Jaden Schwartz of Wilcox Saskatchewan was named the captain for Team Canada at the World Juniors. Head coach Don Hay made the announcement prior to Canada’s last ice session in Banff, where the team has been based since Dec. 16. Schwartz was on the team last year but was only able to play 2 games before he was injured. In those two games Schwartz scored 1 goal and had 2 assists.

Four players were also named as alternate captains by Hay, and will rotate from game to game at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship: Brett Connolly (Prince George, B.C./Tampa Bay, NHL), Brandon Gormley (Murray River, P.E.I./Moncton, QMJHL), Quinton Howden (Oak Bank, Man./ Moose Jaw, WHL) and Devante Smith-Pelly (Scarborough, Ont./Anaheim, NHL).

Canada will play two more pre-competition games prior to the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship: Dec. 22 vs. Switzerland in Red Deer, Alta., and Dec. 23 vs. Sweden in Edmonton, Alta.

This year the IIHF World Junior Championships will be in Calgary and Edmonton Alberta. The tournament gets underway on Boxing Day (December 26th).

For more details on the tournament CLICK HERE