(above) Patrick Wiercioch will attend Hockey Canada’s National Junior Team Development Camp along with feloow Pioneer Joe Colborne this weekFrom: Maple Ridge News
by Robert Manglesdorf
The University of Denver’s star defenseman Patrick Wiercioch is headed to Saskatoon this week after being invited to take part in Hockey Canada’s National Junior Team Development Camp.
The camp is the first step to making the Canadian National Junior team that will be vying for a record sixth straight gold medal at the annual U-20 tournament this December.
Wiercioch was picked for the junior team camp last year but did not end making the junior team. He has a much different attitude going in this time around.
“Last year, I was just excited to get the invite,” said Wiercioch. “It was the first time I’d ever been invited to a Hockey Canada team.”
This year, though, his sole focus is on making the team, and winning gold.
“I feel like I’ve established myself,” he says. “I know it’s going to be tough, it’s going to be really competitive, but I’m really looking forward to it.
DU's 6’4” defenseman recorded 35 points in 36 games as an 18-year-old freshman last season.
He’ll be returning to the Pioneers this season, a decision supported by the Ottawa Senators organization, which drafted him in the second round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft (42nd overall).
“We discussed playing in the [Western Hockey League], but playing against 23- and 24-year-olds seemed like a better option for me than playing against 16-year-olds in major junior.
Wiercioch has been training hard since his Pioneers were eliminated from the NCAA hockey finals by the Miami Ohio Redhawks in the regional semi-finals, and he has his sights set on taking a run at the championship this year.
“Were going to have a really strong team this year, and there’s a lot of returning players,” said Wiercioch.
He’s been on the ice four days a week throughout the summer, skating with Los Angeles Kings first round draft pick Colton Teubert in Burnaby. Hockey is a full-time job now, and he rarely gets a day from training.
“There’s so many great young players in B.C. it’s easy to find a group of really skilled guys to scrimmage with,” said Wiercioch.
The junior development camp runs Aug. 5 to 9, and culminates in a pair of intra-squad games. The 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship will be held in Regina and Saskatoon from Dec. 26, 2009 to Jan. 5, 2010.
The camp is the first step to making the Canadian National Junior team that will be vying for a record sixth straight gold medal at the annual U-20 tournament this December.
Wiercioch was picked for the junior team camp last year but did not end making the junior team. He has a much different attitude going in this time around.
“Last year, I was just excited to get the invite,” said Wiercioch. “It was the first time I’d ever been invited to a Hockey Canada team.”
This year, though, his sole focus is on making the team, and winning gold.
“I feel like I’ve established myself,” he says. “I know it’s going to be tough, it’s going to be really competitive, but I’m really looking forward to it.
DU's 6’4” defenseman recorded 35 points in 36 games as an 18-year-old freshman last season.
He’ll be returning to the Pioneers this season, a decision supported by the Ottawa Senators organization, which drafted him in the second round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft (42nd overall).
“We discussed playing in the [Western Hockey League], but playing against 23- and 24-year-olds seemed like a better option for me than playing against 16-year-olds in major junior.
Wiercioch has been training hard since his Pioneers were eliminated from the NCAA hockey finals by the Miami Ohio Redhawks in the regional semi-finals, and he has his sights set on taking a run at the championship this year.
“Were going to have a really strong team this year, and there’s a lot of returning players,” said Wiercioch.
He’s been on the ice four days a week throughout the summer, skating with Los Angeles Kings first round draft pick Colton Teubert in Burnaby. Hockey is a full-time job now, and he rarely gets a day from training.
“There’s so many great young players in B.C. it’s easy to find a group of really skilled guys to scrimmage with,” said Wiercioch.
The junior development camp runs Aug. 5 to 9, and culminates in a pair of intra-squad games. The 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship will be held in Regina and Saskatoon from Dec. 26, 2009 to Jan. 5, 2010.
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