BRAYDEN POINT TO CAPTAIN CANADA’S NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM AT 2016 #IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP.

Lawson Crouse, Joe Hicketts to support Point as assistant captains.

HELSINKI, Finland – Team Canada has tapped into three returning players from last year’s IIHF World Junior Championship-winning team in the selection of its team captains.

Forward Brayden Point (Calgary/Moose Jaw, WHL) was named team captain following Canada’s National Junior Team’s autograph session at the team hotel on Christmas Eve. Point, captain of the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL, will be assisted by Lawson Crouse (Mt. Brydges, Ont./Kingston, OHL) and Joe Hicketts (Kamloops, B.C./Victoria, WHL).

“These three players have set a tremendous example for the rest of our team from the start of our camp,” said head coach Dave Lowry. “The leadership, work ethic and attention to detail shown by Brayden, Lawson and Joe are the standard for their teammates.”

Canada won gold at the IIHF World Junior Championship on home ice in January. The team has not won in Europe since 2008 – the fourth of five consecutive gold medals for Canada’s National Junior Team from 2005-09.

Canada opens the tournament against the United States on Saturday, Dec. 26 at 2 p.m. ET. Hockey Canada’s official broadcasters, TSN and RDS, are scheduled to broadcast all tournament games; check local listings for details.

Canada edged Sweden 7-6 on Wednesday in the final tune-up before the official puck-drop of the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship. Jake Virtanen led the scoring for Canada, netting two goals, while Mitch Marner scored the game-winner with less than four minutes to go in the third.

Canada opens the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship against the United States on Saturday, Dec. 26 at 2 p.m. ET; catch all of the action on TSN and RDS.

“I really liked the first 40 minutes. For us, the third period was a really good learning opportunity. We’re going to have to understand that we’re going to have to continue to play a certain way to be able to close out games. Disciplined. We have to understand that what we play every day that are not penalties they are penalties over here and they’re going to be called. What you have to do is you can’t put yourself in those positions.”

-Head coach Dave Lowry