Burnaby, BC – October 25, 2010
A total of eight British Columbia Hockey League players have been selected to compete for Team Canada West at the upcoming 2010 World Junior A Challenge, which runs from November 8th to 14th at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton.
Team Canada West?s 22-man roster was announced Monday by Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson and Canada West general manager Rylan Ferster. It includes three members of the Penticton Vees, two members of the Trail Smoke Eaters and one player each from the Victoria Grizzlies, Vernon Vipers and Westside Warriors.
Four of the BCHL players named to the team are returnees from the squad that won silver at the 2009 World Junior A Challenge in Summerside, PEI.
The eight BCHL representatives on Team Canada West are:
Madison Dias, F, Victoria Grizzlies ? A returnee from last season?s silver medal-winning team, Dias is competing in his third season in the BCHL and has collected 10 points through 14 games. The Penticton, B.C. product set a career-high with 43 points last season and has committed to Cornell University for the 2011/12 season.
Grayson Downing, F, Westside Warriors ? Another member of the team that won silver in Summerside a year ago, Downing is well on his way to a career high in points with 21 through 17 games. The Abbotsford, B.C. native is in his third BCHL season and has committed to the University of New Hampshire for 2011/12.
Joey Laleggia, D, Penticton Vees ? A member of the 2009 silver medal-winning team, Laleggia leads all BCHL defencemen in points with 23 through 18 games. An Interior Conference Top Defenceman nominee as a rookie last season, the Burnaby, B.C. native recently committed to the University of Denver.
Mark MacMillan, F, Penticton Vees ? A fourth round draft pick of the Montreal Canadiens earlier this year, MacMillan recently returned from an injury suffered in Penticton?s season opener. Last season?s Coastal Conference Rookie of the Year is coming off an 80-point campaign and a scholarship commitment to North Dakota.
Sam Mellor, F, Trail Smoke Eaters ? Mellor is currently second in BCHL scoring with 35 points through 19 games on the heels of a 63-point rookie season. The Cranbrook, B.C. product has committed to attend the University of Alaska-Anchorage and was recently named to the Watch List for the 2011 NHL Draft.
Brendan O?Donnell, F, Penticton Vees ? O?Donnell will be competing at the WJAC for the second consecutive year after being named to the team as a member of the Winnipeg South Blues last season. A sixth round draft selection of the Tampa Bay Lightning, O?Donnell has counted 11 points in 18 games with the Vees this season.
Travis St. Denis, F, Trail Smoke Eaters ? Currently seventh in league scoring with 31 points in 19 games, St. Denis is already a three-year BCHL veteran at just 18-years old. The Trail, B.C. product is a Quinnipiac University commit who was recently named to Central Scouting?s Watch List for the 2011 NHL Draft.
Dylan Walchuk, F, Vernon Vipers ? Walchuk leads the Vipers in scoring with 19 points in 18 games and played a key role in helping Vernon to their second consecutive RBC Cup championship in May as a rookie. The 18-year old is committed to Northern Michigan University for the 2011/12 season.
Canada West is pooled in Group B at the event and will face Switzerland and Russia in the round-robin portion of the tournament on November 8th and 10th respectively. The semi-finals will be held on Saturday, November 12th and the Gold Medal game will be televised nationally on TSN on Sunday, November 14th.
The team will have a pair of tune-up games prior to beginning of the event, as they will take on Canada East at the Wesbild Centre in Vernon on November 5th and the United States at the South Okanagan Events Centre on November 6th.
Media Contact:
Jeff Dubois
O: (604) 422-8783
C: (604) 837-8867
[email protected]
A total of eight British Columbia Hockey League players have been selected to compete for Team Canada West at the upcoming 2010 World Junior A Challenge, which runs from November 8th to 14th at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton.
Team Canada West?s 22-man roster was announced Monday by Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson and Canada West general manager Rylan Ferster. It includes three members of the Penticton Vees, two members of the Trail Smoke Eaters and one player each from the Victoria Grizzlies, Vernon Vipers and Westside Warriors.
Four of the BCHL players named to the team are returnees from the squad that won silver at the 2009 World Junior A Challenge in Summerside, PEI.
The eight BCHL representatives on Team Canada West are:
Madison Dias, F, Victoria Grizzlies ? A returnee from last season?s silver medal-winning team, Dias is competing in his third season in the BCHL and has collected 10 points through 14 games. The Penticton, B.C. product set a career-high with 43 points last season and has committed to Cornell University for the 2011/12 season.
Grayson Downing, F, Westside Warriors ? Another member of the team that won silver in Summerside a year ago, Downing is well on his way to a career high in points with 21 through 17 games. The Abbotsford, B.C. native is in his third BCHL season and has committed to the University of New Hampshire for 2011/12.
Joey Laleggia, D, Penticton Vees ? A member of the 2009 silver medal-winning team, Laleggia leads all BCHL defencemen in points with 23 through 18 games. An Interior Conference Top Defenceman nominee as a rookie last season, the Burnaby, B.C. native recently committed to the University of Denver.
Mark MacMillan, F, Penticton Vees ? A fourth round draft pick of the Montreal Canadiens earlier this year, MacMillan recently returned from an injury suffered in Penticton?s season opener. Last season?s Coastal Conference Rookie of the Year is coming off an 80-point campaign and a scholarship commitment to North Dakota.
Sam Mellor, F, Trail Smoke Eaters ? Mellor is currently second in BCHL scoring with 35 points through 19 games on the heels of a 63-point rookie season. The Cranbrook, B.C. product has committed to attend the University of Alaska-Anchorage and was recently named to the Watch List for the 2011 NHL Draft.
Brendan O?Donnell, F, Penticton Vees ? O?Donnell will be competing at the WJAC for the second consecutive year after being named to the team as a member of the Winnipeg South Blues last season. A sixth round draft selection of the Tampa Bay Lightning, O?Donnell has counted 11 points in 18 games with the Vees this season.
Travis St. Denis, F, Trail Smoke Eaters ? Currently seventh in league scoring with 31 points in 19 games, St. Denis is already a three-year BCHL veteran at just 18-years old. The Trail, B.C. product is a Quinnipiac University commit who was recently named to Central Scouting?s Watch List for the 2011 NHL Draft.
Dylan Walchuk, F, Vernon Vipers ? Walchuk leads the Vipers in scoring with 19 points in 18 games and played a key role in helping Vernon to their second consecutive RBC Cup championship in May as a rookie. The 18-year old is committed to Northern Michigan University for the 2011/12 season.
Canada West is pooled in Group B at the event and will face Switzerland and Russia in the round-robin portion of the tournament on November 8th and 10th respectively. The semi-finals will be held on Saturday, November 12th and the Gold Medal game will be televised nationally on TSN on Sunday, November 14th.
The team will have a pair of tune-up games prior to beginning of the event, as they will take on Canada East at the Wesbild Centre in Vernon on November 5th and the United States at the South Okanagan Events Centre on November 6th.
Media Contact:
Jeff Dubois
O: (604) 422-8783
C: (604) 837-8867
[email protected]
