Saint John Area Hosts Top Young Players For World Under 17 Hockey Challenge
SAINT JOHN – Local hockey fans watch the Saint John Sea Dogs compete on a regular basis against the best in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Next month they get to see four of them go up against the top young players on the planet with the World Under 17 Hockey Challenge taking place, November 3-10.
Josh Lawrence, Charlie DesRoches, Jérémie Poirier, and William Villeneuve were amongst the 66 players from across the country selected to compete on three Canadian teams against the top teams from Europe and the U.S.
Saint John is the only team in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) sending as many as four players to the world tournament, a testament to the calibre of young talent on the Sea Dogs right now says event chair Aaron Kennedy.
“They’re young, up and coming talented hockey players on a rebuilding team,” said Kennedy. “The local folks are familiar with them, having seen them play here since the season started. Saint John is the best-represented team in the CHL, which is something the Sea Dogs can take a lot of pride in. Even though they’re young, they are talented and that’s why they have four of them in this event.”
Kennedy says the region’s hockey fans have a special opportunity to watch future National Hockey League (NHL) stars in action.
“This is the cream of the crop,” said Kennedy. “Alexander Ovechkin, Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau – all of the top-name players have gone through this tournament…it’s a great chance to see the young stars of the future. They’re all going to be here.”
Kennedy says that scouts from every NHL team will likely be here too. Lawrence, a centre who has five goals and three assists in 11 games with the Sea Dogs, welcomes the opportunity to show what he can do, but he doesn’t feel more pressure to perform with the added level of scrutiny.
It’s going to be a great opportunity for me to showcase what I can do against some of the best players in the world,” said Lawrence.
“Anyone can be watching at any time, so every time I step on the ice I put my best foot forward and play my heart out. I’m going to play my game and have fun.”
The Fredericton native is really excited to play in front of his family and friends, and his fan base in Saint John.
“It’s an incredible feeling to represent your country,” said Lawrence. “It’s a tremendous honour, especially in my home province. It’s going to be a lot of fun playing in front of family and friends.
“It’s really neat that it’s so close to home, especially in front of the Saint John fans,” added Lawrence, a Grade 11 student at St. Malachy’s High School in the city centre. “They’re a really great group of fans. It’s going to be awesome.”
The tournament opens Saturday, November 3 at the qplex in Quispamsis when Finland takes on Sweden at 3:30 pm, followed by Team Canada Red, silver-medallist last year, facing off against Russia at 7:30 pm.
The United States will kick off the action at Harbour Station in Saint John on Sunday, November 4 when it plays the Czech Republic at 12 pm, followed by an all-Canadian match-up between Team Canada Black and Team Canada White at 4 pm.
The community is enthusiastic about the tournament with full-event ticket packages already sold out. But people can buy a $99 Harbour Station ticket package at the box office, which includes all preliminary-round games in Saint John, as well as both semi-finals and the bronze- and gold-medal games.
Single-game tickets are also available online starting at $13. Kennedy says these are selling quickly, especially for the games at the qplex.
“There are certainly very limited numbers of tickets for the prime time games at the qplex because it’s a much smaller venue (than Harbour Station) and the demand will outstrip the supply very soon,” he said.
“If you’re out in the Kennebecasis Valley and you’re thinking, ‘I’d really like to go to that Canada-Russia game,’ which is the marquee game on the first day of the tournament, you might want to get into the qplex and get those tickets soon because they’re going to be gone.”
To view the complete schedule and purchase tickets, visit the Hockey Canada web site: https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/national-championships/men/world-u17/2018. You can also purchase tickets at Harbour Station or the qplex.
Banner photo: Josh Lawrence of the Saint John Sea Dogs is one of 66 players from across the country selected to compete on three Canadian teams against the top teams from Europe and the U.S. Image: submitted.