Oilers Prospects Surprising Addition to Canada's Roster Likely to Win Gold

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Skyler Walker
December 15, 2022 (0:02)

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That time of year is almost here. Christmas is approaching, and before you know it, 2023 will be here! Therefore, the World Junior Hockey Championship will also be held; it will start on December 26 and finish on January 5 of 2023, lasting a full calendar year. (Just joking, well, not really).

What are the Junior Worlds? The finest of the best, including Wayne Gretzky, Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, and a long list of others, have competed in the World Juniors as young players. Each nation that is chosen to send a team will assemble its most highly scouted talents. There are several built-in rivalries, but the one that always receives the most attention is the one between the USA and Canada.

In the tournament, which starts in 11 days, USA and Canada have quite the rosters, but Team Canada has a strong chance to win it all�on paper, that is.

Let's look at the lineup that Canada has been practising with:

LINE 1: Othmann(NYR) - Wright(SEA) - Bedard (undrafted)

LINE 2: Fantilli (undrafted)- Stankoven (DAL)- Guenther (ARI)

LINE 3: Dean(VGK)- Gaucher (ANA)- Roy (MTL)

LINE 4: Schaefer(EDM)- Bankier (MIN)- Ostapchuk(OTT)

Defense line 1: Del Mastro (CHI) - Zellweger (ANA)

Defense line 2: Allan (CHI) - Clarke (LAK)

Defense line 3: Korchinski (CHI)- Matier (NSH)

The Chicago Blackhawks are the only club with three or more players on a single roster, and they are the first team to accomplish so in a very long time.

R. Schaefer of the Edmonton Oilers, who was not even expected to be invited to camp but has already made the roster thanks to his diligent work, is another lesson to be learned. The Canadian Oilers army will be right behind Schaefer when he gets the chance to play for Canada!