Coming soon: Team Canada Under-18 squad analysis

We'll have a quick look at Team Canada's entry for this month's Under-18 championship entry later this evening.

Initial impressions are: this is quite a group. They are solid from top-to-bottom and the elimination of Everett and Kitchener from the first round of the CHL playoffs means they'll get two elite defensemen in Ryan Murray (2012) and Ryan Murphy, who, unless you're been living under a rock, you know quite well already.

Up front, they'll have big horse Mark McNeill, along with a very nice mix of power forwards with upside (Austen Brassard, Brett Ritchie, Mark Scheifele, Travis Ewanyk) and smaller, highly skilled types like Daniel Catenacci, Alan Quine, Nick Cousins and Seth Griffith- all from the OHL.

Malcolm Subban (2012) and Andrew D'Agostini are two goalies who won't come with as much fanfare as guys like John Gibson (USA) or Samu Perhonen (Finland) but are more than capable of carrying the load for Canada given the balance of the rest of the roster.

Come back this evening for more detailed breakdowns of the players and analysis.

WHL Super Series roster announced

Here are the skaters for the two Dub vs. Russia games next month, just hit the streets from the WHL. Disappointing if you were hoping to see some of the other 2011 draft eligibles like David Musil, Myles Bell, Sven Bartschi, Marek Tvrdon, etc. Darian Dziurzynski and Neil Manning were not drafted (Manning attended Philadelphia Flyers, Dziruzynski went to Phoenix Coyotes camps on tryouts but did not sign), so they also appear in bold as potential overage selections. Ryan Murray missed the cutoff, so he's a 2012 draft prospect. A shame, because he'd be a solid 1st-rounder in this class and only missed by a couple of weeks.

Team WHL Roster – Kamloops, BC – November 17, 2010

Forwards (12): Year: Club: Hometown:
Schaber, Chase (91) Kamloops Blazers Red Deer, AB
Vey, Linden* (91) Medicine Hat Tigers Wakaw, SK
Howden, Quinton* (92) Moose Jaw Warriors Oak Bank, MB
Herrod, Brandon (91) Prince Albert Raiders Meadow Lake, SK
Froese, Byron (91) Red Deer Rebels Winkler, MB
Nugent-Hopkins, Ryan (93) Red Deer Rebels Burnaby, BC
Ashton, Carter (91) Regina Pats Saskatoon, SK
Weal, Jordan (92) Regina Pats North Vancouver, BC
Hamilton, Curtis (91) Saskatoon Blades Kelowna, BC
Dziurzynski, Darian (91) Saskatoon Blades Lloydminster, AB
Shinnimin, Brendan (91) Tri-City Americans Winnipeg, MB
Gallagher, Brendan* (92) Vancouver Giants Delta, BC

Defence (6): Club: Hometown:
MacKenzie, Matt* (91) Calgary Hitmen New Westminster, BC
Pysyk, Mark* (92) Edmonton Oil Kings Sherwood Park, AB
Murray, Ryan (93) Everett Silvertips White City, SK
Madaisky, Austin (92) Kamloops Blazers Saskatoon, SK
Elliott, Stefan (91) Saskatoon Blades North Vancouver, BC
Cowen, Jared (91) Spokane Chiefs Allen, SK

Goaltenders (2): Club: Hometown:
Simpson, Kent (92) Everett Silvertips Edmonton, AB
Pickard, Calvin (92) Seattle Thunderbirds Winnipeg, MB

Team WHL Roster – Prince George, BC – November 18, 2010

Forwards (11): Year: Club: Hometown:
Glennie, Scott (91) Brandon Wheat Kings Winnipeg, MB
Bubnick, Jimmy (91) Calgary Hitmen Saskatoon, SK
Howse, Ryan (91) Chilliwack Bruins Prince George, BC
Vey, Linden* (91) Medicine Hat Tigers Wakaw, SK
Howden, Quinton* (92) Moose Jaw Warriors Oak Bank, MB
Johansen, Ryan (92) Portland Winterhawks Port Moody, BC
Ross, Brad (92) Portland Winterhawks Lethbridge, AB
Rattie, Ty (93) Portland Winterhawks Airdrie, AB
Connolly, Brett (92) Prince George Cougars Prince George, BC
Eakin, Cody (91) Swift Current Broncos Winnipeg, MB
Gallagher, Brendan* (92) Vancouver Giants Delta, BC

Defence (6): Club: Hometown:
MacKenzie, Matt* (91) Calgary Hitmen New Westminster, BC
Pysyk, Mark* (92) Edmonton Oil Kings Sherwood Park, AB
Barrie, Tyson (91) Kelowna Rockets Victoria, BC
McNabb, Brayden (91) Kootenay Ice Davidson, SK
Ponich, Brett (91) Portland Winterhawks Beaumont, AB
Manning, Neil (91) Vancouver Giants Nanaimo, BC

Goaltenders (2): Club: Hometown:
Simpson, Kent (92) Everett Silvertips Edmonton, AB
Pickard, Calvin (92) Seattle Thunderbirds Winnipeg, MB