There are four first overall draft choices from the NHL playing in Denmark now,
and three play for Canada: Connor McDavid (1st in 2015, by Edmonton; Aaron Ekblad, 1st in 2014, by Florida; and, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 1st in 2011, by Edmonton. The other is Patrick Kane with the U.S.).

Additionally, 16 of the team's 22 players were drafted in the first round, and only four outside the first round up to 100. Ironically, the only two low draft
choices are the goaltenders. Curtis McElhinney was chosen 176th overall by Calgary in 2002, and Darcy Kuemper went 161st overall in 2009 to the Minnesota Wild.

Interestingly, the roster doesn't have a single player with Olympic experience but players have plenty of IIHF tournament play elsewhere from the international program.

Leading the way is captain McDavid who had already won U18 gold, U20 gold, and World Championship gold by the time he was 19. No other player in IIHF history has won these three events so quickly from the start of a career.

Not far behind is Jordan Eberle. Drafted 22nd overall by Edmonton in 2008, he has made the Stanley Cup playoffs only once in his NHL career. As a result, he has accepted many an invitation to play for Canada, notably six World Championships, including the gold-medal team in 2015. He also won gold at the 2008 U18 and produced one of the greatest World Junior performances ever in leading Canada to U20 gold in 2009.

Ryan O'Reilly is also in his sixth Worlds, including the last four in a row (including this year). He won gold, gold, and silver during the 2015-17 stretch
and also helped Canada win the World Cup of Hockey in 2016.

Indeed, there are six players for Canada here in Herning who played at the NHL's marquee event a year and a half ago in Toronto. O'Reilly and Ryan Murray played for Canada while four others played for Team North America-Colton Parayko, Ekblad, Nugent-Hopkins, and McDavid.

Defenceman Brayden Schenn has played at all three IIHF events, winning gold in 2008 at the U18, two silvers at the U20 in 2010 and 2011, and a gold (2015) and
silver (2017) at the World Championship.

Some 14 players have U20 experience and another 12 have U18 time to their credit. Amazingly, the World Juniors experience is spread pretty evenly over nine years, although four players (Matt Barzal, Tom Chabot, Pierre-Luc Dubois,
and Tyson Jost) played in 2017.

Five players are making their Team Canada debut, having never before donned the
cherished sweater at any level in IIHF play. Both goaltenders are making their debuts, as is Joshua Bailey, Joel Edmundson, and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. They all
have NHL experience, though, and will learn immensely from their time alongside
their teammates who have plenty of stories to share and medals to show.

ANDREW PODNIEKS

http://https://www.new-iihf.com/en/events/2018/wm/news/2477/canada-stacked-with-experience
--- SBBSecho 3.04-Win32
* Origin: TequilaMockingbird Online - Toms River, NJ (1:266/404)