Team Canada Cuts Phillips

Zack Phillips was among Hockey Canada’s first round of cuts this morning in Calgary. Seven players who were taking part in Canada’s world junior selection camp were released in total.

Also cut were Red Deer defenceman Mathew Dumba, Rimouski blueliner Jerome Gauthier-Leduc, Brenden Kichton of the Spokane Chiefs, Mark McNeill of the Prince Albert Raiders, Brandon forward Michael Ferland, and Kootenay forward Max Reinhart.

Phillips played on Team Red in both intrasquad games. Team White won Monday’s game 3-2 while Red beat White 2-0 last night. Phillips took a boarding penalty late in Tuesday’s game.

The Fredericton native has 17 goals and 34 assists in 30 games with the Saint John Sea Dogs this season. Although he’s surely disappointed he didn’t make the team, it’s been quite a year for him. He won the Memorial Cup in May and was selected by the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the National Hockey League Entry Draft.

Having Phillips back in Saint John will be a boost for the Sea Dogs over the next few weeks. With Stanislav Galiev and Ryan Tesink still injured and Jonathan Huberdeau, Tomas Jurco, and Oliver Cooper all possibly away playing in tournaments, the Dogs will need all the offensive help they can get.

Two Sea Dogs remain at Team Canada camp – defenseman Nathan Beaulieu and forward Jonathan Huberdeau. Beaulieu has played in both intrasquad games thus far while Huberdeau has still been sidelined with his foot injury.

Canada takes on the CIS “All-Stars” tonight, a team made up of players from the University of Lethbridge and Calgary. Final cuts are expected to be made tomorrow morning.