By Rookie, AllHabs.net
MONTREAL, QC. — Three Montreal Canadiens prospects, all forwards, are one step closer to playing for Canada at the 2011 World Junior Hockey Championship.
Louis Leblanc, Montreal’s first-round draft pick in 2009, has 28 points in his first season with the Montreal Juniors of the QMJHL. He was cut from last year’s Team Canada but stands to make a bigger impression at camp this year, since many of the team’s 2010 stars are currently occupied in the NHL.
Brendan Gallagher, drafted 147th this year by the Canadiens, has 38 points this season to date with the Vancouver Giants of the WHL.
Michael Bournival was drafted 71st overall by the Colorado Avalanche this year and traded to the Canadiens in the same transaction that sent Ryan O’Byrne to the Avalanche. Bournival has turned heads this season in the QMJHL, with 31 points in 24 games. No stranger to international competition, Bournival took part in the U-18 World Championship in 2009, with three points in six games.
The players invited to the final Team Canada camp, as per TSN, are:
Goaltenders
| Name | S | Ht. | Wt. | Born | Hometown | Club team | Pro Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP Anderson | R | 5’10 | 192 | 02/14/92 | Toronto, ON | Mississauga (OHL) | SJ 2010 |
| Calvin Pickard | L | 6’1 | 203 | 04/15/92 | Winnipeg, MB | Seattle (WHL) | COL 2010 |
| Olivier Roy | L | 5’11 | 186 | 07/12/91 | Causapscal, QC | Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL) | EDM 2009 |
| Mark Visentin | L | 6’1 | 198 | 08/07/92 | Waterdown, ON | Niagara (OHL) | PHX 2010 |
Defencemen
| Name | S | Ht. | Wt. | Born | Hometown | Club team | Pro Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyson Barrie | R | 5’10 | 190 | 07/26/91 | Victoria, BC | Kelowna (WHL) | COL 2009 |
| Jared Cowen* | L | 6’5 | 227 | 01/25/91 | Allan, SK | Spokane (WHL) | OTT 2009 |
| Simon Despres | L | 6’4 | 222 | 07/27/91 | Laval, QC | Saint John (QMJHL) | PIT 2009 |
| Calvin de Haan* | L | 6’1 | 189 | 05/09/91 | Carp, ON | Oshawa (OHL) | NYI 2009 |
| Ryan Ellis* | R | 5’10 | 184 | 01/03/91 | Freelton, ON | Windsor (OHL) | NSH 2009 |
| Brandon Gormley | L | 6’2 | 192 | 02/18/92 | Murray River, PEI | Moncton (QMJHL) | PHX 2010 |
| Erik Gudbranson | R | 6’4 | 211 | 01/07/92 | Orleans, ON | Kingston (OHL) | FLA 2010 |
| Brayden McNabb | L | 6’4 | 219 | 01/21/91 | Davidson, SK | Kootenay (WHL) | BUF 2009 |
| Ryan Murphy | R | 5’11 | 176 | 03/31/93 | Aurora, ON | Kitchener (OHL) | 2011 Draft |
| Ryan Murray | L | 6’1 | 190 | 09/27/93 | White City, SK | Everett (WHL) | 2012 Draft |
| Dylan Olsen | L | 6’2 | 223 | 01/03/91 | Calgary, AB | Minnesota-Duluth (NCAA) | CHI 2009 |
| Mark Pysyk | R | 6’1 | 187 | 01/11/92 | Sherwood Park, AB | Edmonton (WHL) | BUF 2010 |
Forwards
| Name | S | Ht. | Wt. | Born | Hometown | Club team | Pro Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carter Ashton | L | 6’3 | 219 | 04/01/91 | Saskatoon, SK | Regina (WHL) | TAM 2009 |
| Michael Bournival | L | 5’11 | 179 | 05/31/92 | Shawinigan, QC | Shawinigan (QMJHL) | MTL/COL 2010 |
| Casey Cizikas | L | 5’11 | 191 | 02/27/91 | Mississauga, ON | Mississauga (OHL) | NYI 2009 |
| Brett Connolly | R | 6’2 | 181 | 05/02/92 | Campbell River, BC | Prince George (WHL) | TAM 2010 |
| Sean Couturier | L | 6’3 | 192 | 12/07/92 | Bathurst, NB | Drummondville (QMJHL) | 2011 Draft |
| Cody Eakin | L | 6’0 | 187 | 05/25/91 | Winnipeg, MB | Swift Current (WHL) | WSH 2009 |
| Marcus Foligno | L | 6’1 | 200 | 08/10/91 | Sudbury, ON | Sudbury (OHL) | BUF 2009 |
| Brendan Gallagher | R | 5’8 | 175 | 06/05/92 | Delta, BC | Vancouver (WHL) | MTL 2010 |
| Curtis Hamilton | L | 6’3 | 202 | 12/04/91 | Kelowna, BC | Saskatoon (WHL) | EDM 2010 |
| Joey Hishon | L | 5’10 | 171 | 10/20/91 | Stratford, ON | Owen Sound (OHL) | COL 2010 |
| Quinton Howden | L | 6’3 | 192 | 01/21/92 | Oak Bank, MB | Moose Jaw (WHL) | FLA 2010 |
| Ryan Howse | L | 5’11 | 194 | 07/06/91 | Prince George, BC | Chilliwack (WHL) | CGY 2009 |
| Ryan Johansen | R | 6’2 | 193 | 07/31/92 | Port Moody, BC | Portland (WHL) | CBJ 2010 |
| Zack Kassian | R | 6’3 | 226 | 01/24/91 | LaSalle, ON | Windsor (OHL) | BUF 2009 |
| Louis Leblanc | R | 5’11 | 181 | 01/26/91 | Pointe-Claire, QC | Montreal (QMJHL) | MTL 2009 |
| Ryan Nugent-Hopkins | L | 6’0 | 166 | 04/12/93 | Burnaby, BC | Red Deer (WHL) | 2011 Draft |
| Brandon Pirri | L | 6’1 | 171 | 04/10/91 | Toronto, ON | Rockford (AHL) | CHI 2009 |
| Brad Ross | L | 5’11 | 174 | 05/28/92 | Lethbridge, AB | Portland (WHL) | TOR 2010 |
| Jaden Schwartz | L | 5’10 | 184 | 06/25/92 | Emerald Park, SK | Colorado (WCHA) | STL 2010 |
| Riley Sheahan | L | 6’2 | 204 | 12/07/91 | St. Catharines, ON | Notre Dame (NCAA) | DET 2010 |
| Reilly Smith | R | 6’0 | 161 | 04/01/91 | Mimico, ON | Miami University (CCHA) | DAL 2009 |
| Linden Vey | R | 6’0 | 185 | 07/01/91 | Wakaw, SK | Medicine Hat (WHL) | LOS 2009 |
| Garrett Wilson | L | 6’2 | 205 | 03/16/91 | Elmvale, ON | Owen Sound (OHL) | FLA 2009 |
What other Montreal prospects have a shot at making their respective country’s World Junior team?
Good question… answers anyone?
For the moment I haven’t found any, but I’m not sure if all the camp rosters have been made public so I’ll keep looking!
A bit of a surprise that (according to Renaud Lavoie) Jarred Tinordi doesn’t appear to have been invited to Team USA’s training camp.