Team Canada names selection camp roster for world junior championship

Including Connor McDavid, Canada has at least seven players with world junior championship seasoning who can return for the momentous U20 tournament.

Hockey Canada announced the roster for the Dec. 11-15 selection camp on Monday. Out of the 29-player group, a team will take form under head coach Benoit Groulx that will vie to win the country's first WJC gold medal in five years during what will a massively followed event in Montreal and Toronto, the country's two largest media markets.

"We understand there's a huge mandate, not just with performing at home, but performing well," Hockey Canada president Tom Renney said at a news conference in Montreal.

Hockey Canada will learn by Dec. 19 whether 19-year-old NHLers Bo Horvat, Jonathan Drouin, Anthony Duclair and Curtis Lazar will be loaned from the Vancouver Canucks, Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators respectively.

Here is the complete roster, with players' junior teams and NHL organizations. The distinction between centre and wing, of course, is very malleable.

Centres — Connor McDavid, Erie Otters; Michael Dal Colle, Oshawa Generals (New York Islanders); Jason Dickinson, Guelph Storm (Dallas Stars); Frédérik Gauthier, Rimouski Océanic (Toronto Maple Leafs); Nic Petan, Portland Winterhawks (Winnipeg Jets), Sam Reinhart, Kootenay Ice (Buffalo Sabres).

Wings — Nick Baptiste, Erie Otters (Sabres); Rourke Chartier, Kelowna Rockets (San Jose Sharks); Lawson Crouse, Kingston Frontenacs; Max Domi, London Knights (Arizona Coyotes); Remi Elie, Belleville Bulls (Dallas Stars); Robby Fabbri, Guelph Storm (St. Louis Blues); Morgan Klimchuk, Regina Pats (Calgary Flames); Nick Paul, North Bay Battalion (Ottawa Senators); Brayden Point, Moose Jaw Warriors (Tampa Bay Lightning); Nick Ritchie, Peterborough Petes (Anaheim Ducks); Jake Virtanen, Calgary Hitmen (Vancouver Canucks).

Defence — Chris Bigras, Owen Sound Attack (Colorado Avalanche), Madison Bowey, Kelowna Rockets (Washington Capitals), Haydn Fleury, Red Deer Rebels (Carolina Hurricanes); Dillon  Heatherington, Swift Current Broncos (Columbus Blue Jackets); Joe Hicketts, Victoria Royals (Detroit Red Wings); Samuel Morin, Rimouski Océanic (Philadelphia Flyers); Josh Morrissey, Prince Albert Raiders (Jets); Darnell Nurse, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (Edmonton Oilers); Travis Sanheim, Calgary Hitmen (Philadelphia Flyers); Shea Theodore, Seattle Thunderbirds (Ducks).

Goaltenders — Eric Comrie, Tri-City Americans (Jets); Zach Fucale, Halifax Mooseheads (Montreal Canadiens).

Canada's first game is vs. Slovakia on Dec. 26 at the Bell Centre in Montreal. The host team also faces Germany (Dec. 27), reigning champion Finland (Dec. 29) and the United States (Dec. 31) in Pool A play. Pool B of the Czech Republic, Denmark, Russia, Sweden and Switzerland is playing at Toronto's Air Canada Centre, which will also be the site of the elimination games on Jan. 2, 4 and 5.

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.