O'Rourke cracks Team Canada

The Soo Greyhounds will be without captain Ryan O’Rourke until the new year.

The veteran blueliner earned an opportunity to play with Team Canada at the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship.

O’Rourke is one of eight defencemen on the 25-man Canadian roster.

Hockey Canada announced the roster late Sunday night after a four-day selection camp held in Calgary.

O’Rourke is one of 15 2002 birth year players on the 25-man roster, six of which are defencemen.

The Canadian roster also includes Kingston Frontenacs forward Shane Wright, considered by many as the top prospect available for the 2022 NHL draft, and Regina Pats forward Connor Bedard, considered the top player available for the 2023 draft.

The full Canadian roster follows:

• Goaltenders (3): Brett Brochu (London Knights – OHL), Sebastien Cossa (Edmonton Oil Kings – WHL), Dylan Garand (Kamloops – WHL)
• Defencemen (8): Lukas Cormier (Charlottetown – QMJHL), Kaiden Guhle (Edmonton Oil Kings – WHL), Carson Lambos (Winnipeg Ice – WHL), Ryan O’Rourke (Soo Greyhounds – OHL), Owen Power (University of Michigan Wolverines – Big Ten), Donovan Sebrango (Grand Rapids Griffins – AHL), Ronan Seeley (Everett Silvertips – WHL), Olen Zellweger (Everett Silvertips – WHL)
• Forwards (14): Connor Bedard (Regina Pats – WHL), Xavier Bourgault (Shawinigan Cataractes – QMJHL), Mavrik Bourque (Shawinigan Cataractes – QMJHL), Will Cuylle (Windsor Spitfires – OHL), Elliot Desnoyers (Halifax Mooseheads – QMJHL), Ridley Greig (Brandon Wheat Kings – WHL), Dylan Guenther (Edmonton Oil Kings – WHL), Kent Johnson (University of Michigan Wolverines – Big Ten), Mason McTavish (Peterborough Petes – OHL), Jake Neighbours (Edmonton Oil Kings – WHL), Cole Perfetti (Manitoba Moose – AHL), Justin Sourdif (Vancouver Giants – WHL), Logan Stankoven (Kamloops Blazers – WHL), Shane Wright (Kingston Frontenacs – OHL)