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OTTAWA, CANADA -- The S64 World Junior rosters have been announced, and for another year Jullian Borwin has been named the general manager of that club despite his intense scheduling conflict in the VHL. Fortunately, Canada has reason to celebrate. Borwin has managed team Canada to consecutive awards on the junior level of play, and earned the gold medal at a higher level of international competition. 

GOALIES

Team Canada has not one, but two returning goaltenders to the team this year. Brick Wahl and Kevin Weekes man the crease as Canada attempts to acquire gold hardware for a third consecutive time under GM Jullian Borwin's leadership. Wahl - the starting goaltender for the VHL's Calgary Wranglers - still has a questionable eligibility status given his talent and may be unsuitable for 'junior competition'.

 

Regardless, if eligible, Wahl will undoubtedly be the Canadian starter for the tournament. Wahl has earned a gold medal with team Canada last season and his hot off the heels of a VHLM championship with his former Saskatoon Wild team. Weekes, unfortunately, is a struggling goaltender prospect who has seen his development as a goaltender plateau. Although a unique situation for the VHLM, being a competitive goaltender, he seems complacent to be nothing more than a career minor league goaltender. 

Wahl has a 6-9-1 record with the Calgary Wrangers, supporting a .911 SV% and a 2.77 GAA. 
Weekes has a 20-4-2 record with the Las Vegas Aces, and supports a disappointing .886 SV% but a redeeming 2.31 GAA. 


DEFENCEMEN 

Team Canada supports two returning members of last years victorious squad. Those two individuals are blue line pillars Cayden Saint and Toby Fitzgerald, while Brady Stropko Junior and Mitch Matthews are welcomed as the new talent and are highly anticipated members of the Canadian squad as they grow into better hockey players. Saint has been here before, he's a veteran of all levels of play and although he isn't an offensive defencemen, he is a naturally gifted skater who wins championships.

 

Fitzgerald shares a similar story, except exchanges the level in which they won a championship at. Fitzgerald earned a Founders Cup with the Saskatoon Wild while Saint won the Continental Cup with the Calgary Wranglers. Brandy Stropko Jr is a smooth skating offensive defencemen and can potentially quarterback Canada's powerplay units while Fitzgerald and Saint contain teams offensive units. Stropko has a hard shot from the point and it has found him immediate success in the VHLM.

 

Mitch Matthews is a more rounded defencemen, focused on both his passing and scoring ability, but lacks the high end offensive talent Stropko adds. With a more defensive minded corps manning the back end, team Canada may play a more shut down role unusual for the teams international play. 

Saint has two goals and ten assists for the Calgary Wranglers. 
Fitzgerald has two goals and six assists for the Quebec City Meute.
Stropko Jr  has twelve goals and eleven assists for the Ottawa Lynx.
Matthews has three goals and eleven assists for the Las Vegas Aces. 


FORWARDS 

 Team Canada's forward units feature some of the best talent available. Scott Shawinganen leads the way once again, flanked by Joey Boucher and Gucci Garrop as the top offensive threats for the team. Shawinganen is playing his third world junior with the Canadian team and is looking to extend his gold medal count to three, but it's also a sign the young Canadian joins the cast of struggling players well below their projected potential. Boucher also returns for team Canada - and like many others on this team - is another VHL hopeful below where they were projected to be based on their potential at their respective drafts. Thankfully, both are still talented individuals who will lead team Canada's offence. 

At this point most of the 'returning members' of the roster are either slumping prospects or developing prospects. The above story is no different for Chance Trepanier, who is the fourth member of team Canada's offensive unit playing on a VHL teams roster. John Madden joins team Canada after barely missing the cut last season and is likely to slot in as the teams top right wing position of Jullian Borwin plays to position. Diljodh Starload is an insult to Canadians everywhere and we won't mention him again, except to recap his stats. Dan Baillie, Connor McDavid and Nathan N all join team Canada from the Las Vegas Aces roster this year and are expected to maintain a level of chemistry for the club. It could be expected for these three individuals to start on a line together, but we'll see. 

Shawinganen has thirteen goals and thirteen points for the New York Americans. 
Boucher has two goals and four assists for the Helsinki Titans. 
Garrop has yet to play a VHL or VHLM game this season, however he was a key factor in Yukon's performance during this last season.

Trepanier has five goals and seven assists for the Toronto Legion.  

Madden has sixteen goals and eighteen assists for the Halifax 21st. 

Starload has six shot blocks for the Oslo Storm. 
Baillie has twenty one goals and twenty four assists for the Las Vegas Aces. 
McDavid has thirteen goals and twenty assists for the Las Vegas Aces. 
Nathan N has twenty goals and twenty assists for the Las Vegas Aces. 


   

Edited by Peace
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