Ice rookies make the grade

All four of the Kootenay Ice rostered 16-year-olds have made their respective regional teams for the World U17 Challenge set for Windsor, Ontario this Christmas.

F Sam Reinhart (BC), F Jaedon Descheneau (AB) were named to Team Pacific (BC and Alberta players - 22-man roster, 11 from each province).

F Jon Martin (MB) was named to the Team Western roster made up from players from Saskatchewan and Manitoba. D Spencer Wand (SK) was also named to the club, giving the Ice a clean sweep for 16-year-olds.

Rosters are here and here.

F Luke Philp (AB) of the Canmore Eagles of the AJHL and a late Ice cut was a finalist for Team Pacific as was D Tanner Faith (SK) and D Cole Depape (MB) for Team Western.

As was G Brad Rebagliati, a Cranbrook Minor Hockey product currently playing at OHA in Penticton.

The ten-team annual tournament, featuring five Canadian squads (Team Pacific, Team Western, Team Ontario, Team Quebec and Team Atlantic) play a round-robin format with national development teams from the U.S., Russia, Germany, Sweden and Czech Republic.

The tournament is the first step (U-18 is the next) to identifying World Junior talent for the World U-20 championships held every Christmas.

The amount of players named to the two teams, four of the Ice top seven 16-year-old prospects, speaks volumes of where this program should be in two-three years.

As the Ice hit the road this week, I erred as the Ice start their monster road trip Saturday night in Victoria, not Friday as earlier stated. Broadcast time is an hour later at 8PM Mountain time. (102.9 The Drive).

F Eric Benoit, who took an elbow to the head in Sunday's loss to the Saskatoon Blades in the first period and didn't return, is listed as out 1-2 weeks with an upper body injury.

F Brendan Hurley, who has missed the last month with a knee injury should return on the road trip, if not in time for the game in Victoria.

It'll be a reunion of sorts as the Royals captain is former Ice D Hayden Rintoul who was traded in the off-season for forward Dylen McKinlay. Rintoul, 20, has 6 goals and 11 assist and is -14 on the season for the 11-10-0-1 Royals who are 3rd in the BC Division.