Hockey Canada announced Sunday that Mississauga Steelheads defenceman Ethan Del Mastro has been added to its National Junior Team roster for the upcoming 2022 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship.
Del Mastro, who was voted the Eastern Conference’s best penalty killer and best defensive defenceman in the 2021-22 OHL Coaches Poll, replaces injured blueliner Daemon Hunt of the Moose Jaw Warriors. The 19-year-old from Freelton, Ont. wore the ‘C’ for the Steelheads this past season, recording seven goals, 41 assists and 48 points in 68 games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-34. He has 55 points (7-48–55) in 125 regular season games since being Mississauga’s first round (12th overall) pick in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection.
A left-handed shot at 6-foot-4 and 206Ibs., Del Mastro was a fourth round (105th overall) pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2021 NHL Draft, and signed a three-year entry level NHL contract with Chicago on April 22. He won a World Under-18 Hockey Championship gold medal with Canada in 2021.
Nine OHL players hit the ice as Canada takes on Sweden in World Junior pre-tournament action on Monday night at 7:00pm ET.
Off the plane … onto the ice. 🛬🏒@EthanDelmastro didn’t waste any time joining his new teammates for practice after being added to the 🇨🇦 roster.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/jK6LopfTWn
— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) August 7, 2022
