Hockey Canada released the roster for the Under-18 team that will compete at the World Under-18 Championships in Belarus from April 13th to the 24th. The team will be coached by former Montreal Canadiens’ coach Guy Carbonneau. The team is made up of players that have their junior season completed.
Goalies
Calvin Pickard Seattle (WHL)
Kent Simpson Everett (WHL)
Pickard has been talked about all season as one of the two goalies that could go in the first round. He’s the younger brother of Nashville Predators’ goalie prospect Chet Pickard. He’s described as an athletic goaltender. This season, he was 16-34-12 with a 3.09 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage. Seattle finished with the third worst record in the league. Kent Simpson was second in the WHL in goals-against average of 2.26, only behind World Junior netminder Martin Jones.
Defense
Geoffrey Schemitsch Owen Sound (OHL)
Erik Gudbranson Kingston (OHL)
Nathan Chiarlitti Sarnia (OHL)
Stephen Silas Belleville (OHL)
Ryan Murray Everett (WHL)
Ryan O’Connor Saginaw (OHL)
Brock Beukeboom Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
After Gudbranson, there’s no star power to this group. Most of these guys will be 2nd-3rd round draft picks. Gudbranson played for the Under-18 team last year in Fargo, North Dakota. He consider the second best defenseman after Cam Fowler for the upcoming draft. He missed a good portion of the season due to injury. Beukeboom has been a riser and could find himself in the middle of the second round. Ryan Murray is a 16-year-old and with a September 27, 1993 birth date, he won’t be eligible until the 2012 draft.
Forwards
Brett Connolly Prince George (WHL)
Steven Shipley Owen Sound (OHL)
Michael Sgarbossa Saginaw (OHL)
Gabriel Desjardins Halifax (QMJHL)
Max Reinhart Kootenay (WHL)
Michaël Bournival Shawinigan (QMJHL)
Christian Thomas Oshawa (OHL)
John McFarland Sudbury (OHL)
Jordan Weal Regina (WHL)
Ryan Spooner Peterborough (OHL)
Quinton Howden Moose Jaw (WHL)
Freddie Hamilton Niagara (OHL)
Greg McKegg Erie (OHL)
The most scrutinized player of this player of this tournament will be Brett Connolly. He missed most of the year due to a hip injury. He has top five talent, but most likely hear his name called in the latter half of the top ten. The sniper had three goals last year as an underager at this tournament. Another potential first rounder is John McFarland who had an outstanding tournament last year with eight points. He was once considered the top player of his age group is now sliding to the latter half of the opening round. Jordan Weal, had 102 points in the WHL this season, but he won’t hear his name in the late first round or early second.
