Summer WJC begins Tuesday

Vincent Ethier/CHL

It appears as though three members of the Saint John Sea Dogs' Memorial Cup winning team will suit up in this summer's unique version of the World Junior Hockey Championship.

The 2022 edition of the tournament will be played this month after being cancelled in the winter by a COVID-19 outbreak. The event, which will be played entirely at Edmonton's Rogers Place, begins on Tuesday.

Forward William Dufour will suit up for Team Canada while defenseman Vincent Despont and goaltender Noah Patenaude will play for Switzerland.

Dufour was not named to Canada's roster for the winter version of the tournament but will now step in to replace several of the players who aren't available due to NHL commitments. The New York Islanders prospect no doubt earned himself a spot by his strong, MVP-calibre performance at the Memorial Cup.

Both Despont and Patenaude were left off Switzerland's roster in December due to injuries. Patenaude missed the entire second half of the season with an injury while Despont was used sparingly after the trade deadline. It will be interesting to see how much they play over the next couple weeks.

Sea Dogs forward Raivis Ansons, meanwhile, will not suit up for Latvia. In an article on the IIHF website, it says Ansons is "unavailable at this time" while a Latvian media outlet reports that it was Ansons' decision, citing the long season he's coming off. The Pittsburgh Penguins prospect had four goals and nine points in five games with Latvia at this year's Division 1 Group A tournament.

Dufour and Ansons will likely play in the American Hockey League this coming season. Patenaude, who will be overager, and Despont are both eligible to return to the Sea Dogs.

Canada's first game is Wednesday night against Latvia. Switzerland will also open the tournament on Wednesday, facing Sweden.