Canadiens loan defenceman Victor Mete to Canada’s junior national team

Defenceman Victor Mete was loaned by the Montreal Canadiens to Canada's national junior team on Monday, a day before its selection camp for the upcoming world championships begins.

Mete will be joining 32 other players at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont., on Tuesday. Hockey Canada will narrow its roster of 18 forwards, 11 defencemen and four goaltenders down to 22 players by Friday.

“We've made the decision to allow Victor Mete to join Team Canada's Selection Camp to give him an opportunity to participate in a very beneficial experience for his development,'' said Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin. “The World Junior Hockey Championship is a very elite and very competitive tournament, and this can be a very rewarding opportunity for a young player.''

Mete is one of six Canadian junior-eligible players in the NHL this season and the first to be loaned to Canada's junior team. Columbus centre Pierre-luc Dubois, Arizona defenceman Jakob Chychrun, Philadelphia centre Nolan Patrick and Colorado Avalanche defenceman Samuel Girard and centre Tyson Jost are the other eligible players.

Canada has until Dec. 19 to add any other Nhlers to its roster for the world junior championships that begin on Dec. 26 in Buffalo, N.Y.

Mete has four assists and a plus-5 rating in 27 games with the Canadiens this season. The 19-year-old Woodbridge, Ont., native averaged 14:52 of ice time per game. He was a fourth-round pick for Montreal, 100th overall, in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.