Power, Wright, Bedard highlight Canada’s selection camp roster

December has arrived and that means the start of the 2022 World Junior Hockey Championship is just weeks away.

On Wednesday, Hockey Canada released its list of invitees for next week’s World Juniors selection camp as Canada attempts to construct a roster that will strike gold after settling for silver last year, losing 2-0 to the United States in the gold-medal final.

The selection camp takes place in Calgary from Dec. 9-13.

The list is highlighted by returning players in forward Cole Perfetti and defenceman Kaiden Guhle as well as the most recent first overall pick and two other potential stars that could go No. 1 in upcoming NHL drafts.

Perfetti, selected 10th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 2020, scored two goals and added four assists over seven games at last year’s tournament inside the bubble in Edmonton. The 19-year-old native of Whitby, Ont., is pointless over two games with the Jets this season, but has six goals and eight assists over 15 games in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose.

Guhle, 19, netted two goals and added an assist over seven games for Canada last season. The Edmonton native, selected 16th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 2020, has two goals and 12 assists over 17 games with the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL this season.

The Buffalo Sabres selected Mississauga’s Owen Power first overall this summer and the 19-year-old highly touted defenceman will be in Calgary for the selection camp. Power has three goals and 20 assists over 16 games with the University of Michigan in 2021-22.

Kingston Frontenacs superstar centre Shane Wright is expected to go first overall in the 2022 Draft and will look to showcase his talents at this year’s World Junior Hockey Championship. The 17-year-old native of Burlington, Ont., is in his second season of OHL play and has netted nine goals with 13 assists over 19 games in 2021-22. Wright tallied 39 goals and 27 assists during the 2019-20 season before the COVID-19 pandemic.

A lot can change ahead of the 2023 NHL Draft, but many believe forward Connor Bedard has a very good chance of going first overall. The 16-year-old made history last year when he became the first player in WHL history to be given exceptional status. Bedard, out of North Vancouver, scored 12 goals and 16 assists over just 15 games in his first season with the Regina Pats in 2020-21 and has 11 goals with six assists over 21 games in the current campaign.

Wright and Bedard could join Power as No. 1 picks over the next two years and all three could be on Team Canada this holiday season.

Other notable players invited to selection camp include 2021 top-10 picks in Mason McTavish (third overall to the Anaheim Ducks), Kent Johnson (fifth overall to the Columbus Blue Jackets) and Dylan Guenther (ninth overall to the Arizona Coyotes).

The 18-year-old McTavish scored two goals and added an assist earlier this season with the Ducks before he was sent back down to the Peterborough Petes of the OHL. Johnson and Guenther have yet to play in the NHL.

Canada will play two selection camp games on Dec. 11 and Dec. 12.

The World Juniors run from Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Edmonton and Red Deer.