Alex Newhook got bumped up Thursday afternoon and experienced a huge letdown later in the day.
But Dawson Mercer hung on.
Newhook, the 18-year-old from St. John’s. was slotted into the starting lineup for the Canadian junior team as it faced a squad of U Sports all-stars in Oakville, Ont., and he scored the juniors’ only goal in a 2-1 loss. But after what was roundly seen as a solid performance, Newhook learned he would be among the cuts as the national team coaching staff, led by Dale Hunter, pared down a 31-player selection camp group as he worked toward a 23-man roster in advance of the world juniors, beginning Boxing Day in the Czech Republic.
“I thought I had a good effort at camp and I was happy with the way I played,” Newhook told TSN after learning he had not made the junior team.
“At the end of the day, it’s nothing I can control. It’s what the coaches want for a team and what they want going into the competition.”
While Newhook, a 2019 first-round draft pick of the Colorado Avalanche, is headed back to Boston College, the draft-eligible Mercer appears headed for Europe. He’s one of 14 forwards — one more than the team is expected to carry — who are being retained as Hunter considers final adjustments.
TSN’s Bob McKenzie tweeted out Thursday night that the Hunter will be monitoring Aidan Dudas, who is dealing with an injury, while he also awaits word on whether Kirby Dach will be made available by the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawk in coming days.
That means as many as two more forwards could be released before the start of the tourney.
The assignment of junior-aged players by National Hockey League teams has already been a factor in roster decisions.
Although he didn’t attend the selection camp, forward Joe Veleno has been made available to the national side by the Detroit Red Wings and on Thursday, the Phoenix Coyotes revealed they were releasing Barrett Hayton, another forward, for duty with the Canadian juniors.
Thursday’s contest was the second game of a two-game series between the two sides. The juniors had won 4-3 on Wednesday night.
St. John’s native and UNB centre Tyler Boland had an assist for the U Sports side in both contests.
Both Mercer and Newhook are 18 and are age-eligible to take part in the 2021 world junior championship.
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It looks like Mercer will be doing some other travelling over the holidays.
On Thursday evening, numerous media outlets were reporting he will be dealt from the Drummondville Volitigeurs to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens in the upcoming Quebec Major Junior Hockey League trading period.
Chicoutimi sits second overall in the QMJHL standings and look to be loading up for a long run in the Presidents Cup playoffs next spring.
A move to acquire Mercer certainly would be a boost in that regard; he has 42 points (18G, 24A) in 26 games for the Volitigeurs this season.
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