Whalers' Tom Wilson Receives Team Canada World Junior Championship Invitation

There's a good chance that the Plymouth Whalers' Tom Wislon will be in Russia during the Christmas holidays.

Wilson is one of 37 players to receive an invitation to try out for Team Canada for the 2013 World Junior Championships, which will be held Dec. 25-Jan. 5 in Ufa, Russia.

In addition, USA Hockey will announce their preliminary roster for the World Junior Championships on Tuesday.  Stefan Noesen rates an excellent chance of representing the United States.  See more in Chris Peters' The United States of Hockey Blog.

WILSON AUDIO: Tom Wilson was interviewed by Team 1200 Radio in Ottawa last week.

Yahoo! Sports Junior Hockey.com examines Team Canada.

Here's the release from Hockey Canada:

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), announced Monday that 37 of Canada’s top junior-aged players (born in 1993 or later) have been invited to take part in Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp, Dec. 11-13, 2012 at the Markin MacPhail Centre at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary.

Of the 37 players invited, six are returning players – Dougie Hamilton (Toronto, Ont./Niagara, OHL), Scott Harrington (Kingston, Ont./London, OHL), Jonathan Huberdeau (St-Jérôme, Que./Saint John, QMJHL), Boone Jenner (Dorchester, Ont./Oshawa, OHL), Mark Scheifele (Kitchener, Ont./ Barrie, OHL) and Ryan Strome (Mississauga, Ont./ Niagara, OHL) helped Canada earn a bronze medal at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship in Alberta. A seventh potential returning player, Ryan Murray (White City, Sask./Everett, WHL), is unavailable due to an injury.

CHL Players invited to Camp:

Goaltenders:

• Jordan Binnington (Owen Sound Attack)
• Laurent Brossoit (Edmonton Oil Kings)
• Jake Paterson (Saginaw Spirit)
• Malcolm Subban (Belleville Bulls)

Defencemen:

• Frank Corrado (Sudbury Wolves)
• Mathew Dumba (Red Deer Rebels)
• Dougie Hamilton (Niagara IceDogs)
• Scott Harrington (London Knights)
• Ryan Murphy (Kitchener Rangers)
• Xavier Ouellet (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada)
• Adam Pelech (Erie Otters)
• Derrick Pouliot (Portland Winterhawks)
• Griffin Reinhart (Edmonton Oil Kings)
• Morgan Rielly (Moose Jaw Warriors)
• Ryan Sproul (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
• Tyler Wotherspoon (Portland Winterhawks)

Forwards:

• Francis Beauvillier (Rimouski Oceanic)
• Anthony Camara (Barrie Colts)
• Daniel Catenacci (Owen Sound Attack)
• Phillip Danault (Victoriaville Tigres)
• Jonathan Drouin (Halifax Mooseheads)
• Tyler Graovac (Ottawa 67’s)
• Jonathan Huberdeau (Saint John Sea Dogs)
• Charles Hudon (Chicoutimi Sagueneens)
• Boone Jenner (Oshawa Generals)
• JC Lipon (Kamloops Blazers)
• Nathan MacKinnon (Halifax Mooseheads)
• Mark McNeill (Prince Albert Raiders)
• Sean Monahan (Ottawa 67’s)
• Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Oklahoma City Barons/Red Deer Rebels)*
• Ty Rattie (Portland Winterhawks)
• Brett Ritchie (Niagara IceDogs)
• Mark Scheifele (Barrie Colts)
• Hunter Shinkaruk (Medicine Hat Tigers)
• Colton Sissons (Kelowna Rockets)
• Ryan Strome (Niagara IceDogs)
• Tom Wilson (Plymouth Whalers)

*CHL graduate

In total, 31 of the players named to the selection camp roster were drafted in either the 2011 or 2012 NHL Entry Drafts, including 13 first-round selections and eight second-round picks.

“On behalf of Hockey Canada, we want to congratulate the players named to the camp roster today, along with their club teams, parents and minor hockey coaches that have helped them reach this level,” said Scott Salmond, Hockey Canada’s senior director of hockey operations/national teams.

“Thanks to Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence, many of these players have already received the experience necessary to deal with high-paced international competition such as the World Juniors,” said Kevin Prendergast, Hockey Canada’s head scout of the men’s Program of Excellence. “The quality and skill of the 37 players invited to camp next week is a testament to the hard work, commitment and development of all those involved in the Canadian minor hockey and junior hockey systems.”

Prendergast travelled coast to coast during the early months of the 2012-13 season, assessing players in preparation for the selection camp.

“On behalf of the Canadian Hockey League, I would like to congratulate all players who have been named to the selection camp roster,” said David Branch, president of the CHL. “This is a tremendous honour, and all have worked extremely hard to get to where they are today.”