TAMPERE, FINLAND – Hockey Canada announced on Monday that Angelo Esposito has been named captain of the National Men’s Under-18 Team for the IIHF World Under-18 Championship, which will be held April 11-22 in Tampere and Rauma, Finland.
Esposito, a forward from Montreal, QC, is a member of the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts. Esposito was captain at the 2006 Junior World Cup in Slovakia and Czech Republic, where Canada won gold.
Team Canada’s assistant captains at the World Under-18 Championship will be forward Colton Gillies (Surrey, BC/Saskatoon, WHL) and defenceman Drew Doughty (London, ON/Guelph, OHL). Both players were members of the summer team that won gold at the Junior World Cup.
Team Canada beat Germany 5-2 on Monday night to conclude its exhibition schedule. On Saturday night, Canada and Sweden played to a 2-2 tie.
On Tuesday, Team Canada’s staff and players will leave Tampere, where they’ve been since Friday, and travel to Rauma, site of Canada’s preliminary games at the World Under-18 Championship. Canada plays its first preliminary game on Thursday against Germany (4 p.m. local, 9 a.m. ET). Canada is in Pool A with Germany, Latvia, Russia and the U.S.A.
TSN/RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcaster, will televise four games at the World Under-18 Championship, beginning with Canada’s game against Russia on April 17th.
Interviews with players and staff during the tournament should be directed to Chris Jurewicz. He can be reached in Finland through April 23rd at 011 358 40 856 58 16.