Wedgewood, Oleksiak to play for Canada

Plymouth Whalers goalie Scott Wedgewood and Saginaw Spirit defenseman Jamie Oleksiak have made Team Canada for the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship in Edmonton and Calgary that starts Dec. 26.

FULL RELEASE FROM HOCKEY CANADA:

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), announced Thursday the 22 players that will make up Canada’s National Junior Team at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship.

The announcement comes at the conclusion of Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp, which ran from Dec. 10-14, 2011 at the WinSport Canada Athletic & Ice Complex in Calgary. A total of 43 players attended camp.

Four members of this year’s roster – Brett Connolly (Prince George, B.C./Tampa Bay, NHL), Quinton Howden (Oak Bank, Man./Moose Jaw, WHL), Jaden Schwartz (Wilcox, Sask./Colorado College, CCHA) and Mark Visentin (Waterdown, Ont./Niagara, OHL) - helped Canada earn the silver medal at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo, N.Y.

“On behalf of Hockey Canada, I want to congratulate the players named to the final roster today, along with their club teams, parents and minor hockey coaches that have helped them reach this level,” said Brad Pascall, Hockey Canada’s vice-president of hockey operations/national teams. “Canada is lucky to have many great young players, and these players should be very proud of their achievement today.”

Canada’s National Junior Team will practice once in Calgary, at the WinSport Canada Athletic & Ice Complex in Calgary, on Dec. 15 at 11 a.m. before moving to Banff, where it will be based through Dec. 22.

Canada will play three pre-competition games in Alberta prior to the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, Dec. 26, 2011 to Jan. 5, 2012 in Calgary and Edmonton.

Canada will play its first game of the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship on Boxing Day, Dec. 26 against Finland, a game that will be broadcast LIVE by TSN/RDS and on The FAN Radio Network (check local listings). While the event is officially sold out, tickets are available through a ticket exchange program at www.HockeyCanada.ca/2012juniors.

Canada has medalled at thirteen consecutive IIHF World Junior Championships, including gold medal performances in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, silver medals in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2010 and 2011 and bronze medals in 2000 and 2001.

CANADA ROSTER