Walchuk & Basara Named To West Camp:

14 BCHLers named to West camp

Tuesday, September 21, 2010 - Submitted by Hockey Canada


Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Junior Hockey League, announced on Tuesday the 41 players that will attend the Team Canada West evaluation camp in preparation for the 2010 World Junior A Challenge.

The evaluation camp, scheduled for September 27-28, will be held at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton, B.C., the same venue that will host the 2010 World Junior A Challenge from November 8-14. The Evaluation Camp roster includes 14 players who compete in the British Columbia Hockey League. They are:

Matt Ginn, Goaltender, Victoria Grizzlies
Kirby Halcrow, Goaltender, Quesnel Millionaires
Joel Rumpel, Goaltender, Penticton Vees

Tim Daly, Defenceman, Langley Chiefs
Joey Laleggia, Defenceman, Penticton Vees
Josh Monk, Defenceman, Salmon Arm SilverBacks

Marcus Basara, Forward, Vernon Vipers
Madison Dias, Forward, Victoria Grizzlies
Grayson Downing, Forward, Westside Warriors
Mark MacMillan, Forward, Penticton Vees*
Sam Mellor, Forward, Trail Smoke Eaters
Brendan O'Donnell, Forward, Penticton Vees
Travis St. Denis, Forward, Trail Smoke Eaters
Dylan Walchuk, Forward, Vernon Vipers

*Unable to take part due to injury.

The BCHL contingent representing Canada West will also include Langley Chiefs associate coach Barry Wolffe, who will be serving as an assistant on Larry Wintoneak's staff.

Canada West has appeared in the gold medal game at all four previous World Junior A Challenges, winning gold in 2006 in Yorkton, Sask., and 2007 in Trail, B.C., before settling for silver in 2009 in Camrose, Alta., and last year in Summerside, P.E.I.

The Canada West roster is comprised of players from the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) and Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL).

“As a coaching staff, we are looking forward to bringing together 41 of the top Junior A players in western Canada for the evaluation camp,” said head coach Larry Wintoneak of the SJHL’s Kindersley Klippers. “It will be exciting not only for us, but for the fans in Penticton as well to watch these players compete.”

Canada West’s evaluation camp roster includes:

Four (4) goaltenders, 12 defensemen and 25 forwards

Ten (10) players returning from the 2009 World Junior A Challenge (Breitkreuz, Dias, Downing, Fritz, Gallacher, Ginn, Halcrow, Laleggia, Marshall, O’Donnell)

Three (3) players drafted in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft (Gallacher – Florida, 4th round, 93rd overall; MacMillan – Montreal, 4th round, 113th overall; Marshall – Tampa Bay, 6th round, 156th overall)

Fourteen (14) players from the BCHL, 11 players from the AJHL, eight (8) players from the SJHL, five (5) players from the MJHL and three (3) players from the SIJHL.
2010 Team Canada West Evaluation Camp Schedule:

Monday, September 27th:

9:15 AM to 10:30 PM -- Team Red Practice
10:45 AM to 12:00 PM -- Team White Practice
7:30 PM -- Red vs. White Game

Tuesday, September 28th:

9:15 AM to 10:30 PM -- Team White Practice
10:45 AM to 12:00 PM -- Team Red Practice
7:30 PM -- Red vs. White Game

All practices are free to attend. Tickets to the two Red-White games are available for just $5 and can be purchased in person at the South Okanagan Events Centre box office.

In addition, fans who have already purchased a 13-game, full-tournament package will receive complimentary tickets to the evaluation camp; tickets can be picked up at the South Okanagan Events Centre box office.

Canada West will play in Group B at the 2010 World Junior A Challenge, joined by Russia and Switzerland, while Canada East, Sweden and the United States will comprise Group A. Round-robin play will run until Wednesday, November 10, with both semifinals taking place on Saturday, November 13. The gold medal game, which will be shown nationally on TSN/RDS, the official broadcasters of Hockey Canada, is set for Sunday, November 14 (check your local listings).

All preliminary round games, quarter-finals, semifinals and the bronze medal game can be seen live via webcast through FASTHockey at hockeycanada.fasthockey.com.

For more information on the 2010 World Junior A Challenge, visit www.hockeycanada.ca/wjac.