Team Chiefs Takes Off To Zurich Babcock, Hamilton, Whitfield Help Canada Shoot For Gold
The Spokane Chiefs will be well-represented when Team Canada seeks its fourth straight gold medal at the World Junior Tournament.
Headed by Chiefs coach Mike Babcock, the favored Canadians - including Spokane defenseman Hugh Hamilton and center Trent Whitfield - left Wednesday for Zurich, Switzerland.
Both Hamilton, the Chiefs captain, and Whitfield “were obvious choices who made it on their own,” Babcock said.
“I didn’t go to bat for them,” the Chiefs coach said. “They came in basically on a tryout basis and beat out guys who were penciled in. They’ve got to be proud.”
Both players are products of Saskatchewan youth hockey programs. Hamilton, 19, is from Leask. Whitfield, 19, grew up in Alameda.
Hamilton, a fifth-round draft choice of the Hartford Whalers, was a surprise selection to some.
“Hugh had a strong camp,” Babcock said. “He came in on the bubble but turned lots of heads. He pushed the puck up ice a lot and was excellent.”
Whitfield, a fourth-round pick of the Boston Bruins, was suspect because he’s played on a bothersome ankle.
“I thought he’d be going home because he was hurt,” Babcock said, “but he got better every day.”
The tournament is one of the year’s highest-rated televised sports events in Canada. The Canadians - who haven’t lost a game in two years - open Dec. 27 at 11 a.m. PST against Germany. They play the U.S. on Dec. 28, also at 11, the Swiss on Dec. 30 and the Czechs on Dec. 31.
Quarterfinals are on New Year’s Day, the semifinals on Jan. 3. The medal round is Jan. 4.
Games are in Geneva and Morges.
The three Chiefs will miss five WHL games.
The holiday season won’t be as bright for Tri-City defenseman Zenith Komarniski, who was among five players cut Wednesday morning before the team broke camp in Kitchener, Ontario, and prepared to fly out.
Whitfield went into the last exhibition game battling Moose Jaw’s Darryl Laplante for the final roster spot at forward, one observer said.
“They played two Ontario University Athletic Association all-star teams,” said Greg Drinnan, sports editor of the Regina Leader-Post. “It was down to those two, Whitfield and Laplante. Going into Tuesday night’s game Whitfield had outplayed Laplante.
“If a forward should be injured, Laplante would fill in.”
Two players from the National Hockey League - center Christian Dube of the New York Rangers and defenseman Jeff Ware of the Toronto Maple Leafs - were selected.
The likely captain is center Alyn McCauley of the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League, Drinnan said.
Other WHL players selected are right wing Brad Isbister, Portland; defenseman Chris Phillips and right wing Shane Willis, Prince Albert; defenseman Jesse Wallin, Red Deer; center Peter Schaefer, Brandon; left wing Brad Larsen, Swift Current; and defenseman Cory Sarich, Saskatoon.
Goaltenders are Marc Denis of Chicoutimi and Martin Biron of Beauport, both of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
Other defenseman are Jason Doig of Granby, Qubec - technically Les Predateurs de Granby - and Richard Jackman of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
Other forwards are Daniel Briere, Drummondville, Quebec; Boyd Devereaux, Kitchener, Ontario; Dwayne Hay, Guelph, Ontario; Trevor Letowski, Sarnia, Ontario; Cameron Mann, Peterborough, Ontario; and Joe Thornton, Sault Ste. Marie, the youngest on the squad.
Thornton, 17, is the early candidate to be the first pick in the NHL Entry Draft.
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