Yahoo Sports Two QMJHL Stars Make Canadian World Junior Team's Final Roster
When Team Canada was gathering players for their World Junior Summer Showcase roster, Drummondville Voltigeurs right winger Ethan Gauthier and Rimouski Oceanic right winger Mathieu Cataford were assigned to Team Canada Red.
It's not the first time the two have played together, having played summer hockey together since they were 7 years old.
By December, they were the only two QMJHL players to get called to training camps.
With the camp now over, both Cataford and Gauthier have been told that they'll remain as teammates as they have both made Team Canada.
Ethan Gauthier
Gauthier makes the team off the back off a 35-point season (11+22) across just 22 games thus far.
Gauthier becomes the third person in his family to don the maple leaf at the tournament, following in the footsteps of his father Denis Gauthier -- a fellow Voltigeurs great -- and cousin Julien -- who is currently with the New York Islanders.
The Tampa Bay Lightning second rounder's spot on the team was well earned, thanks to a goal in the first of two games against the U Sports All Star Team at the camp.
Gauthier plays an offensive, but gritty game that should bode well for flexibility up and down the lineup.
Mathieu Cataford
For Mathieu Cataford, his spot was less much less certain.
He came into the tournament with an impressive 38 points (11+17), however he also arrived at the camp with something else.
Cataford missed most of the camp and first game with a lower body issue. He would return for the second game, but the Vegas Golden Knights' third rounder went point-less.
Despite that, the forward had no regrets.
"I'm just happy with the way I played," the Océanic star told reporters as he awaited the decision.
Thankfully for Cataford, and potentially for Team Canada as well, the team chose to keep him around.
Cataford brings pro-experience, as he's one of the four players on Team Canada's roster to have played professional hockey -- alongside Hurricanes' Bradly Nadeau, Avalanche's Calum Ritchie and Flyers' Jett Luchanko.
He also is a Swiss Army knife, boasting a well-rounded game that was strong enough to be named as the QMJHL's league MVP last season.
Ahead of the tournament, the team will play in a few tune-up games before things officially kick off in Ottawa on Boxing Day.
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