Forward Brayden Tracey and defenceman Daemon Hunt were among nine players from the Western Hockey League and 23 in total named to the roster for training camp, which will take place Apr. 8-12 in Kisakallio, Finland.
Tracey is coming off an outstanding season with the Warriors, having racked up 36 goals and 81 points in 66 games to easily win the rookie scoring race and earn the Eastern Conference nomination for Rookie of the Year. The Warriors’ first pick, 21st overall in the 2016 Bantam Draft, Tracey will have the opportunity to play for Canada for the second time in his career after seeing action with Canada Red in the 2017 World Hockey Challenge.
For Hunt – who at 16 is underage for the championship and will be looking to gain international experience – the camp will mark his latest step on the Hockey Canada radar after playing in the World Hockey Challenge this past December. The Warriors first round pick, 15th overall in the 20187 Bantam Draft, Hunt too is coming off a stellar rookie campaign that saw him pick up significant minutes on the Warriors’ blueline while scoring seven times and recording 20 points.
Warriors general manager Alan Millar is part of the team’s management group and will also be keeping a close eye on the camp.
Of the 23 players on this year's roster, eight won gold with Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
“The initial list of players for the 2019 IIHF U18 World Championship features a combination of skill and experience, with 21 of the 23 athletes having played internationally over the last two seasons,” said Brad McEwen, head scout for Hockey Canada. “Our players and staff are excited for the opportunity to represent Canada on the world stage, and we look forward to working towards our goal of bringing home a gold medal in Sweden.”
