U-17 Challenge info

If you're interested in following the World U-17 Challenge this year after Christmas, you can do so through Hockey Canada's website for the tournament. Rosters are available for all the teams there now, although only Team Pacific and Team Western have any current WHLers on them.

The European teams almost certainly have a few players who will play in the WHL in the future, perhaps as early as next season, but of course there is no way to know who those players will be....

The USA team is almost 100% the USNTDP U-17 squad, with no CHLers brought in....which I think is unfortunate since a player like Kelowna's Shane McColgan deserves to play in a tournament like this and would be a lock to play in it if he were Canadian. Perhaps a guy like Seattle's Colin Jacobs deserves some consideration as well....I just don't get how they can bring in some high school and midget players but won't bring in CHLers.

Anyways, if you're interested in following the tournament, here's the WHL affiliations of the kids in the tournament who do not currently play in the WHL:

Team Pacific:

Brock Balson (F) - Prince Albert Raiders

Laurent Brossoit (G) - Edmonton Oil Kings

Spencer Grabowski (F) - Kelowna Rockets

Aaron Hadley (F) - Vancouver Giants

Liam Liston (G) - Brandon Wheat Kings

Team Western:

Wilson Dumais (F) - Prince George Cougars

Todd Fiddler (F) - Medicine Hat Tigers

Zach Franko (F) - Kelowna Rockets

Jordan Fransoo (D) - Brandon Wheat Kings

Rene Hunter (D) - Brandon Wheat Kings

Boston Leier (F) - Medicine Hat Tigers

Austin Lewis (F) - Brandon Wheat Kings

Jens Meilleur (F) - Brandon Wheat Kings

Evan Morden (D) - Everett Silvertips

Colin Mospanchuk (F) - Medicine Hat Tigers

Tyler Oswald (G) - Saskatoon Blades

Zach Rakochy (G) - Red Deer Rebels

Chad Robinson (F) - Red Deer Rebels

Michael Sofillas (F) - Lethbridge Hurricanes

Mitch Vanteeling (F) - Kamloops Blazers

Team USA:

Rocco Grimaldi (F) - Vancouver Giants

Zac Larraza (F) - Prince George Cougars

Matt McNeely (G) - Portland Winterhawks

Adam Reid (F) - Lethbridge Hurricanes