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Photo Credit: Facebook / Hockey Canada World Junior A Challenge
By Shane Clausing
World Junior A Challange

Canada West looks for gold at World Junior A Challenge

Dec 6, 2019 | 11:58 AM

Team Canada West will look to win gold at the 2019 World Junior A Challenge in Dawson Creek, which is being held from December 7-15. Canada West last won the tournament back in 2017.

This year, Canada West seems poised for a deep and potential championship winning run. The team is led by nine players from the Alberta Junior Hockey League, including what might be the best goaltending tandem in the tournament that features Detroit Red Wings draft pick, and Colgate University commit Carter Gylander (Sherwood Park Crusaders), and Matthew Davis (Spruce Grove Saints) a returning goaltender from last year’s World Junior A challenge team, and University of Denver commit.

“We’re really excited about our goaltending. Matthew Davis is one of the two returners from last years team and had a great tournament. Carter’s had a great start to the season and his selection in NHL draft was well deserved. We feel like whoever is playing in net, we have a chance to win every night. Both guys have been outstanding in the first half of the season and as well as at selection camp,” said Jamie McCaig, who is the Director of Operations for Team Canada West.

Up front, the West is led by AJHL leading scorer Carter Savoie of the Sherwood Park Crusaders. Savoie, who is also a University of Denver commit, has registered 30 goals, 21 assists for 51 points in 27 games played for Sherwood Park this season.

On the back end the squad is led by another Sherwood Park Cursader in Michael Benning, who is one of the top scoring defensemen in the AJHL. The blueline also has several other talented players from around Western Canada who can really skate and move the puck.

“I think we’ve put together a pretty good roster. We’re skilled, fast and were going to compete hard. I think one of the most exciting things is that we have a younger team, we didn’t use all of our 19-year-old spots and we get five of them. I think the biggest thing people can expect is a team that can get up and down the ice really quick.” McCaig said.

Team Canada West is made up of players from junior hockey leagues across Junior A teams in Western Canada. This includes the AJHL, BCHL, MJHL and the SJHL. The selection camp begins in November where 44 players are chosen, and the final roster is then made up of 22 players.

McCaig told EverythingGP that the process to build a team like this begins around August.

“We spent from August to November scouting, talking to coaches, scouts, and GM’s trying to get the right 44 guys to camp. From there, it’s another challenge trying to pick the right 22 players. We definitely didn’t pick an all-star team, we picked a team that we think can win the tournament. I think the biggest challenge is the geography of it and making sure that we don’t miss anybody.”

In the tournament Canada West will be facing team’s from Canada East, Russia, Czech Republic and the United States. However, until the pre-tournament games have been played, there isn’t much known about a lot of the teams from across the pond.

“We see their rosters but that’s about it. Canada East had their camp in August, the U.S. didn’t have a camp and Russia and the Czech Republic we don’t know a lot about. The first couple days of the tournament is all kind of sorting out who you’re going to play against. It’s a unique challenge, our coaching staff has spent a lot of time at the rink, but they’re looking forward to it,” explained McCaig.

Canada West begins their tournament Saturday night against the United States. Puck drop is 7:00 p.m. at the Encana Events Centre in Dawson Creek.

by Shane Clausing