Twenty-two of the country's top junior players will live the dream and become household names beginning on Boxing Day, as Canada takes on Latvia in their opening game at the 2010 World Junior Hockey Championship.
Team Canada looks to pick up from where it left off last year, as its new and returning players shoot for a sixth consecutive gold medal. Canada has dominated the WJHC, winning gold the past five tournaments and capturing a medal for 11 straight years.
"The record is exciting in itself, especially to do it on home soil," said Canadian defenceman Ryan Ellis. "It's important for us to win this and be part of history."
Their 15 gold medals top all countries in the 32-year history of the tournament.
This year's squad features six returning members from last year's gold medal team and a top line featuring Taylor Hall, Adam Henrique and Greg Nemisz from the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL. Hall, the projected No. 1 pick in this year's NHL entry draft, leads the Ontario Hockey League with 59 points in 34 games. He also scored three goals in pre-competition play.
"Yeah, I scored in three straight games but I'm also proud of the fact that I wasn't on for a goal against," Hall said this week. "I think that's pretty big on Team Canada. Any time you can be a good player in both zones, (Canadian coach Willie Desjardins) is going to rely on you."
Jordan Eberle of the Regina Pats - who led Canada to gold in Ottawa last year - is second in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with 60 points in 28 games. The Regina native led Canada in pre-competition scoring with five points (two goals, three assists) in three games.
Netminder Jake Allen, who started in two of Canada's three pre-competition games, will likely get the call in goal.
Latvia didn't win a single game in the round robin last year but stayed on for this year's tournament with wins over Germany and Kazakhstan in the relegation stage. The team is mostly made up for players from Dinamo Riga's junior squad, with Roberts Bukarts and Roland Cinks playing for Dinamo's senior squad.
There are some players in North America, including forward Leitans Edijis and goalies Ermics Raimonds and Dainis Vasilijevs.
