Music: {allcanada} Canada U-18 roster announced, includes 12 OHL players

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

{allcanada} Canada U-18 roster announced, includes 12 OHL players

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The Ontario Hockey League will be well represented at this year's Ivan Hlinka tournament.

Twelve players from OHL clubs make up the 22-man roster announced Tuesday by Hockey Canada for the under-18 tournament.

Five Western Hockey League players are also on board, along with three from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and one each from the Central Canadian Hockey League and Quebec's midget AAA system.

Forwards Andreas Athanasiou (London), Brendan Gaunce (Belleville), Scott Laughton (Oshawa), Mathew Campagna (Sudbury), Kerby Rychel (Windsor), Gemel Smith (Owen Sound), Matia Marcantuoni (Kitchener), Sean Monahan (Ottawa), Jarrod Maidens (Owen Sound) and Thomas Wilson (Plymouth) will be among the OHL players playing for Canada at the tournament that runs Aug. 8 to 14 in the Czech Republic.

Other OHL players suiting up for Canada are defencemen Adam Pelech (Erie) and Slater Koekkoek (Peterborough).

WHL defencemen Morgan Rielly (Moose Jaw), Griffin Reinhart (Edmonton), Mathew Dumba (Red Deer) and Derrick Pouliot (Portland) will help anchor the blue-line.

Goaltender Domenic Graham (Drummondville) will be part of the QMJHL contingent, along with forwards Charles Hudon (Chicoutimi) and Felix Girard (Baie-Comeau).

Netminder Daniel Altshuller (Nepean, CCHL) will battle Graham for playing time, while Michael Matheson (Lac St-Louis, Quebec midget AAA) will be among the forward ranks.

The roster was finalized following Hockey Canada's four-day selection camp in Calgary.

Canada has won the Ivan Hlinka tournament three straight years, and has won 15 of 20 summer under-18 tournaments since 1991.

It will play in Group A in Breclav with the Czech Republic, Sweden and Switzerland. Group B, which consists of Finland, Russia, Slovakia and the United States, will play out of Piestany.