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TORONTO – It's not just the winners of the 2018 Canada-Russia CHL Series in the field. An outstanding performance could make the difference between watching or playing in the upcoming IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship.
The annual series featuring the best talents of the Canadian Hockey League begins Monday when the 22 skaters of the Western Hockey League face off against Russia's National Junior Team in Kamloops, BC
Tim Hunter, head coach of Canada's under-20 team, will be behind the bench of the Western League for a first look at players likely to crack the Canadian team that is preparing to defend his gold medal.
"We're looking to reward guys who have had a good start to the season by giving them the opportunity to watch, coach, get to know them on behalf of Hockey Canada and see if they can participate in the camp. Selection. December, "said Hunter, coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors in the WHL.
The Canada-Russia series began in 2003 and consists of six games against the Russian Junior National Team. All three leagues of the CHL – the Ontario Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League – will face Russia twice.
Many of the WHL players chosen this year have already worked with Hockey Canada at different levels. Some were invited to last summer's World Showcase led by Hunter.
Prince Albert Raiders goalkeeper Ian Scott was overtaken in June and he was not sure if playing at the World Juniors was realistic. However, a strong start to the season, including that of goalkeeper of the month of October in the Western League, earned him another look at Hunter during the Canada-Russia series.
"It's definitely one of the steps to crack this team," Scott said. "It was one of my goals for which I had worked."
"We never close our doors to guys who could not get to the summer camp," Hunter said. "Players grow and mature at different speeds and you have to give guys a chance."
The six-game series is largely made up of veteran junior players already enlisted in NHL clubs in recent years, but this year's team includes four 17-year-old draft-eligible players, including defenseman Bowen Byram of Vancouver Giants, who was surprised to be chosen. Hunter.
"I had somehow an objective in my mind. I did not put too much emphasis on it because it was a somewhat ambitious goal, "Byram said.
"It's pretty cool to be recognized, especially if you're a young man. I still have to prove that I belong, but I am excited about this opportunity. "
Attackers Kirby Dach of Saskatoon Blades, Dylan Cozens of Lethbridge Hurricanes and Nolan Foote of Kelowna Rockets join Byram as eligible candidates for the NHL draft in the WHL team.
"You always try to involve some of the youngest players. Many of them have already participated in the Hockey Canada program and this is just one more step for them, "Hunter said. "It's part of pbading the torch and they are all very capable players."
Dach leads all 17-year-old WHL skaters in scoring and is fourth in the league overall with 10 goals and 27 points in 16 games, but he does not know if his skills will be enough to make him forget a old man come December.
"It's a crazy goal, I would say, but if I'm invited to the World Junior Camp, it would be a great honor for a 17-year-old to go to camp," Dach said.
Warrior defenseman Josh Brook will be captain of the WHL team while forwards Jordy Bellerive of Lethbridge Hurricanes, Connor Dewar of Everett Silvertips and Cody Glbad of Portland Winterhawks will be named alternate captains.
The 22 players will be in action with their WHL clubs over the weekend and will join Kamloops on Sunday night for a team meeting, followed by a skating session on Monday morning.
The second game will take place in Vancouver on Tuesday before the series will travel to Ontario on Thursday for the OHL and Russia games in Sarnia and Oshawa. Russia's last two games will be against the QMJHL team starting Nov. 13 in Sherbrooke, Que., And Nov. 15 in Drummondville, Que.
CHL teams broke the record of 61-22-7. The Western League division split the game in two games last year and the record should be broken at 20-7-3.
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AROUND THE CHL: Ivan Chekhovich, a Baie-Comeau Drakkar forward, is the CHL player of the week after scoring five goals and eight points in three games, all of which are victories. The 19-year-old from Yekaterinburg, Russia, was selected by the San Jose Sharks in the seventh round of the NHL Entry Draft in 2017. He has 10 goals and 24 points in 16 games to finish fifth in the QMJHL . He is expected to play in the next Canada-Russia series against the QMJHL.
– Stephen Dhillon of the Niagara IceDogs won the CHL goalie of the week after a 3-0-0 record with a win in the shutout and a .970 save percentage. He stopped 97 shots on a total of 100 to help his IceDogs take first place in the Central Division of the Western League with a 9-4-2 record. The 20-year-old Buffalo athlete is on pace with his best-ever results in five seasons with Niagara with a 7-2-1 record, an average of 2.59 goals allowed and a percentage of effectiveness from , 921.
– Starting Wednesday, the top 10 teams in the CHL standings are: 1. Prince Albert Raiders (WHL, 15-1-0); 2. Ottawa 67's (OHL, 12-3-1); 3. Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL, 12-3-1); 4. Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL, 12-4-0); 5. Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL, 12-4-0); 6. Vancouver Giants (WHL, 11-3-2); 7. Victoria Royals (WHL, 9-3-0); 8. Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL, 10-3-3); 9. Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL, 12-3-2); 10. Red Deer Rebels (WHL, 10-4-1).
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