Sunday, April 5, 2009

Hockey Canada Releases Roster for 2009 IIHF World Under 18 Championship


This past Thursday, Hockey Canada released its roster for the 2009 IIHF World Under 18 Championship. Canada is looking to repeat its gold medal performance of last season. Historically speaking, Canada hasn't had a whole lot of success in the tournament, with only one other gold medal (2003) in the past 10 years. I guess you could make the excuse that Canada isn't sending its best players due to the CHL playoffs and therefore a lack of success isn't as alarming as you'd believe it to be.

Here is the roster thanks to Hockey Canada...

Goaltenders/Gardiens de but
1Bryce O'HaganGL/G6'2"19412/27/91Burlington, Ont.Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
30Michael ZadorGL/G6'2"18905/08/91Toronto, Ont.Oshawa Generals (OHL)
Defence/Défense
3Brayden McNabbDL/G6'4"19501/21/91Davidson, Sask.Kootenay Ice (WHL)
4Simon DespresDL/G6'4"21407/27/91Laval, Que.Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
5Erik GudbransonDR/D6'3"19501/07/92Orleans, Ont.Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
6Stefan ElliottDR/D6'1"18401/30/91North Vancouver, B.C.Saskatoon Blades (WHL)
12Dylan OlsenDL/G6'2"19501/03/91Calgary, Alta.Camrose Kodiaks (AJHL)
24Calvin de HaanDL/G6'0"17005/09/91Carp, Ont.Oshawa Generals (OHL)
26Taylor DohertyDR/D6'8"21803/02/91Cambridge, Ont.Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
Forwards/Avants
8Brett ConnollyF/AR/D6'1"16205/02/92Prince George, B.C.Prince George Cougars (WHL)
9Ryan O'ReillyF/AL/G6'0"20502/07/91Varna, Ont.Erie Otters (OHL)
11Peter HollandF/AL/G6'2"19001/14/91Caledon, Ont.Guelph Storm (OHL)
10Zack KassianF/AR/D6'3"20501/24/91LaSalle, Ont.Peterborough Petes (OHL)
14Byron FroeseF/AR/D6'0"17103/12/91Winkler, Man.Everett Silvertips (WHL)
15Garrett MitchellF/AR/D5'11"18109/02/91Regina, Sask.Regina Pats (WHL)
16Landon FerraroF/AR/D5'11"16508/08/91Vancouver, B.C.Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
17John McFarlandF/AR/D6'0"19204/02/92Richmond Hill, Ont.Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
18Joey HishonF/AL/G5'10"16610/20/91Stratford, Ont.Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
21Cody EakinF/AL/G5'11"17405/24/91Winnipeg, Man.Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
22Curtis HamiltonF/AL/G6'3"20212/04/91Kelowna, B.C.Saskatoon Blades (WHL)
23Kyle CliffordF/AL/G6'1"20001/13/91Ayr, Ont.Barrie Colts (OHL)
25Ethan WerekF/AL/G6'2"19506/07/91Goodwood, Ont.Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)

The OHL makes up the largest proportion of the team with 12 members.

Some omissions have left me scratching my head quite frankly. Omissions that perhaps make you wonder if the politics of the selection process may be a reason for the team's lack of success over the years.

  • For one, the goaltending selections have me scratching my head a bit. Scott Stajcer, considered to be one of the best available netminders for the 2009 draft, is a glaring omission. Stajcer is a big, athletic netminder for Owen Sound, whom I've seen a few times this season, each of which I left impressed. Meanwhile, Zador and O'Hagan have left me the opposite in my viewings this season and I don't have a whole lot of faith in their ability to backstop Canada to a medal at this point. You have to wonder if Stajcer was injured or for some reason declined an invitation, because him not being on this team is borderline rediculous.
  • Secondly, where is Peter Holland? Holland is widely considered to be a top 15, top 20 draft selection for the 2009 draft and just might have been the most talented available forward for Canada with Guelph being eliminated by Saginaw in the first round. Holland is an intelligent forward with a good skill set who finished second in scoring for the Storm this season. Another guy I wonder what the deal with is. Is he injured? Did he decline the invitation? Not having his offensive ability on this team could hurt (at least by taking a quick glance at the roster).
Despite some iffy selection choices, this team should still be one to watch. Canada's first game is on April 9 against Germany.

EDIT

Peter Holland has been added to the team and Michael Fine has been removed. I have absolutely no idea how this happened or why. Could be injury related. Either way, Holland is now with the team.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Unless I'm missing something Peter Holland is on the roster you posted.

Brock Otten said...

It's crazy that you mention that because I didn't even notice they had added him.

Originally, Peter Holland was left off this team and Sault Ste. Marie's Michael Fine was on this team. Now, Fine is no longer on the roster and Holland is.

I wonder what happened there? Injury? Miscue by the media relations on the roster? Who knows really.

Either way, it's great for Canada to have Holland there. Although it does ultimately suck for Fine since he's a bit of an underrated prospect and hasn't had a lot of exposure this year playing on a really crappy Soo team.