WJHC CAMP ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY

This afternoon, Hockey Canada will announce the list of players who will participate in the National Junior Selection Camp which will be held later this month in Toronto. The camp will help shape Canada's 22-man roster for the 2011 World Junior Hockey Championships in Buffalo, New York.

The announcement is scheduled to take place at 2:00 pm AST this afternoon. The Hockey Canada website says that it will carry the announcement live.

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League will be represented in some capacity at the camp. A report by RDS indicates that six players from the league will be selected today. They are forwards Louis Leblanc of the Montreal Juniors, Michael Bournival of the Shawinigan Cataractes, and Sean Couturier of the Drummondville Voltigeurs, defensemen Brandon Gormley of the Moncton Wildcats and Simon Despres of the Saint John Sea Dogs, and goaltender Olivier Roy of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.

Nick over at the Juniors blog Hockey Points has a rundown of all the players expected to be named today from the QMJHL.

Despres is the only Sea Dog likely to be named to the camp roster – and he has a great chance of making the team. He was unable to play in the Subway Super Series due to injury, but the Pittsburgh Penguins prospect has been lights out this season. Given his age and his experience with the Hockey Canada program in the past, the ‘Big Horse’ should get a long look.

It isn’t known if Wildcats defenseman Brandon Gormley will be named to the camp roster tomorrow. The Phoenix Coyotes first round pick in June suffered a knee injury in Lewiston on the weekend and is reportedly out of action for close to a month. It is a big loss for Canada as Gormley was all but a lock to make the team.

Other Sea Dogs who have attracted attention from Hockey Canada are Nathan Beaulieu, Zach Phillips, and Jonathan Huberdeau. All three played in the Super Series and Beaulieu also took part in the National Junior team’s summer camp in St. John’s, Newfoundland. It would be surprising if any of them were named to the camp roster, but all three will get their chance in the coming years.

The camp begins December 11th and runs through to the 15th. Canada is scheduled to play exhibition matches against Switzerland in Oshawa on December 20, Sweden in Toronto on December 21 and Finland in Kitchener on December 23. The real fun begins on Boxing Day when Canada takes on Russia.