Tim Hunter knows heB次元官网网址檚 got some tough decisions looming on the horizon.

The head coach of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 junior national team will soon have to invite dozens of the countryB次元官网网址檚 most talented young hockey players to selection camp.

Then heB次元官网网址檒l have to whittle the group down to a final squad to play in this yearB次元官网网址檚 IIHF world juniors championship, which starts in Vancouver and Victoria on Dec. 26.

B次元官网网址淵ou want competition at positions and you want lots of players that you have to make decisions on,B次元官网网址� Hunter said.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 going to be a lot of fun and itB次元官网网址檚 going to be a real challenge.B次元官网网址�

Choosing who will go to camp got tougher this week as Hunter coached a team made up of the Western Hockey LeagueB次元官网网址檚 best in a pair of games against the Russian junior team as part of the Canadian Hockey LeagueB次元官网网址檚 annual Canada Russia series.

Canada won the first match up 2-1 in Kamloops, B.C., on Monday, then dropped the second bout 3-1 in Langley, B.C., the next night.

Some lesser-known names stepped up in both games, Hunter said.

B次元官网网址淭here are the guys that are the star players that are under the radar to start with, but then you take guys like Brett Leason as an example, whoB次元官网网址檚 come on the radar because of his play in the early season,B次元官网网址� Hunter said, referring to a 19-year-old right winger for the Prince Albert Raiders.

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B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 a good player and we like a lot of things about his game.B次元官网网址�

Leason has 39 points in 17 games this season and leads the WHL with 17 goals.

But the six-foot-four Calgary native was passed up at the NHL draft last year.

The experience motivated Leason to hit the gym hard over the summer, build strength in his legs and get faster, and he started the season with confidence.

B次元官网网址淢y coach trusts me, just letting me go in all aspects of the game, just letting me play my game, move my feet, do my thing,B次元官网网址� he said.

Getting called for the WHL team was exciting, Leason said, and heB次元官网网址檚 hoping his phone will ring again when itB次元官网网址檚 time for selection camp.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 obviously something IB次元官网网址檝e been pushing for for a very long time,B次元官网网址� he said.

Guys like Leason are why Hockey Canada doesnB次元官网网址檛 make early decisions about who should come to selection camp, Hunter said.

B次元官网网址淲e want guys, if theyB次元官网网址檝e got some mojo going and theyB次元官网网址檙e playing well to start the season, we want to catch that wave with these guys and get them to the world juniors,B次元官网网址� he said.

There could be more unexpected standouts when the Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League field their own teams against the Russians starting in Sarnia, Ont., on Thursday.

Some young NHL prospects could also complicate HunterB次元官网网址檚 decisions.

The coachB次元官网网址檚 list of potential players recently got a boost when defenceman Evan Bouchard and left winger Alex Formenton were sent back to the OHLB次元官网网址檚 London Knights.

Bouchard tallied one goal in seven games with the Edmonton Oilers this season and Formenton played nine games for the Ottawa Senators, finding the back of the net once.

Hunter said heB次元官网网址檚 looking forward to getting Formenton back and hopes he wonB次元官网网址檛 be the only returnee from last yearB次元官网网址檚 gold medal-winning team.

St. Louis Blues prospect Robert Thomas and Maxime Comtois of the Anaheim Ducks also played with that group and could be eligible again this year if theyB次元官网网址檙e sent back to juniors.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e hoping to get some of them back because of their familiarity of the template thatB次元官网网址檚 brought us success, a silver and a gold,B次元官网网址� Hunter said.

B次元官网网址淏ut you canB次元官网网址檛 rely on the NHL. And youB次元官网网址檝e really got to cheer these guys on to have success and make their dream of playing in the NHL.B次元官网网址�

Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press

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