Music: {allcanada} Canada cuts Girard from WJC roster

Sunday, December 22, 2013

{allcanada} Canada cuts Girard from WJC roster

Miracle On 34th Street (1947)

Canada trimmed its roster to the 23-player limit for the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship on Sunday by cutting Nashville Predators forward prospect Felix Girard.

A 2013 fourth-round pick (No. 95) of the Nashville Predators, Girard has four goals, 16 assists and a plus-12 rating in 28 games with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Canada's roster now features 13 forwards, seven defensemen and two goalies. The final roster doesn't become official until Dec. 25, so there could be further changes if there are injuries or suspensions.

Among the players remaining on the roster are a pair of top prospects for the 2014 NHL Draft, forward Sam Reinhart of the Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League and defenseman Aaron Ekblad of the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League.

Also on the team is forward Connor McDavid of the Erie Otters of the OHL; he's expected to be one of the first players picked at the 2015 draft.

The 2014 WJC runs Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, 2014 in Malmo, Sweden. Canada will play in Group A with the United States, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Germany.

CANADA WJC ROSTER

GOALTENDERS: Zachary Fucale, Halifax, QMJHL (Montreal); Jake Paterson, Saginaw, OHL (Detroit)

DEFENSEMEN: Chris Bigras, Owen Sound, OHL (Colorado); Matt Dumba, Minnesota; Aaron Ekblad, Barrie, OHL (2014 draft eligible); Joshua Morrissey, Prince Albert, WHL (Winnipeg); Adam Pelech, Erie, OHL (N.Y. Islanders); Derrick Pouliot, Portland, WHL (Pittsburgh); Griffin Reinhart, Edmonton, WHL (N.Y. Islanders)

FORWARDS: Josh Anderson, London, OHL (Columbus); Jonathan Drouin, Halifax, QMJHL (Tampa Bay); Frederik Gauthier, Rimouski, QMJHL (Toronto); Bo Horvat, London, OHL (Vancouver); Charles Hudon, Chicoutimi, QMJHL (Montreal); Scott Laughton, Oshawa, OHL (Philadelphia); Curtis Lazar, Edmonton, WHL (Ottawa); Taylor Leier, Portland, WHL (Philadelphia); Anthony Mantha, Val-d'Or, QMJHL (Detroit); Connor McDavid, Erie, OHL (2015 draft eligible); Nicolas Petan, Portland, WHL (Winnipeg); Sam Reinhart, Kootenay, WHL (2014 draft eligible); Kerby Rychel, Windsor, OHL (Columbus)