Cameron gets call from Canada for worlds

Dave Cameron’s future with the Senators is clouded, but he’ll be behind one bench this spring.

The Senators’ head coach was named Tuesday to the staff that will lead Canada at the world hockey championship next month in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Cameron will serve as an assistant to head coach Bill Peters of the Carolina Hurricanes, while former Minnesota head coach Mike Yeo will be the other assistant coach.

Cameron has three medals with Canada’s national junior program. He won gold as an assistant in 2009 along with silver in 2010 and 2011. He was the head coach of the program in Buffalo in 2011.

“I’m thankful and humbled to Hockey Canada to have this opportunity,” Cameron told TSN 1200. “This business is all about working hard and improving and there’s no better (way) of improving than working with Hockey Canada.

“I’m really excited about the world championship. They have a rich history and I’m excited to be part of it.”

He likely won’t be the only Senators presence at the world championship. Team Canada is looking at the possibility of inviting Ottawa forwards Mark Stone, Mike Hoffman and Zack Smith.

Stone sat out Tuesday’s visit by the Pittsburgh Penguins because he’s still feeling the effects of a hit from Winnipeg’s Dustin Byfuglien last week. Harpur makes quick return: Ben Harpur didn’t get a chance to get settled back in Binghamton.

Less than 48 hours after having his emergency recall ended by the Senators, he was brought back up by the club to suit up against the Penguins.

Called up to play his first NHL game last Thursday against the Minnesota Wild, Harpur was sent back to the AHL after the Senators’ 3-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday, but was brought back up Tuesday morning.

Defenceman Marc Methot, who missed Saturday’s game with the flu, suffered an injury eight minutes into the morning skate and left the ice quickly. That’s when the Senators had to reach out to Binghamton to get Harpur here.

If the Senators hadn’t been able to get a defenceman to Ottawa, Cameron said the club would have gone with five blueliners against the Penguins rather than try to move a forward back to defence.

I’m really excited about |the world championship. They have a rich history and I’m excited to be part of it.

DAVE CAMERON