World juniors: Brayden Point named Team Canada captain
Crouse, Hicketts provide support as assistant captains
Team Canada has picked three players from last year's winning squad as its captains for the 2016 world junior hockey championship in Finland.
The three named Thursday are:
- Captain: Moose Jaw Warriors forward Brayden Point, of Calgary, is a 19-year-old Tampa Bay Lightning prospect who had two goals and two assists in seven games at the 2015 tournament.
- Assistant captains: Lawson Crouse, a winger from Mt. Brydges, Ont., and Joe Hicketts, a defenceman from Kamloops, B.C.
"These three players have set a tremendous example for the rest of our team from the start of our camp," head coach Dave Lowry said. "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 world junior championship on home ice in January, but no Canadian team has won in Europe since 2008 — the fourth of five consecutive gold medals for Canada's junior team from 2005-09.
The tournament begins Saturday, with Canada taking on longtime rival the United States at 1 p.m. ET.
With files from Hockey Canada