EVERETT — The Everett Silvertips will lose a big component of their team following Wednesday’s game, when star defenseman Noah Juulsen leaves to attend Team Canada’s Selection Camp for the 2016 World Junior Championships.
Juulsen was one of 11 defensemen invited to camp. Several media outlets consider the 18-year-old Canadiens prospect as a ‘lock’ to make the team, and his chances improved following a Monday TSN report that fellow invitee Jake Walman of Providence College suffered a shoulder injury and has been ruled out for the tournament that runs Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Helsinki, Finland.
The Silvertips take on Portland at Xfinity Arena Wednesday before heading on the road to Tri-City and Seattle this weekend. All told, Juulsen would likely miss eight games if he makes the team and competes at the event in Finland.
Team USA camp
Of course, Canada is just one of 10 teams that will compete in Finland. Three WHL players were selected for the U.S. Selection Camp. Coincidentally all three hail from the appropriately named U.S. Division.
Portland Winterhawks forward Paul Bittner (Crookston, Minn), Seattle Thunderbirds forward Scott Eansor (Englewood, Colo.) and Tri-City Americans defenseman Brandon Carlo (Colorado Springs, Colo.) each earned invitations to the selection camp.
Everett draftee Auston Matthews (Scottsdale, Ariz.), who is playing professionally in Switzerland this season, was also invited to the camp.
U.S. Division
The U.S. Division isn’t quite as tightly bunched as the Central Division, the latter having three teams tied for first place with 38 points.
However, the top three teams in the U.S. Division — Seattle, Spokane and Everett — are all within four points of one another. Seattle leads the division with 36 points and is 7-2-0-1 in its last 10 games. Spokane has 33 points and is 7-3-0-0 in its previous 10.
The Tips (32 points) are 5-4-0-1 in their last 10, but have a chance to close that gap with games at Seattle on Saturday and at Spokane a week from Wednesday.
Benson, Edmonds honored
Vancouver Giants forward Tyler Benson was named the WHL Player of the Week while Prince George’s Ty Edmonds was the nominee for CHL Goaltender of the Week, the league announced Monday.
Both players played in Everett last week.
Benson scored two goals and six assists as the Giants finished the week 2-2-0-0. He scored the lone goal in Everett’s 3-1 victory Saturday.
Edmonds finished the week with a 3-0-0-0 record, a 0.77 goals against average, a .973 save percentage and one shutout last week. The blanking came in the Cougars’ 3-0 win Friday at Xfinity Arena. Edmonds collected 27 saves in that game for his third shutout of the season.
Calgary sets record
The Calgary Hitmen sold out the Saddledome Sunday with 19,289 attendees as Calgary played host to Swift Current. It is the largest indoor crowd in WHL history, following only the 20,888 who showed up in 2011 when the Hitmen played host to Regina. That game was held outdoors at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium.
What caused the huge crowd? It was Calgary’s Teddy Bear Toss and the fans sent 28,815 bears onto the ice.
Everett will hold its Teddy Bear Toss on Dec. 19 when the Silvertips play host to Vancouver.
For the latest Silvertips news follow Herald writer Jesse Geleynse on Twitter @jessegeleynse.
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