A pair of forwards from the Lloydmisnter Bobcats will be wearing the maple leaf this month as Noah Bauld and Troy Van Tetering have been selected to represent Team Canada West at the 2015 World Jr. A Challenge (WJAC), taking place from December 13th to 20th in Cobourg and Whitby, Ontario.
Bauld and Van Tetering were two of four Bobcats invited to selection camp in Leduc over the last four days, with Cole Josefchak and Evan Tschumi being the other two. Josefchak and Tschumi will return to the team in time to dress in tomorrow night's showdown against the Spruce Grove Saints, and will be able to play the remaining seven games of 2015, which Bauld and Van Tetering will be unavailable for.
This is the first time any Bobcat has been selected to play at the WJAC since goaltender Tyler Briggs in 2011. Prior to that, Scott Enders was selected from the Bobcats in 2007, bringing the total to four players who have ever made the team. Current Bobcat Morgan Messenger competed in the tournament two years ago in 2013, when he was selected from the Yarmouth Mariners of the Maritime Hockey League.
The two Bobcats players are a part of 12 Alberta Junior Hockey League representatives on the 22 man roster, which was selected from five leagues in western Canada (British Columbia Hockey League, AJHL, Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, Manitoba Junior Hockey League, Superior International Junior Hockey League).
The WJAC is a showcase of the top Jr. A players in the world as five countries send their best representatives to face off for the championship. This year, the tournament consists of Canada West, Canada East, the United States, Russia, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. Players who have competed in the tournament over the years include Kyle Turris (Ottawa Senators), Evgeny Kuznetsov (Washington Capitals), Craig Smith (Nashville Predators), Nikolaj Ehlers (Winnipeg Jets), Nail Yakupov (Edmonton Oilers), and Jaden Schwartz (St. Lous Blues).
Bobcats fans will be able to watch all the action online during the 2015 World Jr. A Challenge.
