The Montreal Canadiens will loan rookie defenceman Victor Mete to Team Canada for this week's World Junior selection camp.

Canada's camp opens Tuesday in St. Catharines, ON, and will end on Dec. 15. Mete will attempt to earn on a spot on Canada's tournament roster and play with the team from Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Buffalo.

"We've made the decision to allow Victor Mete to join Team Canada's Selection Camp to give him an opportunity to participate in a very beneficial experience for his development," Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said in a statement. "The World Junior Hockey Championship is a very elite and very competitive tournament, and this can be a very rewarding opportunity for a young player."

In 27 games with the Canadiens this season, Mete owns four assists and a plus-5 rating while averaging 14:52 of ice time per game. He has served as healthy scratch in each of the team's previous two games.

Mete was on Canada's selection camp roster for last year's tournament but failed to make the team. The Canadiens selected Mete in the fourth round - 100th overall - of the 2016 NHL Draft.

Mete will be one of 11 defencemen trying to crack Canada's 23-man roster.

The 19-year-old is eligible to rejoin the Canadiens once his time with Team Canada ends.