The 17-year-old presumptive No. 1 pick at JuneB次元官网网址檚 NHL draft was named to CanadaB次元官网网址檚 22-player roster announced Wednesday for the 2024 world junior hockey championship.
B次元官网网址淗uge honour,B次元官网网址� said a beaming Celebrini. B次元官网网址淟ike every kid, itB次元官网网址檚 their dream.B次元官网网址�
The smooth-skating centre from Vancouver sits second in the NCAA with 10 goals and 25 points in 15 games this season for Boston University.
B次元官网网址淚 was surprised at how good he was,B次元官网网址� Hockey Canada executive Scott Salmond, who has scouted the phenom at different levels, said following the teamB次元官网网址檚 selection camp.
B次元官网网址淔or a young player, at 17 years old, to play the way he did here is exciting.B次元官网网址�
Vancouver-born Celebrini is part of a group led by three teammates with NHL experience B次元官网网址� forwards Owen Beck and Fraser Minten, and defenceman Tristan Luneau B次元官网网址� set to compete at the under-20 showcase, which runs Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Minten B次元官网网址� also from Vancouver B次元官网网址� Matthew Wood from Nanaimo and McBrideB次元官网网址檚 Tanner Molendyk are the other B.C. natives on the team.
Owen Allard, Easton Cowan, Nate Danielson, Jordan Dumais, Conor Geekie, Carson Rehkopf, Matthew Savoie, Wood and Brayden Yager round out the forward group.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 pretty special,B次元官网网址� Geekie said. B次元官网网址淎 lot of emotions.B次元官网网址�
Denver Barkey, Jagger Firkus, Paul Ludwinski and Markus Vidicek were the cuts up front.
Hockey Canada had the option of keeping a 13th forward, but instead chose to leave that spot open in hopes an NHL team will release a player B次元官网网址� the most likely candidates are Boston Bruins centre Matthew Poitras and Buffalo Sabres winger Zach Benson B次元官网网址� before Canada plays its first exhibition game next week.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 still some opportunities,B次元官网网址� Salmond said. B次元官网网址淪till some discussions that are ongoing.B次元官网网址�
Canada, which has won two straight gold medals and is looking for its first three-peat since 2009, could also recall one of WednesdayB次元官网网址檚 cuts, but Salmond said none of the forwards released were told theyB次元官网网址檙e next in line.
B次元官网网址淲e debated that and debated even going with 13,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 not fair to the player and I donB次元官网网址檛 even think to the team.
B次元官网网址淲e just want to leave that option open. But there is a chance that we could loop back.B次元官网网址�
Oliver Bonk, Jake Furlong, Maveric Lamoureux, Denton Mateychuk, Molendyk and Noah Warren make up the remainder of the defence corps. Canada cut blueliners Michael Buchinger, Jorian Donovan and Ty Nelson.
The three goaltenders are Samuel St-Hilaire, Scott Ratzlaff and Mathis Rousseau, while Domenic DiVincentiis was sent home.
B次元官网网址淗ard decisions,B次元官网网址� Peter Anholt, the lead member of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 management group, said of conversations with the cuts. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e good players. TheyB次元官网网址檙e here for a reason. But we did the work, weB次元官网网址檝e gone through the process. ItB次元官网网址檚 always hard to let players go that are 19 years old.
B次元官网网址淭hey handle it like pros. You expect that.B次元官网网址�
Beck experienced that at this time last year before getting a surprise call as an injury replacement for the medal round.
B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e really hoping you donB次元官网网址檛 hear the knock on the door,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t definitely sucks when it does happen. For some of those guys, thereB次元官网网址檚 another opportunity next year.
B次元官网网址淎nd for the (other) guys B次元官网网址� youB次元官网网址檙e one of the top-30 players in Canada. You can take a lot of pride in that.B次元官网网址�
Canada flies to Europe on Thursday, with the first pre-tournament game set for Tuesday against DenmarkB次元官网网址檚 under-25 team.
The Canadians then meet Switzerland on Dec. 22 and the United States the following day before opening their world juniors Dec. 26 against Finland at GothenburgB次元官网网址檚 Scandinavium arena.
Canada doesnB次元官网网址檛 have any returning players from the 2023 tournament currently in the NHL, with Connor Bedard (Chicago), Adam Fantilli (Columbus) and Kevin Korchinski (Chicago) all important parts on their teams.
Poitras, Benson and Shane Wright (Seattle/AHL) are the other options yet to be made available.
Beck, the lone returnee from last JanuaryB次元官网网址檚 gold-medal winning squad in Halifax, played one game for the Montreal Canadiens in 2022-23.
Minten dressed for four games with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fall, while Luneau has skated seven times for the Anaheim Ducks.
B次元官网网址淚t always comes down to health of teams, it comes down to the contribution that players are making,B次元官网网址� Salmond said of getting an NHLer released for the world juniors. B次元官网网址淚 have my own opinion on players and what this experience is like for them and how important it is, but ultimately respectful of those teams and where players are. We need to give it a few days and see how those players are and the health of their team.
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檒l dictate a lot of where we are next week.B次元官网网址�
Celebrini and Wood, who were roommates at CanadaB次元官网网址檚 selection camp west of Toronto, waited anxiously to find out their fates Wednesday afternoon.
B次元官网网址淲e were just chilling out,B次元官网网址� Celebrini said. B次元官网网址淲e got that knock at the door. We both jumped up right away.
B次元官网网址淔elt like I was in there for a lifetime.B次元官网网址�
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