home ice.”

Team Canada - Roster as of 29 November

Goaltenders:
Carter Hart, Everett (WHL)
Connor Ingram, Kamloops (WHL)
Michael McNiven, Owen Sound (OHL)

Defencemen:
Jake Bean, Calgary (WHL)
Guillaume Brisebois, Charlottetown (QMJHL)
Thomas Chabot, Saint John (QMJHL)
Kale Clague, Brandon (WHL)
Dante Fabbro, Boston University (HE)
Samuel Girard, Shawinigan (QMJHL)
Noah Juulsen, Everett (WHL)
Jérémy Lauzon, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
Victor Mete, London (OHL)
Philippe Myers, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)

Forwards:
Mathew Barzal, Seattle (WHL)
Anthony Cirelli, Oshawa (OHL)
Dillon Dubé, Kelowna (WHL)
Pierre-Luc Dubois, Cape Breton (QMJHL)
Julien Gauthier, Val-d’Or (QMJHL)
Brett Howden, Moose Jaw (WHL)
Mathieu Joseph, Saint John (QMJHL)
Tyson Jost, U. of North Dakota (WCHA)
Michael McLeod, Mississauga (OHL)
Nick Merkley, Kelowna (WHL)
Nolan Patrick, Brandon (WHL)
Taylor Raddysh, Erie (OHL)
Nicolas Roy, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
Zach Senyshyn, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
Blake Speers, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
Sam Steel, Regina (WHL)
Mitchell Stephens, Saginaw (OHL)
Dylan Strome, Erie (OHL)
Austin Wagner, Regina (WHL)

Head Coach:
Dominique Ducharme