The camp will take place 10-14 December in Toronto and includes two exhibition games against a team of players from Canadian Interuniversity Sport.

The roster was released at a news conference on Tuesday and includes two goaltenders, 11 defencemen and 17 forwards.

Ryan Jankowski, director of player personnel for Hockey Canada, and Tim Speltz, member of the Program of Excellence management group, were responsible for all player selection, with input from coaches and general managers from across the Canadian Hockey League.

Three players from the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship-winning team are included on the roster: Lawson Crouse (Kingston, OHL), Joe Hicketts (Victoria, WHL) and Brayden Point (Moose Jaw, WHL).

“We’re looking to assemble the best possible team to represent the country in Helsinki at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship. With the talent we have attending camp, it’s going to come down to some difficult decisions for us in selecting the players who make the final team,” said Scott Salmond, vice-president of hockey operations and national teams for Hockey Canada.

In total, Hockey Canada will select 22 players to represent the country at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship, which will start on 26 December in Helsinki.

Canada won gold at the IIHF World Junior Championship on home ice in January. The team has not won in Europe since 2008 – the fourth of five consecutive gold medals for Canada’s National Junior Team from 2005 to 2009.

“We have some returning players from last year’s gold medal-winning team, and a lot of international experience with the group as a whole. We’re looking forward to getting everyone together in Toronto next week and getting started,” said Jankowski, who also noted the management team remains in contact with NHL clubs regarding eligible players who may be made available to join the team before Canada finalizes its roster on 20 December.

Six Canadian U20 players with international experience have competed in the National Hockey League this season including defencemen Aaron Ekblad, and forwards Sam Bennett (Calgary), Robby Fabbri (St. Louis), Connor McDavid (Edmonton), Jared McCann (Vancouver) and Jake Virtanen (Vancouver).

Canada opens the tournament against the United States on Saturday, 26 December. Hockey Canada’s official broadcasters, TSN and RDS, are scheduled to broadcast all tournament games, including three pre-tournament games on 19, 20 and 23 December.

The 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship will be staged in the Finnish capital of Helsinki in the city’s two biggest indoor arenas. For 2017 the World Juniors return to Canada. Ticket packages for Montreal and Toronto will go on sale on 7 December.

“We know how Canadians rally behind Canada’s National Junior Team, and we’re gearing up to bring that live experience to Montreal and Toronto next year,” said Tom Renney, president and CEO of Hockey Canada.

“As with previous years, the proceeds from last year’s tournament have been targeted back into supporting the growth of hockey from the grassroots to the high-performance level. We saw the nation come together as we cheered on last year’s team, and I know that when we welcome the world in Montreal and Toronto in 2017, Canadians will be out in full force to show the world our passion for the game.”

– with files from Hockey Canada

Camp Roster Team Canada

Goaltenders:
Mackenzie Blackwood, Barrie (OHL)
Mason McDonald, Charlottetown (QMJHL)

Defencemen:
Thomas Chabot, Saint John (QMJHL)
Jakob Chychrun, Sarnia (OHL)
Travis Dermott, Erie (OHL)
Vince Dunn, Niagara (OHL)
Haydn Fleury, Red Deer (WHL)
Joe Hicketts, Victoria (WHL)
Brandon Hickey, Boston University (HE)
Noah Juulsen, Everett (WHL)
Roland McKeown, Kingston (OHL)
Travis Sanheim, Calgary (WHL)
Jake Walman, Providence College (HE)

Forwards:
Mathew Barzal, Seattle (WHL)
Anthony Beauvillier, Shawinigan (QMJHL)
Rourke Chartier, Kelowna (WHL)
Lawson Crouse, Kingston (OHL)
Michael Dal Colle, Oshawa (OHL)
Pierre-Luc Dubois, Cape Breton (QMJHL)
Julien Gauthier, Val-d’Or (QMJHL)
Jayce Hawryluk, Brandon (WHL)
Travis Konecny, Ottawa (OHL)
Mitchell Marner, London (OHL)
Nick Merkley, Kelowna (WHL)
Brendan Perlini, Niagara (OHL)
Brayden Point, Moose Jaw (WHL)
John Quenneville, Brandon (WHL)
Mitchell Stephens, Saginaw (OHL)
Dylan Strome, Erie (OHL)
Spencer Watson, Kingston (OHL)