Canada to name world junior camp roster Wednesday

Even though he’s a virtual lock to be invited to Hockey Canada’s world junior team selection camp, Regina Pats centre Sam Steel is still nervous. Steel and other top amateur players across the country will keep their phones handy on Wednesday as Hockey Canada holds a news conference to announce who will have the opportunity to earn a spot on its world junior championship roster. The native of Sherwood Park, Alta., was invited to selection camp last year but did not make the final cut. Steel set a torrid pace in the Western Hockey League after that setback, leading the league in points with 50 goals and 81 assists and earning WHL player-of-the-year honours. After attending Anaheim Ducks training camp in September, Steel, 19, returned to Regina and has continued to prove his worth, scoring 12 goals and adding 18 assists in 24 games this season. Canada’s selection camp will be held at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ont., next week as Hockey Canada whittles its roster down to 23 players. It’s expected that seven players will return from last year’s silvermedal winning team. Goalie Carter Hart (Everett), defencemen Jake Bean (Calgary), Kale Clague (Brandon) and Dante Fabbro (Boston University) and forwards Dillon Dubé (Kelowna), Michael McLeod (Mississauga) and Taylor Raddysh (Erie) are all eligible. Others likely to be invited are Steel’s Pats teammate Josh Mahura, Ontario Hockey League leading scorer Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia), centre Robert Thomas (London) and goalies Michael Di Pietro (Windsor) and Dylan Wells (Peterborough).