Breaking down the 2014 Young Stars Classic

The Vancouver Canucks are sending a lineup of 27 players to the 2014 Young Stars Classic in Penticton, BC, which kicks-off on Friday, September 12.

The tournament also features the prospects of the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets. Current NHL players such as Eddie Lack, Jordan Eberle and Taylor Hall, to name a few, have all played in the tournament in the past.

Canucks.com has broken down the Canucks roster to bring you all the juicy details:

-Two goaltenders, nine defencemen and 16 forwards (14 healthy) will make the trip to Penticton for Vancouver.

-Forwards Kyle Pettit and Jake Virtanen are still recovering from off-season shoulder surgeries and will not participate in any games.

-Seven defencemen and 10 forwards are either drafted or signed by the Canucks.

-Six players have at least one pro game under their belts.

-Three players (Frank Corrado, Nicklas Jensen and Michael Zalewski) have all seen regular season action with the Canucks.

-Jeramie Blain, Spencer Humphries and Evan McEneny are the other three with pro games. Blain has played 107 career pro games, while McEneny played one game for the Utica Comets last season. Humphries played pro in Europe last season, most notably with Praha in the KHL.

-Twelve players played in the Western Hockey League last season, while 10 played in the Ontario Hockey League.

-Blain is the oldest player on the roster at 22-years-old (March 19, 1992), while Virtanen is the youngest at 18-years-old (August 17, 1996). Invitee Cordell James (June 14, 1996) will be the youngest to see game action.

-Four different countries will be represented on the Canucks roster as 22 players hail from Canada, three from the United States, and one each from Denmark and Sweden.

-Pettit is the tallest player on the roster at 6-foot-4, while Mackenze Stewart is the heaviest at 240-pounds.

-Eleven players participated at the 2013 edition of the Young Stars Tournament.

-Twenty-two of the 27 players on the roster attended the Canucks Prospects Development Camp in July.

-Invitee Klarc Wilson played at the 2011 Young Stars Classic as a member of the Winnipeg Jets.

Breaking down the opposition

Calgary Flames

2014 fourth overall pick Sam Bennett highlights the Flames roster, which also includes 2013 first-rounder Morgan Klimchuk. Perhaps the most intriguing player on the Calgary roster is Johnny Gaudreau, a fourth round pick in 2011. Gaudreau won the Hobey Baker Award last season as the top player in the NCAA after posting 80 points in 40 games. The Flames will also have some size in their lineup with 6-foot-6 Hunter Smith, 6-foot-5 Keegan Kanzig, and seven others standing 6-foot-3.

Edmonton Oilers

First round picks Leon Draisaitl and Darnell Nurse headline an Oilers roster that includes 14 players that saw action in the AHL last season. 2012 second-rounder Mitch Moroz is fresh off a Memorial Cup victory with the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings and will be looking to make a statement as he enters his first pro season. Much like their Alberta rivals, the Oilers will be icing a big lineup that features five defenceman standing 6-foot-4 or taller, along with four forwards at 6-foot-3 and above including 6-foot-5 Bodgan Yakimov, who is fresh off a full season in the KHL and also captured a bronze medal for Russia at the 2014 World Juniors.

Winnipeg Jets

There is a lot of skill on the Jets roster, including 2014 first round pick Nikolaj Ehlers, 2013 first-rounder Josh Morissey and WHL superstar Nic Petan. Defenceman Brenden Kichton, who registered 240 points in his last three seasons in the WHL, is another player to keep an eye on after he put up a solid 48 points in his rookie campaign in the AHL last season. Adam Lowry, son of former Canucks forward Dave Lowry, is also coming off a solid rookie season in the AHL along with former Kamloops Blazer, JC Lipon.

WATCH LIVE

Every Canucks Young Stars game can be seen live on Canucks.com. Click here for more information and a schedule of games.