Camp Roster Announced Monday

Tomorrow afternoon, Hockey Canada will announce the 40 players invited to their selection camp for the upcoming 2012 World Junior Hockey Championship. TSN is already airing commercials for the tournament.

Three members of the Saint John Sea Dogs – forwards Jonathan Huberdeau and Zack Phillips along with defenseman Nathan Beaulieu – all have legitimate chances of receiving an invitation. All three were named to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Subway Super Series roster. Beaulieu and Huberdeau both attended Canada’s summer development camp.

Phillips leads the Sea Dogs in scoring with 46 points – 16 goals and 30 assists – in 26 games. Beaulieu has seven goals and 16 assists and is +18 in 26 contests. Phillips sits fifth in league scoring while Beaulieu is sixth among defenseman. The two may sit near the top in several statistical categories, but neither are considered locks to make Team Canada’s final roster.

Huberdeau was the only lock of the three until he broke his foot in early November. There are still question marks about when Huberdeau will return, adding even more intrigue to tomorrow’s events.

On Friday, the Telegraph-Journal reported that Huberdeau “is hopeful of a mid-to-late December return.”  According to the Calgary Herald, Team Canada “players will start arriving in Calgary on Dec. 10 and will hit the ice on Dec. 11 to Dec. 14. Red and White games go Dec. 11 and Dec. 12 (both at 5 p.m. MT at Hockey Canada’s new WinSport arena). They’ll square off with the CIS all-stars on Dec. 13 at 7 p.m., also at the WinSport arena.” Canada will play three pre-tournament games before the event begins on Boxing Day.

The question is: if Huberdeau still isn’t 100% by the end of camp, does Hockey Canada take the risk of naming him to the team’s roster? The Florida Panthers prospect was off to a blazing start with Saint John before getting injured, recording 10 goals and 18 assists in 13 games. Is a not-quite-100% Jonathan Huberdeau still better than something else?

A few Sunday night links on tomorrow’s announcement:

- Yahoo! has more on the Huberdeau situation.

- Sportsnet’s Sam Cosentino released his list of players he would invite to camp.

- Brendan Ross of The Hockey Writers looks at Canada’sroster.

Unreal video after the jump.