Hockey fans in Prince George have lived this story before.
Speculation surrounding the national junior team is that forward Brett Connolly, a Prince George minor hockey product who is the captain of the Prince George Cougars, suffered a concussion in Tuesday's exhibition game against Sweden and may be replaced for the world junior hockey championship.
Sources have told TSN that Connolly, who did not play in Canada's 5-2 win over Finland on Thursday, could be ruled out of the tournament. Commentator Bob McKenzie went so far as to suggest Red Deer Rebels forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, a top prospect for the 2011 NHL entry draft, could be summoned to replace the offensive-minded Connolly if team medics rule he is unable to go.
Connolly, taken sixth overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2010 NHL entry draft despite missing all but 16 games with nagging hip injuries, left Tuesday's game after absorbing a check in a game played at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Canada won the game 4-1.
Connolly, 18, was unavailable for comment, and team officials apparently avoided the topic after Thursday's game in Kitchener. Connolly, who leads the Cougars in scoring this season with 22 goals and 36 points in 30 games, did not participate in Wednesday's practice and head coach Dave Cameron would only say "he wasn't feeling good."
This may sound eerily familiar for Cougars followers. Two years ago, winger Dana Tyrell of the Cats made Team Canada but blew out his knee in a pre-season game against, yes, Sweden.
Tyrell, then a 19-year-old, was lost for the remainder of that season. He is now in the NHL with the Tampa Bay Lightning. His spot on that national junior team roster was taken by Evander Kane, then of the Vancouver Giants but now with the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers.
Canada opens this year's tournament on Sunday in Buffalo, facing Russia (1 p.m., TSN).
