Calgary –

Connor Bedard will highlight a group of 10 players hoping to win their second junior hockey championship title in six months when Hockey Canada begins selection camp for its 2023 team Friday in Moncton, NB

Hockey Canada released a list of 29 camp invitees for the upcoming world junior championships, which begin December 26 in Moncton and Halifax.

Bedard, who has 64 points in 28 games with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League this season, helped Canada win the 2022 tournament, which was held in August in Edmonton after being moved from its usual time due to an outbreak of the Omicron variant of the new coronavirus.

Joining Bedard in camp are 2022 gold medalists Ethan Del Mastro, Nathan Gaucher, Riley Kidney, Carson Lambos, Zack Ostapchuk, Brennan Othmann, Joshua Roy, Logan Stankoven and Olen Zellweger.

The final roster for the tournament will be announced at the end of the selection camp on December 12.

Canada will open its tournament on Boxing Day against Czechia at the Scotiabank Center in Halifax.

Canadian selection camp invitation:

Goals — Tyler Brennan, Prince George (WHL); Benjamin Gaudreau, Sarnia (OHL); Thomas Milic, Seattle (WHL); William Rousseau, Québec (QMJHL).

Defense — Nolan Allan, Seattle; Ethan Del Mastro, Mississauga (OHL); Tyson Hinds, Sherbrooke (QMJHL), Kevin Korchinski, Seattle; Carson Lambos, Winnipeg (WHL); Jack Matier, Ottawa (OHL); Evan Nause, Québec; Ethan Samson, Prince George; Olen Zellweger, Everett (WHL).

Home — Caedan Bankier, Kamloops (WHL); Owen Beck, Mississauga; Connor Bedard, Regina (WHL); Zachary Bolduc, Québec; Colton Dach, Kelowna (WHL); Zach Dean, Gatineau (QMJHL); Jordan Dumais, Halifax (QMJHL); Adam Fantilli, University of Michigan (Top Ten); Nathan Gaucher, Québec; Ryan Greene, Boston University (HE); Riley Kidney, Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL); Zack Ostapchuk, Vancouver (WHL); Brennan Othmann, Peterborough (OHL); Joshua Roy, Sherbrooke; Reid Schaefer, Seattle; Logan Stankoven, Kamloops.