Six B.C. players named to Hockey Canada’s World Junior tryout camp

It looks like Burnaby’s Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will finally get a chance to play in the World Junior hockey championship. Cut from the camp as a 17-year-old two years ago, the first overall selection in the 2011 NHL draft was unable to play for his country in last year’s tournament because he was too busy starring as a rookie for the Edmonton Oilers. But with NHL players locked out, Nugent-Hopkins was one of the most prominent names on the list of 37 players chosen to attend Hockey Canada’s selection camp in Calgary from December 11 to 13. This year’s World Junior tournament will be held in Ufa, Russia, starting on Boxing Day. Canada last struck gold at the tournament in 2009.

Other British Columbians receiving camp invitations include goalie Laurent Brossoit of Surrey (Edmonton Oil Kings) along with fellow Surrey native Tyler Wotherspoon (Portland Winterhawks). West Vancouverites Morgan Rielly (Moose Jaw Warriors) and Griffin Reinhart (Edmonton Oil Kings)—both high first-round selections in the 2012 NHL draft—are considered front-runners for spots on Team Canada’s blueline.

Joining Nugent-Hopkins up front is North Vancouver’s Colton Scissons (Kelowna Rockets).

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