The news did not sit well with Josh Anderson that he failed to make the cut for Canada's under-18 hockey team.
The Prince George Cougars defenceman learned Tuesday he won't be on the team which opens play in the eight-team Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup tournament next Monday in Beclav, Czech Republic against the host Czech team.
Anderson, who turns 17 on Aug. 29, competed in the 42-player national team camp in Calgary and found out after his third intrasquad game he was being released. Four of the seven defenceman on the Canadian team play in the WHL. Anderson, who remained true to his physical, stay-at-home style, figures he played well enough to earn a spot on the national team, but the numbers were not in his favour.
"I thought it was a good camp and I played pretty well, I guess I got robbed at the releases that day," said Anderson, from his home in Duncan. "They just took mostly all skill guys. I'm more of a shutdown, penalty-kill type of defenceman. I was pretty disappointed at the time but I've kind of moved on now."
In 42 games for the Cougars last season as a WHL rookie he collected two goals and two assists, as well as 52 penalty minutes, and had a plus-minus rating of minus-nine.
The U-18 team snub fuels Anderson's desire even more to have a solid sophomore season. Picked third overall by the Cougars in the 2013 WHL bantam draft, the six-foot-three, 210-pound Anderson is heading into his NHL draft year and knows he'll have plenty of opportunities to prove to the scouts he's one of the best in the country at what he does.
"I thought I deserved a spot on that team and now I have to go out and prove why I deserve spot on that team," Anderson said. "Everything has just gotten better, I'm bigger, faster, stronger and I'm looking forward to camp."
Fourteen of the 22 players on Canada's U-18 roster play either in the Western Hockey League or B.C. Hockey League. That list includes WHL players: G Dylan Hart (Everett), D Jake Bean (Calgary), D David Quenneville (Brandon), D Josh Mahura (Red Deer), D Kale Clague (Brandon), F Tyler Benson (Vancouver), F Dillon Dube (Kelowna), F Brett Howden (Moose Jaw),F Sam Steel (Regina), F Nolan Patrick (Brandon), F Tanner Kaspick (Brandon), F Beck Malenstyn (Calgary); as well as BCHL veterans D Dante Fabbro (Penticton) and F Tyson Jost (Penticton).
"Some of our sources think Josh should have made that team but we're happy he had a good camp," said Cougars general manager Todd Harkins. "There's a lot of good (1998-born) defencemen across Canada and to be included in that group to potentially make that team is kudos to Josh."
Coached by former Cougars head coach Stan Butler, Canada is pooled in the eight-team tournament with the Czech Republic, Sweden and Switzerland. The United States, Finland, Russia and Slovakia make up the other pool. The Canadian team will also play in the IIHF world under-18 championship in April 2016 in Grand Forks, N.D.
Cougars centre Jansen Harkins was part of the U-18 national team last season and led the Canadian squad to the gold medal at the Hlinka tournament. In April at the IIHF under-18 world championship in Switzerland, Harkins helped Team Canada win the bronze medal.
Like Anderson, Harkins has added incentive to prove Team Canada scouts made a mistake when they did not invite him to the under-20 world junior team development camp in Calgary that ends today.
"I think he was close to being there and I think it's kind of motivated him to prove he deserves to be invited to the (world junior) camp in December and play in the Subway Series (in November)," said Todd Harkins. "We just want our kids to come to camp and have a good start so they do get invited to the Subway series and prove they can play at that level."
Jansen Harkins was a second-round pick of the Winnipeg Jets in this year's draft and along with drafted players Brad Morrison, (fourth round, New York Rangers), Sam Ruopp (fifth round, Columbus) and Tate Olson (seventh round, Vancouver), they are potential candidates to represent the Cougars on Team WHL in the Subway Series against Russia, Nov. 9 in Kelowna and Nov. 10 in Kamloops.
Meanwhile in Calgary, Cougars defenceman Max Martin, and centre Justin Almeida finished their auditions Tuesday at Team Canada's under-17 development camp.
"From people who were there watching, Max Martin stood his ground as one of the better defencemen and Justin was one of the better forwards," said Todd Harkins. "All these guys are going to have great years and will have opportunities with Hockey Canada because if they're in the mix now they'll continue to be in the mix in the future."
Canada will enter three teams (Red, White and Black) in the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, Oct. 30-Nov. 7. The tournament also includes the U.S., Russia, Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic. The Canadian team rosters will be released in late September.
The Cougars returning players will convene for training camp on Wednesday, Aug. 26, to be joined by the rookies on Aug. 28.
In other hockey news,15-year-old goaltender Marcus Allen of Fort St. James has made the short list for B.C. under-16 team, announced Wednesday. The five-foot-eight, 155-pound Allen, is the only player from northern B.C. to make the short list.
The team will play in the 2015 Western Branch Challenge Cup. Oct. 30-Nov. 1 against Alberta, Team Saskatchewan and Team Manitoba. The under-16 provincial team is the first step in being recognized by Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence.
Harkins will be driving to Prince George today from his home in North Vancouver bringing his 14-year-old son Jonas, a defenceman, who will take part in the Cariboo Cougars major midget team training camp.
