Hockey Canada and World Junior head coach Brent Sutter announced today that Scott Laughton of the Oshawa Generals will be Canada’s captain for the World Junior Championships in Malmo, Sweden. He also announced that Mathew Dumba and Jonathan Drouin will be alternate captains for the squad which will try to end Canada’s four-year gold medal drought.
“I’m an older and with my pro experience and things like that I knew I was going to be a leader on this team, whether I did get a letter or not,” said Laughton. “Just a big day for me and a really big honour.”
Laughton, a first round draft pick (20th overall) of the Philadelphia Flyers in 2012, is currently eighth in OHL scoring with 24 goals and 26 assists for 50 points in 29 games this season.
While this will be Laughton’s first appearance at the World Juniors, he has plenty of international experience with Hockey Canada winning gold at 2011 Ivan Hlinka Tournament and Bronze at the 2012 Under 18 World Championship.
Drouin, was on last year’s team, and was the third overall pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2013 NHL Draft. There was some fear that a recent concussion, suffered by the Halifax Mooseheads star in a game against the Quebec Remparts, could keep Drouin out of the tournament. However, it would appear that he has made a full recovery and will be ready to lead Canada’s offence in Malmo.
Drouin was a member of last year’s world junior team. He also was a member of the Memorial Cup Winning Mooseheads, and currently sits sixth in QMJHL scoring with 17 goals and 50 points in just 23 games.
Dumba was a late cut from last year’s team. He was the 7th overall pick of the Minnesota Wild in the 2012 NHL Draft and has spent the early part of this season in the NHL. Team Canada was extremely pleased when the Wild announced that they were releasing the puck moving defenceman for this tournament. Dumba has one goal and one assist in 11 games for the Wild this year.
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