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Team Canada U20 Roster Finalized

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Cheer up, final cuts.  There could always be an injury in the pre-tournament games to come, and you could be the next Evander Kane as a result.  

Here's Team Canada's (at least initial) final roster of 22, including 13 forwards, 7 defensemen, and 2 goaltenders:

Team Canada - 2011 U20 Roster
Name Pos S/C Ht. Wt. Year Hometown Club Drafted (Rights)
Carter Ashton RW L 6'3" 219 1991 Saskatoon, SK Tri-City (WHL) 1/29, '09 (TB)
Tyson Barrie D R 5'10" 190 1991 Victoria, BC Kelowna (WHL) 3/64, '09 (COL)
Casey Cizikas C L 5'11" 191 1991 Mississauga, ON Mississauga (OHL) 4/92, '09 (NYI)
Brett Connolly RW R 6'2" 181 1992 Campbell River, BC Prince George (WHL) 1/6, '10 (TB)
Sean Couturier C L 6'3" 192 1992 Bathurst, NB Drummondville (QMJHL) '11 Eligible
Jared Cowen D L 6'5" 227 1991 Allan, SK Spokane (WHL) 1/9, '09 (OTT)
Simon Despres D L 6'4" 222 1991 Laval, QC Saint John (QMJHL) 1/30, '09 (PIT)
Calvin de Haan D L 6'1" 189 1991 Carp, ON Oshawa (OHL) 1/12, '09 (NYI)
Cody Eakin C L 6'0" 187 1991 Winnipeg, MB Swift Current (WHL) 3/85, '09 (WAS)
Ryan Ellis D R 5'10" 184 1991 Freelton, ON Windsor (OHL) 1/11, '09 (NAS)
Marcus Foligno LW L 6'1" 200 1991 Sudbury, ON Sudbury (OHL) 4/104, '09 (BUF)
Erik Gudbranson D L 6'4" 211 1992 Orleans, ON Kingston (OHL) 1/3, '10 (FLA)
Curtis Hamilton LW L 6'3" 202 1991 Kelowna, BC Saskatoon (WHL) 2/48, '10 (EDM)
Quinton Howden LW L 6'3" 192 1992 Oak Bank, MB Moose Jaw (WHL) 1/25, '10 (FLA)
Ryan Johansen C R 6'2" 193 1992 Port Moody, BC Portland (WHL) 1/4, '10 (CLB)
Zack Kassian RW R 6'3" 226 1991 LaSalle, ON Windsor (OHL) 1/13, '09 (BUF)
Louis Leblanc C R 5'11" 181 1991 Point-Clare, QC Montreal (QMJHL) 1/18, '09 (MTL)
Dylan Olsen D L 6'2" 223 1991 Calgary, AB Minnesota-Duluth (WCHA) 1/28, '09 (CHI)
Olivier Roy G L 5'11" 186 1991 Causapscal, QC Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL) 5/133, '09 (EDM)
Brayden Schenn C L 6'1" 192 1991 Saskatoon, SK Brandon (WHL) 1/5, '09 (LA)
Jaden Schwartz C L 5'10" 184 1992 Emerald Park, SK Colorado (WCHA) 1/14, '10 (STL)
Mark Visentin G L 6'1" 198 1992 Waterdown, ON Niagara (OHL) 1/27, '10 (PHX)
 

Since Canadians like to debate these kinds of things, here are the breakdowns.  By league, it is WHL (9), OHL (7), QMJHL (4), WCHA/NCAA (2).  That's somewhat notable given that the head coach, Dave Cameron, is from the OHL.  Cameron picked one of his own players, Casey Cizikas, and went with a goalie he plays against a lot (Visentin) over his own goalie (J.P. Anderson).  Calvin Pickard, the WHL goalie at camp and my pick to back up Roy, admitted to TSN that he had a bad camp

By province, Ontario leads the way with seven players, followed by British Columbia and Saskatchewan (4 each), Quebec (3), Manitoba (2), and one each for Alberta and New Brunswick.  That's actually pretty shocking to see only one Albertan on the team, especially since Manitoba beat them in representaiton.  Manitoba never beats Alberta, unless it's in women's curling.

Sean Couturier is the lone draft eligible player to be picked on this team, so like Taylor Hall last year, he gets an extra opporutnity to show himself in a high stakes situation.  Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Ryan Murphy do not, just like Tyler Seguin last year. 

Another notable late cut was Brandon Pirri, who was released by the Chicago Blackhawks to play at the camp.  It's not often a player already playing professional hockey, and one who played in the NHL already, does not make the team. 

I'll have more on Team Canada in the lead up to the tournament, as we get a better handle on the line combinations and roles become defined.  Some natural centres (like Leblanc) will have to play the wing, but that's common at these events.   It's definitely a big team, and when you can boast five top ten draft picks, and have four players returning from the previous year, you're in very good position to win the tournament.  At the very least, they should definitely be in line for a medal.