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Hockey Canada announced prior to puck drop on Saturday that forwards Shane Wright of the Kingston Frontenacs and Mason McTavish of the Peterborough Petes will both be part of Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team leadership group.
A 17-year-old from Burlington, Ont., Wright will serve as Canada’s captain for the event that is being held in Plano and Frisco, Texas. The 5-foot-11, 180Ib. centreman put together a sensational rookie campaign in 2019-20, earning OHL and CHL Rookie of the Year honours with 39 goals, 27 assists and 66 points over 58 games. Wright’s 39 goals set a new Kingston Frontenacs single season mark for a rookie as the exceptional status freshman more than surpassed the high expectations placed on a first overall OHL Priority Selection choice.
Wright’s prior tour of duty with Hockey Canada came at the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge where he posted seven points (4-3–7) over five games as a member of Team Canada Black. Wright attended Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp in Red Deer, Alta. prior to the 2021 World Juniors where Canada claimed silver.
McTavish, 18, hails from Carp, Ont. and will serve as an alternate captain under head coach Dave Barr. The fifth overall pick of the 2019 OHL Priority Selection, McTavish’s 29 goals were second-most among OHL rookies in 2019-20 and the most by a Petes freshman since Matt Puempel lit the lamp 33 times during the 2009-10 campaign. McTavish recorded nine different multi-goal outings including two hat tricks in his 16-year-old season, being named to the OHL’s second all-rookie team.
The son of former Petes 1993 OHL champion Dale McTavish, Mason recorded three points (2-1–3) over six games with Team Canada White at the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. He has spent the 2020-21 campaign playing abroad in Switzerland, registering 11 points (9-2–11) through 13 games with EHC Olten before following-up with seven points (2-5–7) through four playoff contests. McTavish was assigned an ‘A’ rating on NHL Central Scouting’s latest ‘players to watch’ list.
Kamloops Blazers forward Logan Stankoven rounds out Canada’s leadership group as an alternate captain.
Following Saturday’s 5-1 pre-tournament triumph over Finland, Canada prepares for its tournament opener that takes place on Tuesday at 9:00pm ET against Sweden. Catch all of Canada’s tournament action live on TSN.
REPRESENT!
A trio of #CHL talent has been named to @HockeyCanada ‘s leadership group at the #U18Worlds
C: Shane Wright | @KingstonFronts
A: Mason McTavish | @PetesOHLhockey
A: @LoganStankoven | @blazerhockey pic.twitter.com/d3wR4WnvaH— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) April 24, 2021
