Comrie Among 14 WHL Players Named to CHL Top Prospects Game

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League in association with the three regional leagues, the Halifax Mooseheads Hockey Club, and Home Hardware Stores Limited, today announced the 40 CHL players that will compete in the 2013 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at the Halifax Metro Centre on January 16, 2013.

The 40 CHL players competing in the game were chosen by the 30 NHL clubs then divided into teams by NHL Central Scouting and include 14 players from the Ontario Hockey League, 14 players from the Western Hockey League, and 12 players from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. 

27 of the CHL’s 60 member clubs are represented in this game featuring three players on the host Mooseheads including Team Cherry captain Nathan MacKinnon alongside Jonathan Drouin, and goaltender Zachary Fucale.  Team Orr captain Seth Jones of the Portland Winterhawks will also be joined by a pair of teammates including forwards Oliver Bjorkstrand and Nicolas Petan.  The London Knights and Quebec Remparts also have a trio of players competing on Team Orr with forwards Max Domi, Bo Horvat, and defenceman Nikita Zadorov representing the Knights, while forwards Anthony Duclair, Adam Erne, and Nick Sorensen represent the Remparts. 

“Home Hardware congratulates the 40 players selected for the 2013 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game,” said Paul Straus, President and CEO of Home Hardware Stores Limited.  “This year marks the 18^th annual showcase of the CHL’s top-40 NHL draft eligible players and it continues to be an event that Home Hardware is proud to support. These young players represent communities across the country, and like Home Hardware, they and the sport of hockey are truly a part of the fabric of Canada. On behalf of the Dealer-Owners of close to 1,100 Home Hardware stores in communities across Canada, I would like to wish this year’s  players the very best of luck.”

Last season’s game in Kelowna, BC, featured 10 players that were selected in the first round of the 2012 NHL Draft including Ryan Murray of the Everett Silvertips who was selected second overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets.  Since the event was first introduced in 1996 the game has featured 10 players that were selected with the first overall pick in the NHL Draft including Chris Phillips, Joe Thornton, Vincent Lecavalier, Rick Nash, Marc-Andre Fleury, Patrick Kane, Steven Stamkos, John Tavares, Taylor Hall, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

2013 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game Rosters (WHL Players bold/red):

Team Cherry:

Head Coach – Don Cherry

Goaltenders:
Zachary Fucale (Halifax Mooseheads)
Tristan Jarry (Edmonton Oil Kings)

Defencemen:
Samuel Morin (Rimouski Oceanic)
Josh Morrissey (Prince Albert Raiders)
Mirco Mueller (Everett Silvertips)
Darnell Nurse “A” (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Ryan Pulock (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Eric Roy (Brandon Wheat Kings)

Forwards:
William Carrier (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles)
Jason Dickinson (Guelph Storm)
Jonathan Drouin “A” (Halifax Mooseheads)
Frederik Gauthier (Rimouski Oceanic)
Stephen Harper (Erie Otters)
Ryan Hartman (Plymouth Whalers)
Morgan Klimchuk (Regina Pats)
Ryan Kujawinski (Kingston Frontenacs)
Nathan MacKinnon “C” (Halifax Mooseheads)
Anthony Mantha (Val-d’Or Foreurs)
Zach Nastasiuk (Owen Sound Attack)
Valentin Zykov (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)

Team Orr:

Head Coach – Mike McPhee

Goaltenders:
Eric Comrie (Tri-City Americans)
Spencer Martin (Mississauga Steelheads)

Defencemen:
Chris Bigras (Owen Sound Attack)
Madison Bowey (Kelowna Rockets)
Seth Jones “C” (Portland Winterhawks)
Jan Kostalek (Rimouski Oceanic)
Shea Theodore (Seattle Thunderbirds)
Nikita Zadorov (London Knights)

Forwards:
Justin Bailey (Kitchener Rangers)
Oliver Bjorkstrand (Portland Winterhawks)
Max Domi (London Knights)
Anthony Duclair (Quebec Remparts)
Adam Erne (Quebec Remparts)
Bo Horvat (London Knights)
Curtis Lazar (Edmonton Oil Kings)
Sean Monahan “A” (Ottawa 67’s)
Nicolas Petan (Portland Winterhawks)
Kerby Rychel (Windsor Spitfires)
Hunter Shinkaruk “A” (Medicine Hat Tigers)
Nick Sorensen (Quebec Remparts)

The 2013 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is proudly supported by title partner Home Hardware for the 14^th straight year, along with associate sponsors Bank of Montreal, Subway, Old Dutch, and Post.  The game will be broadcast live to a national audience on Sportsnet and TVA Sports beginning at 8:00 pm Atlantic.

Tickets are still available and can be purchased through Ticket Atlantic or by calling 902-451-1221.

For more information about the event please visit www.homehardwaretopprospects.ca.

About Home Hardware Stores Limited
100% Canadian owned and operated, Home Hardware Stores Limited has a presence in every Canadian province and territory and is the country’s largest independent, Dealer-owned hardware, lumber, building materials and furniture cooperative. Founded on January 1, 1964 by 122 independent hardware Dealers, the cooperative now includes close to 1,100 stores, under the Home Hardware, Home Building Centre, Home Hardware Building Centre and Home Furniture banners, with annual collective retail sales of more than $5 billion. Home Hardware’s independent Dealer-Owners, recognized by the North American Retail Hardware Association as Canada’s best-trained Dealer group, have access to 100,000 quality brand name and private label products, a world-class distribution system and draw upon the power of Home Hardware’s network to provide their local communities with top quality products and services at competitive prices.