Eighteen U17 Alumni Going for Gold With Canada's National Junior Team

As the puck prepares to drop on the 2012 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge this week in Windsor, Ont., 18 players who represented their province or region at past U17 tournaments are chasing gold in Alberta at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship.

The list includes three gold medallists, all from Ontario’s 2009 team, and six players who took part in the 2009 gold medal game between Ontario and Pacific – the last time the U17 final was an all-Canadian affair.

UNDER-17 ALUMNI ON CANADA’S NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM ROSTER

ATLANTIC

Nathan Beaulieu – 2009 (9^th)
Brandon Gormley – 2008 (8^th) & 2009 (9^th)

ONTARIO

Dougie Hamilton – 2010 (silver)
Freddie Hamilton – 2009 (gold)
Scott Harrington – 2010 (silver)
Boone Jenner – 2010 (silver)
Devante Smith-Pelly – 2009 (gold)
Ryan Strome – 2010 (silver)
Mark Visentin – 2009 (gold)

PACIFIC

Brett Connolly – 2009 (silver)
Brendan Gallagher – 2009 (silver)
Mark Pysyk – 2009 (silver)

QUEBEC

Michaël Bournival – 2009 (5^th)
Jonathan Huberdeau – 2010 (6^th)

WEST

Quinton Howden – 2009 (4^th)
Ryan Murray – 2010 (8^th)
Jaden Schwartz – 2009 (4^th)
Mark Stone – 2009 (4^th)

The players were selected following a five-day selection camp in Calgary that included 42 players – 31 of whom were under-17 alumni. The World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, the first step in Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence, gives players their first international experience, pitting five Canadian entries (Atlantic, Ontario, Pacific, Quebec, West) against five teams from around the world.

In addition to the selection camp numbers, 37 players with World Under-17 Hockey Challenge experience were in Edmonton in August for Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Summer Development Camp.