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5 Albertans make Canada's World Juniors team, all of them from Edmonton area

Reid Schaefer skates during the Canadian World Junior Hockey Championships selection camp in Moncton, N.B., Friday, December 9, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ron Ward Reid Schaefer skates during the Canadian World Junior Hockey Championships selection camp in Moncton, N.B., Friday, December 9, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ron Ward
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Edmonton hockey fans have even more reasons to cheer on Team Canada this holiday season after five players from the Alberta capital region made the World Juniors squad Monday.

Reid Schaefer, the Edmonton Oilers' 2022 first-round pick, is one of 13 forwards selected. He is 19 years old, from Spruce Grove and plays for the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL.

Former Oil King and current Arizona Coyote Dylan Guenther will play in his second World Juniors. He is from Edmonton and has 11 points in 21 NHL games this year.

Forward Colton Dach from Fort Saskatchewan also made the team. He's a second-round draft pick of Chicago and currently stars for the Kelowna Rockets. He played AAA in the Fort and this is his first World Juniors tournament.

St. Albert's Zack Ostapchuk will play in his second juniors tournament for Canada. He had three points in seven games last year. He's an Ottawa Senators draft pick and currently plays for Vancouver in the WHL.

Olen Zellweger is the lone Albertan on Team Canada's defence. Also from Fort Saskatchewan, he's an Anaheim Ducks prospect and currently plays in the WHL for the Everett Silvertips.

Zellweger and Ostapchuk were both part of the team that won World Juniors gold in Edmonton in August.

Canada opens the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship on Boxing Day against Czechia at 4:30 p.m. MT on TSN. Halifax and Moncton are hosting this year.

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