Team Canada World Jr’s: Catton, Heidt, Molendyk, Price and Yager invited to selection camp

Forwards Berkly Catton, Riley Heidt and Brayden Yager are joined by defencemen Caden Price and Tanner Molendyk as invites to camp Dec. 10-13 at Ottawa, Ont., where 32 players will be vying for spots on the Team Canada roster.

Saskatoon will be well represented at the upcoming Team Canada world junior hockey championship selection camp.

Forwards Berkly Catton, Riley Heidt and Brayden Yager are joined by defencemen Caden Price and Tanner Molendyk as invites to camp Dec. 10-13 at Ottawa, Ont., where 32 players will be vying for spots on the Team Canada roster.

Catton, Heidt, Price and Yager (Martensville) are all Saskatoon Minor Hockey Association products, while Molendyk is currently a member of the Saskatoon Blades.

Saskatoon's Berkly Catton is among the 32 players invited to Team Canada's world junior selection camp
Seattle Kraken centre Berkly Catton (27) moves the puck as Calgary Flames defenceman Hunter Brzustewicz (48) and centre Clark Bishop (61) defend during the first period of a pre-season NHL hockey game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Seattle.Photo by Jason Redmond /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Riley Heidt has been invited to Team Canada's world junior camp.
Prince George Cougars’ Riley Heidt takes part in a game day skate ahead of the CHL/NHL Top Prospects game, in Langley, B.C., on Wednesday, January 25, 2023.Photo by DARRYL DYCK Darryl Dyck /THE CANADIAN PRESS

Brayden Yager has been invited to Team Canada's world junior camp.
Brayden Yager, picked up in the Rutger McGroarty trade, during a Winnipeg Jets informal skate at the Hockey For All Centre in Winnipeg on Wed., Sept. 11, 2024. KEVIN KING/Winnipeg SunPhoto by KEVIN KING /KEVIN KING

Tanner Molendyk has been invited to Team Canada's world junior camp.
Saskatoon Blades defence Tanner Molendyk (24) skates with the puck as Moose Jaw Warriors forward Martin Rysavy (19) defends during the first period of the first game of WHL Eastern Conference final at SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, Sask., on Friday, April 26, 2024.Photo by Heywood Yu /Saskatoon StarPhoenix

Molendyk was selected in the first round, 24th overall, by the Nashville Predators in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Molendyk cracked Canada’s roster for last year’s annual tournament in Sweden, but sustained an upper-body injury in preliminary play that kept him out of competition. The 19-year-old blueliner finished the 2023-24 season in Saskatoon with 10 goals, 46 assists, and 56 points in 50 games. He also finished the regular season at plus-40.

Prince Albert product Tanner Howe, who currently plays for the Calgary Hitmen, was also invited to camp. Howe is a Penguins prospect.

In total, 32 players — four goalies, 10 defencemen and 18 forwards — have earned an invitation from U20 head scout Al Murray (Regina) and the management group, which includes Peter Anholt (Naicam/Lethbridge, WHL) and Brent Seabrook (Tsawwassen, BC), with support from Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, Benoit Roy (Sudbury, Ont), director of hockey operations, and player development coach Scott Walker (Cambridge, Ont./Guelph, OHL).

Head coach Dave Cameron (Kinkora, PEI/Ottawa, OHL), U17 head scout Byron Bonora (Brooks, Alta.) and goaltending consultant Dan De Palma (Kamloops, B.C./Kamloops, WHL), as well as coaches and general managers from across the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), also provided input.

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