CHL Rosters Announced for 2018 CIBC Canada Russia Series
Canadian Hockey League Media Release
Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League, in association with the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and in collaboration with Hockey Canada, have announced the rosters for the 2018 CIBC Canada Russia Series.
75 CHL players divided into three regional league teams with the common goal of representing Canada at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship will take the next step in the evaluation process when they compete against the Russian National Junior Team in a six-game series November 5-15. The action begins with Team WHL competing in Kamloops on November 5 and in Vancouver on November 6, followed by Team OHL in Sarnia on November 8 and in Oshawa on November 12, and ending with Team QMJHL in Sherbrooke on November 13 and in Drummondville on November 15.
The rosters collectively feature 32 players who attended Canada’s World Junior Showcase this summer in Kamloops and were assembled by regional league selection committees who worked in consultation with Hockey Canada Head Scout Brad McEwen.
A total of 52 players competing in November carry NHL affiliations including 13 first round picks. Those players include 2018 selections Barrett Hayton of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (5th, Arizona Coyotes), Noah Dobson of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan (12th, New York Islanders), Ty Dellandrea of the Flint Firebirds (13th, Dallas Stars), Ty Smith of the Spokane Chiefs (17th, New Jersey Devils), Liam Foudy of the London Knights (18th, Columbus Blue Jackets), Ryan Merkley of the Guelph Storm (21st, San Jose Sharks), along with Nicolas Beaudin (27th, Chicago Blackhawks) and Joseph Veleno (30th, Detroit Red Wings) of the Drummondville Voltigeurs. First round picks from 2017 include Cody Glass of the Portland Winterhawks (6th, Vegas Golden Knights), Owen Tippett of the Mississauga Steelheads (10th, Florida Panthers), Nick Suzuki of the Owen Sound Attack (13th, Vegas Golden Knights), Pierre-Olivier Joseph of the Charlottetown Islanders (23rd, Arizona Coyotes), and Morgan Frost of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (27th, Philadelphia Flyers).
Of the rostered players not yet chosen by NHL clubs, seven have been identified by NHL Central Scouting as potential first round candidates for the 2019 NHL Draft. That list includes Bowen Byram of the Vancouver Giants, Dylan Cozens of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Kirby Dach of the Saskatoon Blades, Nolan Foote of the Kelowna Rockets, Raphael Lavoie of the Halifax Mooseheads, Samuel Poulin of the Sherbrooke Phoenix, and Ryan Suzuki of the Barrie Colts. Also competing is projected top pick in 2020 and reigning CHL Rookie of the Year Alexis Lafreniere of the Rimouski Oceanic.
Since the event first began in 2003, CHL teams have emerged victorious in 12 out of 15 series while playing to an overall record of 61-22-1-6. Heading into 2018 competition Team WHL carries an overall record of 20-7-1-2, with Team OHL’s record currently at 24-5-0-1, and Team QMJHL’s at 17-10-0-3.
2018 CIBC Canada Russia Series CHL Rosters:
Goaltenders:
Ian Scott (Prince Albert Raiders)
David Tendeck (Vancouver Giants)
Defencemen:
Calen Addison (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
Josh Brook (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Bowen Byram (Vancouver Giants)
Ty Smith (Spokane Chiefs)
Scott Walford (Victoria Royals)
Jett Woo (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Forwards:
Justin Almeida (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Jordy Bellerive (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
Dylan Cozens (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
Kirby Dach (Saskatoon Blades)
Connor Dewar (Everett Silvertips)
Trey Fix-Wolansky (Edmonton Oil Kings)
Nolan Foote (Kelowna Rockets)
Cody Glass (Portland Winterhawks)
Parker Kelly (Prince Albert Raiders)
Brett Leason (Prince Albert Raiders)
Stelio Mattheos (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Riley Sutter (Everett Silvertips)
Goaltenders:
Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)*
Hunter Jones (Peterborough Petes)^
Luke Richardson (Kitchener Rangers)*
Matthew Villalta (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)^
Defencemen:
Kevin Bahl (Ottawa 67’s)^
Declan Chisholm (Peterborough Petes)^
Hayden Davis (Saginaw Spirit)*
Thomas Harley (Mississauga Steelheads)^
Brady Lyle (Owen Sound Attack)*
Ryan Merkley (Guelph Storm)
Markus Phillips (Owen Sound Attack)
Tyler Tucker (Barrie Colts)*
Giovanni Vallati (Oshawa Generals)
Forwards:
Ty Dellandrea (Flint Firebirds)^
MacKenzie Entwistle (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Liam Foudy (London Knights)
Morgan Frost (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)*
Barrett Hayton (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Cam Hillis (Guelph Storm)*
Ben Jones (Niagara IceDogs)*
Austen Keating (Ottawa 67’s)^
Ryan McGregor (Sarnia Sting)*
Ryan McLeod (Mississauga Steelheads)
Serron Noel (Oshawa Generals)^
Isaac Ratcliffe (Guelph Storm)*
Nate Schnarr (Guelph Storm)^
Jack Studnicka (Oshawa Generals)^
Nick Suzuki (Owen Sound Attack)*
Ryan Suzuki (Barrie Colts)^
Akil Thomas (Niagara IceDogs)
Owen Tippett (Mississauga Steelheads)
*player competing only in Game 3 in Sarnia
^player competing only in Game 4 in Oshawa
Goaltenders:
Olivier Rodrigue (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
Matthew Welsh (Charlottetown Islanders)
Defencemen:
Justin Barron (Halifax Mooseheads)
Nicolas Beaudin (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
Justin Bergeron (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
Xavier Bernard (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
Xavier Bouchard (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Noah Dobson (Acadie-Bathurst Titan)
Pierre-Olivier Joseph (Charlottetown Islanders)
Jared McIsaac (Halifax Mooseheads)
Forwards:
Félix Bibeau (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
Shawn Boudrias (Gatineau Olympiques)
Gabriel Fortier (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Benoit-Olivier Groulx (Halifax Mooseheads)
Nicolas Guay (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
Rafaël Harvey-Pinard (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
Alexis Lafrenière (Rimouski Oceanic)
Raphaël Lavoie (Halifax Mooseheads)
Nathan Légaré (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Antoine Morand (Halifax Mooseheads)
Jakob Pelletier (Moncton Wildcats)
Samuel Poulin (Sherbrooke Phoenix)
Joël Teasdale (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada)
Joseph Veleno (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
The 2018 CIBC Canada Russia Series is supported by title sponsor CIBC, the Official Bank of the CHL, along with associate sponsors Kia Canada, Sherwin-Williams, Cooper Tires, and Kubota Canada. All games will be broadcast nationally on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.
2018 CIBC Canada Russia Series Schedule:
Game 1 – Monday November 5 at Kamloops, BC
Game 2 – Tuesday November 6 at Vancouver, BC
Game 3 – Thursday November 8 at Sarnia, ON
Game 4 – Monday November 12 at Oshawa, ON
Game 5 – Tuesday November 13 at Sherbrooke, QC
Game 6 – Thursday November 15 at Drummondville, QC
For event information including how to purchase tickets please visit http://chlcanadarussia.ca.