According to TSN, and an update to a situation I blogged about earlier this evening, Devante Smith-Pelly has broken his foot in Canada’s 8-1 win over Finland and will be out for the remainder of the World Junior Hockey Championships.
Smith-Pelly broke his foot by blocking a shot. He will be out of the Anaheim Ducks’ lineup for four to six weeks.
It may be the Christmas season, but it is a very big weekend on the world sport stage. On Boxing Day, the sports world will be focused on Alberta for the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championship. The event is significant because it is the first time that Edmonton and Calgary, two bitter provincial rivals have joined forces to host a world class sporting event. Edmonton will host all of Team Canada’s round robin games, with Calgary hosting the medal round.
Team Canada’s first game is Monday at 1:30pm against Finland (TSN). Both teams have something in common. They both lost to Russia in the medal round at the 2011 World Junior Hockey Championships in Buffalo. Finland lost 4-3 to Russia in the quarterfinals, while Canada lost 5-3 to Russia in the Gold medal game.
Quinton Howden (Wikimedia Commons)
The Team Canada roster was announced for the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championships in Calgary and Edmonton on Wednesday.
Mark Pysyk, a 19 year-old defenceman for the Edmonton Oil Kings, from Sherwood Park, Alberta is the only Alberta native on the roster and only player currently playing on an Alberta based junior team . Pysyk, was Buffalo’s 1st round draft pick, 23rd overall in the 2010 draft. So far this season, he has two goals and 16 assists in 25 games played in the Western Hockey League.
Other notables are four returning players–forwards Brett Connolly, Quinton Howden and Jaden Schwartz and goaltender Mark Visentin.
Connolly is one of two players currently playing in the National Hockey League that made Team Canada. So far this season, he has four goals and four assists with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The other NHL player is Devante Smith-Pelly, who has three goals and two assists in 26 games with the Anaheim Ducks.
Steve Yzerman (Chris O'Meara, Associated Press)
It is time to give high praise to the management of the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Anaheim Ducks.
Lightning General Manager Steve Yzerman has decided to loan right winger Brett Connolly to Team Canada for the World Junior Hockey Championships and Ducks General Manager Bob Murray has decided to do the same with forward Devante Smith-Pelly.
So far this season Connolly had four goals and four assists in 28 games for the Lightning. Last season Connolly played on Team Canada at the 2011 World Junior Hockey Championships in Buffalo and helped them capture a Silver medal. A native of Campbell River, British Columbia, Connolly was the Lightning’s first round draft pick, sixth overall in the 2010 National Hockey League Entry Draft. Before playing with the Lightning this season, Connolly played four years with the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League.
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