Blues prospect Neighbours to skip rescheduled WJC
Published
St. Louis Blues prospect Jake Neighbours confirmed Monday he will not play in the rescheduled World Juniors this summer.
Neighbours had two assists in two games for Team Canada at the 2022 tournament before they were cancelled due to COVID-19 in late December.
I've made the decision I'm not going to go," Neighbours told Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic. "With how long my season went and how my body is feeling right now, I've made Hockey Canada aware of that. We had a good discussion about it."
The 20-year-old winger had 17 goals and 45 points in 30 games with the Edmonton Oil Kings this season along with one goal and two points in nine games with the Blues.
"Very hard," Neighbours added of the decision. "It's one of those things, you dream growing up of playing for Team Canada. It was cool to be there in Christmas time and get a taste of it, but at the end of the day I need to shift my focus to being a St. Louis Blue now."