Team Canada and Team USA announced in recent days the list of players who will compete for roster spots for the two countries for their entries in the World Juniors, coming up just after Christmas.
It's amazing to consider that players like Zack Bogosian, John Tavares, Ryan O'Reilly and Matt Duchene are still eligible to play in the tournament but I digress.
For the Canadian entry, the omission of a couple of players surprises me, specifically Zack Kassian of the Peterborough Petes and Tyler Cuma of the Ottawa 67's.
Kassian's omission surprises me based on the crash and bang style he plays with. The veteran Petes forward hasn't exactly been lighting up the OHL but he has been solid.
Cuma surprises me for a bit different reason. The 67's blueliner went into the selection camp last season and had been playing well enough to earn a spot on Team Canada before an injury forced him out of camp. Based on his showing last year, one would think he would be considered for a chance to compete for a spot this year, despite his struggles this season.
Of note, following is a list of NHL players eligible for the Canadian team this season:
John Tavares, NY Islanders
Steve Stamkos, Tampa Bat Lightning
Matt Duschane, Colorado Avalanche
Ryan O'Reilly, Colorado Avalanche
Tyler Myers, Buffalo Sabres
Michael Del Zotto, NY Rangers
James Wright, Tampa Bay Lightning
Evander Kane, Atlanta Thrashers
St. Louis Blues defenseman Alex Pitrangelo was named to the selection camp roster and will be in camp
