Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League, in collaboration with the Canadian Hockey League and Hockey Canada, announced today the roster for Team WHL, which will compete against Team Russia at the 2018 CIBC Canada Russia Series in Kamloops and Vancouver.

Team WHL will face Team Russia in Game 1 of the 2018 CIBC Canada Russia Series in Kamloops, B.C., on Monday, November 5, before continuing on to Vancouver, B.C. for Game 2 on Tuesday, November 6. The Ontario Hockey League will host Games 3 and 4, while the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League will welcome the festivities for Games 5 and 6.

Team WHL once again features an abundance of NHL prospects, including 10 players previously selected in the first two rounds of the NHL Draft or projected to be selected in the first two rounds of the 2019 NHL Draft. A trio of highly-touted defencemen from the 2018 NHL Draft will man the blueline for Team WHL, including Spokane Chiefs defenceman Ty Smith (New Jersey Devils, 1-17), Moose Jaw Warriors defenceman Jett Woo (Vancouver Canucks, 2-37),  and Lethbridge Hurricanes defenceman Calen Addison (Pittsburgh Penguins, 2-53).

Led by Portland Winterhawks captain Cody Glass (Vegas Golden Knights, 2017 – 1-6), Team WHL’s forwards will be powered by a strong group of highly-touted prospects set to hear their names called at the 2019 NHL Draft, including Dylan Cozens (Lethbridge Hurricanes), Kirby Dach (Saskatoon Blades), and Nolan Foote (Kelowna Rockets).

A pair of Vancouver Giants will have the opportunity to suit up for Team WHL in front of a hometown crowd when the series shifts to Vancouver for Game 2 on November 6. Sophomore defenceman Bowen Byram, projected to be selected in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft, as well as Arizona Coyotes prospect David Tendeck, a product of North Vancouver, will both be in the lineup for Team WHL.

Team WHL Roster:

Forwards

Player Name	Hometown	DOB	WHL Club	NHL Draft
Almeida, Justin	Kitimat, B.C.	1999-02-06	Moose Jaw	PIT 2018 (5-129)
Bellerive, Jordy	North Van., B.C.	1999-05-02	Lethbridge	PIT 2017 (FA)
Cozens, Dylan	Whitehorse, Yukon	2001-02-09	Lethbridge	Eligible 2019
Dach, Kirby	Fort Sask., AB	2001-01-21	Saskatoon	Eligible 2019
Dewar, Connor	The Pas, MB	1999-06-26	Everett	MIN 2018 (3-92)
Fix-Wolansky, Trey	Edmonton, AB	1999-05-26	Edmonton	CBJ 2018 (7-204)
Foote, Nolan	Engelwood, Colo.	2000-11-29	Kelowna	Eligible 2019
Glass, Cody	Winnipeg, MB	1999-04-01	Portland	VGK 2017 (1-6)
Kelly, Parker	Camrose, AB	1999-05-14	Prince Albert	OTT 2017 (FA)
Leason, Brett	Calgary, AB	1999-04-30	Prince Albert	Free Agent
Mattheos, Stelio	Winnipeg, MB	1999-06-14	Brandon	CAR 2017 (3-73)
Sutter, Riley	Calgary, AB	1999-10-25	Everett	WAS 2018 (3-93)

 

Defencemen

Player Name	Hometown	DOB	WHL Club	NHL Draft
Addison, Calen	Brandon, MB	2000-04-11	Lethbridge	PIT 2018 (2-53)
Brook, Josh	Roblin, MB	1999-06-17	Moose Jaw	MTL 2017 (2-56)
Byram, Bowen	Cranbrook, B.C.	2001-06-13	Vancouver	Eligible 2019
Smith, Ty	Lloydminster, AB	2000-03-24	Spokane	NJD 2018 (1-17)
Walford, Scott	Coquitlam, B.C.	1999-01-12	Victoria	MTL 2017 (3-68)
Woo, Jett	Winnipeg, MB	2000-07-27	Moose Jaw	VAN 2018 (2-37)

 

Goaltenders

Player Name	Hometown	DOB	WHL Club	NHL Draft
Scott, Ian	Calgary, AB	1999-01-11	Prince Albert	TOR 2017 (4-110)
Tendeck, David	North Van., B.C.	1999-11-25	Vancouver	ARI 2018 (6-158)

 

The six-game CIBC Canada Russia Series features regional league teams of Canadian National Junior Team candidates competing against the Russian National Junior Team. For the fifth straight season, the event will open with two games in the WHL.

Since the event first began in 2003, CHL teams have played to an overall record of 61-22-1-6. The competitiveness of the rivalry has grown in recent years, with the 2017 event requiring a shootout to break a series tie in Game 6. The first ever shootout finale in event history was won by Team QMJHL, giving the CHL its third consecutive series victory. Team CHL has won 12 times in event history, with Russia emerging victorious on three occasions.

The 2018 CIBC Canada Russia Series is supported by title sponsor CIBC, the Official Bank of the CHL, along with associate sponsors Kia Canada, Sherwin-Williams, Cooper Tires, and Kubota Canada.  All games will be broadcast nationally on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.

2018 CIBC Canada Russia Series Schedule

Game 1 – Monday, November 5 at Kamloops, BC
Game 2 – Tuesday, November 6 at Vancouver, BC
Game 3 – Thursday, November 8 at Sarnia, ON
Game 4 – Monday, November 12 at Oshawa, ON
Game 5 – Tuesday, November 13 at Sherbrooke, QC
Game 6 – Thursday, November 15 at Drummondville, QC

For event information please visit http://chlcanadarussia.ca.

About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 350 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.