Canada announces roster for IIHF World Junior Championship

CALGARY --
Owen Power
, who was selected by the Buffalo Sabres with the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, will play for Canada at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship.

The defenseman, currently a sophomore at the University of Michigan, was named to the final 25-player roster Sunday.
Power also played for Canada at the 2021 IIHF World Championship. He had three assists in 10 games to help Canada win the tournament for the first time since 2016.
"I think the goal for every year when you're playing for Team Canada is to win a gold medal," said Power, who is tied for eighth in scoring in the NCAA with 23 points (three goals, 20 assists) in 18 games.
"This year we've got a lot of talent and a lot of skill. I think the team looks really good, and I'm looking forward to it."
The 2022 WJC will be played Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta.
Forward
Cole Perfetti
(Winnipeg Jets), defenseman
Kaiden Guhle
(Montreal Canadiens) and goalie
Dylan Garand
(New York Rangers) are the three returning players from Canada's 2021 WJC team, which lost 2-0 to the United States in the championship game.
Canada won the tournament in 2020.
"The biggest thing is that we're all going to have to buy into the program," Perfetti said. "It's not easy to win at this tournament. The biggest thing is going to be buying in as a team and each guy chipping into their role and doing what they can to contribute for a win. I think the group that we have here, it's going to be special."
Perfetti, who was selected by the Jets with the No. 10 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, is one of 12 first-round picks on Canada's roster.
The others include Power, Guhle (No. 16, Canadiens, 2020), goalie
Sebastian Cossa
(No. 15, Detroit Red Wings, 2021), defenseman
Carson Lambos
(No. 26, Minnesota Wild, 2021), and forwards
Xavier Bourgault
(No. 21, Edmonton Oilers, 2021),
Mavrik Bourque
(No. 30, Dallas Stars, 2020),
Ridly Greig
(No. 28, Ottawa Senators, 2020),
Dylan Guenther
(No. 9, Arizona Coyotes, 2021),
Mason McTavish
(No. 3, Anaheim Ducks, 2021),
Jake Neighbours
(No. 26, St. Louis Blues, 2020), and
Kent Johnson
(No. 5, Columbus Blue Jackets, 2021).
"I think we've got a great group of guys," Garand said. "I think we've got a really fast group. We've got a lot of skill. There's depth on every line and everyone here is a good player, and I think that's the case with every Hockey Canada team. It's an exciting group, and we're looking froward to getting things going and working towards our ultimate goal of winning a gold medal."
Shane Wright, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, also made the roster after being one of the final players cut last season.
Wright (6-foot, 185 pounds), an A-rated forward on NHL Central Scouting's players to watch list, has scored 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) in 19 games for Kingston in the Ontario Hockey League this season.
He was the captain for Canada at the 2021 IIHF Under-18 World Championship. He scored 14 points (nine goals, five assists) in five games to help it win the tournament.
Connor Bedard, a potential No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, also was named to the roster. He has scored 24 points (14 goals, 10 assists) in 24 games for Regina of the Western Hockey League this season and scored 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in seven games at the 2021 U-18s.
Bedard is the seventh player in the past 44 years to be selected to represent Canada at the tournament as a 16-year-old, joining Wayne Gretzky (1978), Eric Lindros (1989), Jason Spezza (2000), Jay Bouwmeester (2000), Sidney Crosby (2004) and Connor McDavid (2014).
"Obviously it's a dream come true," Bedard said. "Growing up watching the tournament every Christmas … and being able to have the opportunity to play in it is pretty crazy. It still feels very surreal."
Canada, which is part of Group A along with Finland, the Czech Republic, Germany and Austria, will play its preliminary-round games at Rogers Place in Edmonton. The United States is in Group B with Russia, Sweden, Slovakia and Sweden, and is scheduled to play its preliminary-round games at WP Centrium in Red Deer, Alberta.
The top four teams in each group will play in the quarterfinals Jan. 2. The semifinals are Jan. 4, and the championship and third-place game are Jan. 5. Each will be played in Edmonton.
CANADA WJC ROSTER
GOALIES:Brett Brochu, London, OHL (2022 draft eligible); Sebastian Cossa, Edmonton, WHL (Detroit Red Wings); \Dylan Garand, Kamloops, WHL (New York Rangers)
DEFENSEMEN:
Lukas Cormier
, Charlottetown, QMJHL (Vegas Golden Knights); \Kaiden Guhle, Edmonton, WHL (Montreal Canadiens); Carson Lambos, Winnipeg, WHL (Minnesota Wild);
Ryan O'Rourke
, Sault Ste. Marie, OHL (Minnesota Wild); Owen Power, Michigan, NCAA (Buffalo Sabres);
Donovan Sebrango
, Grand Rapids, AHL (Detroit Red Wings);
Ronan Seeley
, Everett, WHL (Carolina Hurricanes);
Olen Zellweger
, Everett, WHL (Anaheim Ducks)
FORWARDS:Connor Bedard, Regina, WHL (2023 draft eligible); Xavier Bourgault, Shawinigan, QMJHL (Edmonton Oilers); Mavrik Bourque, Shawinigan, QMJHL (Dallas Stars);
William Cuylle
, Windsor, OHL (New York Rangers);
Elliot Desnoyers
, Halifax, QMJHL (Philadelphia Flyers); Ridly Greig, Brandon, WHL (Ottawa Senators); Dylan Guenther, Edmonton, WHL (Arizona Coyotes); Kent Johnson, Michigan, NCAA (Columbus Blue Jackets); Mason McTavish, Peterborough, OHL (Anaheim Ducks); Jake Neighbours, Edmonton, WHL (St. Louis Blues); \Cole Perfetti, Manitoba, AHL (Winnipeg Jets);
Justin Sourdif
, Vancouver, WHL (Florida Panthers);
Logan Stankoven
, Kamloops, WHL (Dallas Stars); Shane Wright, Kingston, OHL (2022 draft eligible)
* Denotes returning player*
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