Dylan Strome, Mathew Barzal and Thomas Chabot have been named captains of Team Canada ahead of the World Junior Hockey Championships.
The leadership group has been through this tournament before and Canada will rely on their experience as they look to avenge their loss in the quarter-finals a year ago.
“We have eight players on this team who are captains of their club teams, and numerous other associate captains, so there is an abundance of leadership,” head coach Dominique Ducharme said in a statement. “Dylan, Mat and Thomas have been through this tournament before, and we have confidence in their ability to lead this team on and off the ice.”
Strome, who grew up in Mississauga, Ont., started his 2016 season in the NHL with the Arizona Coyotes. He played in seven games and recorded one assist, but was sent back to the Erie Otters in November to get more playing time and season his game. In seven games since returning to the OHL, the 19-year-old has picked up five goals and 11 assists.
The Coyotes’ 2015 third-overall draft pick scored four goals and added two assists for the Canadians in last year’s tournament and had a 72 per cent success rate in the face-off circle.
Fellow returnee Barzal was drafted by the New York Islanders in the first round of the 2015 draft and is spending this season with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL. In 16 games, the native of Coquitlam, B.C., has two goals and 17 assists. Barzal picked up three points in five games in his first world juniors.
Chabot, from Sainte-Marie-de-Beauce, Que., is in the midst of an impressive season with the Saint Johns Sea Dogs of the QMJHL, registering five goals and 15 assists in 15 games. The left-handed defenceman was drafted 18th overall by the Ottawa Senators in 2015. He picked up three assists and eight shots on goal in the world juniors last year.
Canada’s tournament officially gets underway on Boxing Day against Russia. They also play Slovakia and Latvia before their New Year’s Eve clash with United States.
Pre-tournament play starts Monday night against the defending champions from Finland.
