CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada announced on Wednesday the rosters of the five Canadian teams for the 2010 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, to in Timmins, Ont. Partner venues in Cochrane, Iroquois Falls, Kapuskasing, Kirkland Lake and New Liskeard will also host games.

Canada’s five regional teams are Pacific (Alberta, British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Yukon), West (Manitoba, Nunavut, Saskatchewan), Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic (New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island).

The 2010 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge features 10 teams – the five from Canada are joined by teams from Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Sweden and the United States. The teams are split into two groups, with each team playing four preliminary games before the playoff round. International team rosters will be announced closer to the start of the tournament.

The event brings together the top players in the world born in 1993 or later. The under-17 program is the first step in Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence; many players who compete at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge go on to represent Canada with the National Men’s Under-18 Team, National Junior Team and National Men’s Team.

Since the first tournament in 1986, more than 1,000 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge alumni have heard their names called at the NHL Entry Draft. Last year, six of the top 10 picks, and 15 first-rounders overall, were products of the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

“This tournament is important for young players, as it gives scouts their first opportunity to see the players in best-on-best competition,” said Al Murray, Hockey Canada’s head scout for men’s national teams. “The players that will be on the ice in northern Ontario are the cream of the crop in their age group.”

In addition, the 17 officials who will be on the ice at the 2010 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. The selected officials represent eight of Hockey Canada’s branches.

The officials have been selected to represent the Hockey Canada Officiating Program. Hockey Canada registers 33,000 officials each season, in a system consisting of six levels of certification, and continues to be a leader in officiating development through the efforts of its member branches.

TICKET INFORMATION
Ticket packages are available for all games in Timmins, as well as all five partner venues.

For more information on the 2010 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, visit http://hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/National-Championships/Men/World-U17.aspx