For a second straight year, there will be a Newfoundlander playing in the World Junior A Hockey Challenge.
Despite hailing from St. John’s, Alex Newhook will be part of the Team Canada West squad in the five-team tournament which opens Sunday and runs until Dec. 16 in Bonnyville, Alta.
Entering Thursday, the 17-year-old Newhook was the leading scorer in the British Columbia Hockey League with 18 goals and 35 assists for 53 points in 31 games for the Victoria Grizzlies.
Team Canada West’s roster was selected from players in the Canadian Junior Hockey League’s five western leagues — the Alberta Junior Hockey League, British Columbia Hockey League, Manitoba Junior Hockey League, Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and Superior International Junior Hockey League.
Team Canada East players hail from the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League, Ontario Junior Hockey League, Central Canada Hockey League, Ligue de hockey junior AAA du Québec and the Maritime Hockey League.
Other teams entered in the tournament are the Czech Republic, Russia and the United States.
Goalie Andrew Rose of Conception Bay South was in Team Canada East’s selection camp, but didn’t make the cut.
Team Canada West won the tournament last year, with goalie Zach Rose of Paradise winning MVP and all-star honours.
Zach Rose is a teammate of Newhook’s on the Grizzlies, but he hasn’t played so far this season as he recovers from shoulder surgery.
Newhook is set to attend and play hockey at Boston College next season, while Zach Rose will do the same at Bowling Green University in Ohio.
