The red, white and black of Team Canada’s roster for the 2024 World Junior Hockey Championship also has some green and some gold.
Oliver Bonk and Easton Cowan of the London Knights were named to the final roster on Wednesday evening after a four-day selection camp in Oakville, Ont.
Knights forward Denver Barkey attended camp but was not on the final roster, however, Canada currently only has 12 forwards.
The thinking seems to be that there is hope a player with eligibility like Zach Benson of the Buffalo Sabres or Matthew Poitras of the Boston Bruins might be released by an NHL team to attend this year’s tournament.
If that does not happen then one of the forwards who was released could be recalled so there is still hope for the players whose name did not appear on the final list.
Being 18 years of age, there were no guarantees for any of the three Knights entering selection camp.
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At the same time, opportunities were as wide open as they could be. Owen Beck of the Peterborough Petes is Canada’s lone returning player from last year’s Gold medal victory in Halifax, N.S..
Cowan continues to live a movie script of a past six months.
The forward from Mt. Brydges, Ont., was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft in June, going 28th overall.
Cowan then had an excellent showing at Maple Leafs training camp where he played in three pre-season games for Toronto before returning to London.
So far this season with the Knights, Cowan has ranked in the top-three in points per game in the Ontario Hockey League and has been a catalyst for London. One of his main strengths for Team Canada will be his ability to play up and down the lineup. He can be scorer or an energy player and has all kinds of experience on the penalty kill and on the OHL’s second-best power play.
Bonk has had a similar six months. He was chosen 22nd overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers.
His role with Canada will play to his all-around ability to make good first passes and start the offence from the defensive zone. Bonk has six goals and 24 assists this season for the Knights and he has become a fixture with London on the man advantage.
The 18-year old from Ottawa, Ont., also has the ability to play a shutdown role if needed.
Team Canada will fly to Gothenburg, Sweden, on Thursday, Dec. 14 and will open the tournament against Finland on Boxing Day at 8:30 a.m., eastern time.
There is an excellent chance that the London players will see a familiar face on the other side of the ice in that first game.
Knights forward Kasper Halttunen has been named to Finland’s final selection camp roster and, with his big frame and his big shot, has a very good chance at making their team.
Canada and Finland are in a group with Germany, Latvia and host Sweden.
Team Canada will meet Latvia on the second day of the tournament and will then face Sweden on Friday, Dec. 29 and then finish their round-robin schedule against Germany on New Year’s Eve.
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