CALGARY, Friday, December 15, 2006 - Hockey Canada announced today the makeup of Canada's national junior team which will seek its third straight gold medal at the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship, held from December 26, 2006 to January 5, 2007 in Ledsank/Mora Sweden.
Four players from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League were selected. They are forwards Brad Marchand (Val-d'Or) and Marc-André Cliche (MAINEiacs), as well as returning defensemen Luc Bourdon (Moncton) and Kristopher Letang (Val-d'Or).
Mathieu Perreault (Titan), Claude Giroux (Olympiques), Angelo Esposito (Remparts) and Jonathan Bernier (MAINEiacs) fell short. Nevertheless, they all remain eligible for next year's tournament.
The ten teams participating in the tournament will be divided-up into two groups: A and B. Group A includes Canada, Slovakia, Germany, Sweden and the United-States, while group B is made up of Russia, Finland, Switzerland, Belarus and the Czech Republic.
Team Canada, coached by Craig Hartsburg, will play two exhibition games: in Helsinki on Wednesday, December 20, versus Finland and in Stockholm on Friday, December 22, versus Sweden.
Thereafter, Canada meets Sweden as the tournament officially kicks-off on December 26.