Among the players participating in the tournament are six of the 13 players they selected at the 2021 NHL Draft, including all three of their second-round picks: United States defenseman Scott Morrow (No. 40), Finland defenseman Aleksi Heimosalmi (No. 44) and Finland forward Ville Koivunen (No. 51).
Hurricanes assistant general manager Darren Yorke said he has been most impressed by the growth Morrow has shown in going from Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Faribault, Minnesota, last season to scoring 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 15 games as a freshman at Massachusetts this season.
“Watching him play high school hockey was like, I don’t know if you’re a ‘Seinfeld’ fan, but Kramer taking the karate class against kids,” Yorke said, referencing a scene where an adult character hilariously dominates younger competitors. “He was so much better than the competition and maybe that raised doubts among other teams or whatnot. We obviously didn’t see it that way. And then he goes and plays [six] games in the [United States Hockey League] (with Fargo) and does the exact same thing. And then he goes to college and does the exact same thing. And now he’s going to go to the World Junior level. And the best predictor of the future is going back to past performances, so I would imagine Scott is able to utilize his skills and have a pretty good impact on Team USA.”
Carolina’s group doesn’t include a first-round pick — forward Seth Jarvis, the No. 13 selection in the 2020 NHL Draft, is eligible to play but will not be released by the Hurricanes — but does include four seventh-round picks: Russia forwards Alexander Pashin (No. 199, 2020) and Nikita Guslistov (No. 209, 2021), Canada defenseman Ronan Seeley (No. 208, 2020), and Sweden defenseman Joel Nystrom (No. 219, 2021).
“Our scouts do a tremendous job, our development coaches do a tremendous job,” Yorke said. “When all that comes together, it leads to organizational depth and really speaks volumes to the process and how we go about solving the draft itself.”
The Detroit Red Wings are second with eight prospects, followed by the Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings and Minnesota Wild with six each. Thirty of the 32 NHL teams will have at least one prospect in the tournament; the New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning won’t have anyone playing.
The 2022 WJC is scheduled for Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta. The 10 teams are split into two groups for the preliminary round. Group A consists of Canada, Finland, Germany, Czechia and Austria, and will play its preliminary-round games at Rogers Place in Edmonton. Group B features the United States, which won the 2021 WJC, along with Russia, Sweden, Slovakia and Switzerland, with preliminary-round games at WP Centrium in Red Deer.
All games will be broadcast live in the United States on NHL Network, and on TSN and RDS in Canada.
World Junior Championship rosters
Austria
Goalies
Lukas Moser, Villach Jr., Austria Jr. league (2022 draft eligible)
Leonhard Sommer, Linz 2, Austria 2nd division (2022 draft eligible)
Sebastian Wraneschitz, Victoria, WHL (2022 draft eligible)
Defensemen
Luca Erne, Fresno, USPHL (2022 draft eligible)
Lukas Horl, RB Hockey Juniors, Austria 2nd division (2022 draft eligible)
Lorenz Lindner, Klagenfurt 2, Austria 2nd division (2022 draft eligible)
Matteo Mitrovic, HTC Hockey Academy U20, Austria Jr. league (2022 draft eligible)
Lucas Necesany, RB Hockey Juniors, Austria 2nd division (2022 draft eligible)
David Reinbacher, Kloten, Swiss 2nd division (2023 draft eligible)
Tobias Sablatting, Klagenfurt 2, Austria 2nd division (2022 draft eligible)
Christoph Tialler, Klagenfurt 2, Austria 2nd division (2022 draft eligible)
Martin Urbanek, Kitzbuhel, Austria 2nd division (2022 draft eligible)
Forwards
Luca Auer, RB Hockey Juniors, Austria 2nd division (2022 draft eligible)
Mathias Bohm, Vienna, AUT (2022 draft eligible)
Tim Geifes, South Shore, USPHL PRE (2022 draft eligible)
Maximilian Hengelmuller, RB Hockey Juniors, Austria 2nd division (2022 draft eligible)
Marco Kasper, Rogle, SHL, (2022 draft eligible)
Oskar Maier, RB Hockey Juniors, Austria 2nd division (2022 draft eligible)
Carolina Hurricanes (10): CAN- Ronan Seeley, D; FIN- Aleksi Heimosalmi, D; Ville Koivunen, F; GER- Nikita Quapp, G; RUS- Nikita Guslistov, F; Alexander Pashin, F; Vasily Ponomarev, F; SWE- Zion Nybeck, F; Joel Nystrom, D; USA- Scott Morrow, D
Detroit Red Wings (8): CAN- Sebastian Cossa, G; Donovan Sebrango, D; CZE- Jan Bednar, G; FIN- Eemil Viro, D; SWE- Simon Edvinsson, D; Theodor Niederbach, F; USA- Carter Mazur, F; Redmond Savage, F
Los Angeles Kings (6): FIN- Samuel Helenius, F; Kasper Simontaival, F; RUS- Kirill Kirsanov, D; SVK- Martin Chromiak, F; SWE- Helge Grans, D; USA- Brock Faber, D
Minnesota Wild (6): CAN- Carson Lambos, D; Ryan O’Rourke, D; CZE- Pavel Novak, F; RUS- Marat Khusnutdinov, F; SWE- Jesper Wallstedt, G; USA- Jack Peart, D
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.
The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.
Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.
There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.
Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.
But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.
The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”
The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.
Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.
Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.
Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.
Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.
“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”
“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.
Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.
Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.
The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.
Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.
Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.
Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.
Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.
Canada Roster
Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).
Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).
Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).
Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
