Draft-eligibles Bedard, Fantilli headline World Junior selection camp roster
Forwards Connor Bedard and Adam Fantilli, the projected No. 1 and No. 2 picks for the 2023 NHL Draft, headline Canada's 29-player World Junior selection camp roster.
Camp is set to run from Dec. 9-12 as Canada looks to defend its gold medal on home soil in Halifax and Moncton.
Bedard, who won gold at the 2022 World Juniors in August, had four goals and eight points in seven games. The Regina Pats centre currently has 27 goals and 64 points in 28 games to lead the Western Hockey League in scoring.
Fantilli will make his World Juniors debut for Canada after scoring one goal and six points in four games at the U18s in April. A freshman at the University of Michigan this season, he is second in NCAA scoring with 10 goals and 25 points in 14 games.
Two other camp invitees who are draft eligible in 2023 are goaltenders Thomas Milic of the Seattle Thunderbirds and William Rousseau of the Quebec Remparts.
Along with Bedard, the returning players from the gold-medal winning squad in August are forwards Logan Stankoven, Brennan Othmann, Joshua Roy, Riley Kidney, Nathan Gaucher and Zack Ostapchuk, and defencemen Olen Zellweger, Ethan Del Mastro and Carson Lambos.
The Montreal Canadiens lead the way in Canadian NHL team prospect representation with three draft picks in forwards Roy, Kidney and Owen Beck. The Edmonton Oilers (Reid Schaefer) and Ottawa Senators (Ostapchuk) have one each.
Other notable prospects include defenceman Kevin Korchinski (seventh overall to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2022) and QMJHL leading scorer Jordan Dumais (Columbus Blue Jackets third-round pick in 2022).
The tournament is set to run from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5. Canada kicks off its tournament on Boxing Day against Czechia on TSN at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.
Team Canada Selection Camp Roster
PLAYER | S/C | HT | WT | TEAM | NHL DRAFT |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Goaltenders | |||||
Tyler Brennan | L | 6’3” | 190 | Prince George (WHL) | NJD 2022 |
Benjamin Gaudreau | L | 6’2” | 172 | Sarnia (OHL) | SJ 2021 |
Thomas Milic | L | 6’1” | 175 | Seattle (WHL) | 2023 Draft |
William Rousseau | L | 6’1” | 188 | Québec (QMJHL) | 2023 Draft |
Defence | |||||
Nolan Allan | L | 6’3” | 193 | Seattle (WHL) | Chi 2021 |
Ethan Del Mastro | L | 6’4” | 206 | Mississauga (OHL) | Chi 2021 |
Tyson Hinds | L | 6’3” | 188 | Sherbrooke (QMJHL) | Ana 2021 |
Kevin Korchinski | L | 6’3” | 185 | Seattle (WHL) | Chi 2022 |
Carson Lambos | L | 6’1” | 192 | Winnipeg (WHL) | Min 2021 |
Jack Matier | R | 6’4” | 202 | Ottawa (OHL) | Nsh 2021 |
Evan Nause | L | 6’2” | 183 | Québec (QMJHL) | Fla 2021 |
Ethan Samson | R | 6’3” | 183 | Prince George (WHL) | Phi 2021 |
Olen Zellweger | L | 5’10” | 182 | Everett (WHL) | Ana 2021 |
Forwards | |||||
Caedan Bankier | L | 6’2” | 190 | Kamloops (WHL) | Min 2021 |
Owen Beck | R | 6’0” | 190 | Mississauga (OHL) | Mtl 2022 |
Connor Bedard | R | 5’10” | 185 | Regina (WHL) | 2023 Draft |
Zachary Bolduc | L | 6’1” | 177 | Québec (QMJHL) | StL 2021 |
Colton Dach | L | 6’4” | 205 | Kelowna (WHL) | Chi 2021 |
Zach Dean | L | 6’0” | 192 | Gatineau (QMJHL) | VGK 2021 |
Jordan Dumais | R | 5’9” | 174 | Halifax (QMJHL) | CBJ 2022 |
Adam Fantilli | L | 6’2” | 195 | Michigan (Big Ten) | 2023 Draft |
Nathan Gaucher | R | 6’3” | 207 | Québec (QMJHL) | Ana 2022 |
Ryan Greene | R | 6’1” | 180 | Boston University (NCAA) | Chi 2022 |
Riley Kidney | L | 6’0” | 175 | Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL) | Mtl 2021 |
Zack Ostapchuk | L | 6’3” | 198 | Vancouver (WHL) | Ott 2021 |
Brennan Othmann | L | 6’0” | 180 | Peterborough (OHL) | NYR 2021 |
Joshua Roy | L | 6’0” | 193 | Sherbrooke (QMJHL) | Mtl 2021 |
Reid Schaefer | L | 6’4” | 219 | Seattle (WHL) | Edm 2022 |
Logan Stankoven | R | 5’8” | 170 | Kamloops (WHL) | Dal 2021 |