Two Kelowna Rockets invited to junior team camp

KELOWNA — Hockey Canada revealed the names of the 30 players invited to participate in Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp of which 10 currently play in the Western Hockey League and two Kelowna Rockets are on that list. They are: Rourke Chartier and Nick Merkley

Last year, 14 WHL players earned invites to Team Canada’s selection camp, while nine attended camp in 2013. In total, two goaltenders, 11 defencemen and 17 forwards were listed on the selection camp roster.

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Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp will run from December 10-14 at the MasterCard Centre in Etobicoke, ON ahead of the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship which begins on December 26 in Helsinki, Finland. Team Canada will finalize its 22-man roster on December 20.

Canada won gold at the IIHF World Junior Championship on home ice in January. The team has not won in Europe since 2008 – the fourth of five consecutive gold medals for Canada’s National Junior Team from 2005-09.