BY SCOTT HADDOW
Sudbury Wolves defenceman Marc Staal and
forward Ben Pouliot are among nine OHL players selected to
attend Team Canada's World Junior Championship (WJC)
training camp next week.
 |
Both had attended a summer camp by Hockey
Canada earlier this year.
Staal, picked 12th overall by the New York
Rangers at the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, and Pouliot, selected
fourth overall by the Minnesota Wild at the same draft, have a
good shot at making the cut as only one player (defenceman Cam
Barker from the Western Hockey League) is returning from the
gold medal-winning squad from one year ago.
Staal has been a stalwart on the blue line
for the Wolves this season, recording seven goals and 30 points
in 27 games, along with a +6 rating.
Pouliot has been an offensive catalyst,
ripping up 16 goals and 33 points in his first 22 games.
Two other Wolves, Nick Foligno and Anton
Hedman, were hoping for invites to the Team USA and Team Sweden
camps, but the news wasn't as good. Foligno was completely
left out of the mix, despite playing for the United States this
past summer in a development camp. Team USA enters the
tournament as the favourite to win gold.
 |
Hedman has been listed as an alternative,
meaning if a top Swedish player gets injured or can't play,
he will be on a short list to be a replacement player.
The Canadian camp runs from Dec. 11 to 16 in
Vancouver. Official team picks are expected shortly after that
date.
