

We’ll see most of these guys in action soon. [Photo via CDC]

Hockey! It’s finally back! Well, almost.

Just one measly week from tomorrow, the annual Young Stars Classic Tournament – hosted once again in Penticton, just a 4+ hour drive from Vancouver should you feel so inclined to see it for yourself in person – will get underway, giving us a preemptive look at a good portion of the players in the team’s pipeline.

Here’s a look at the players that are expected to be present, which was released earlier today:

12 of the 20 players we’ve ranked and profiled in the past few weeks (or will get around to profiling before the tournament starts early next week) will be participating. The 13th, Jake Virtanen, still hasn’t been cleared for contact and isn’t expected to be for a while longer.

Other notable omissions include NCAAers Ben Hutton, Joseph LaBate and Thatcher Demko (despite being pictured above), who have already gone back to their respective schools. Similarly, Nikita Tryamkin has recently started his 2014-15 season with Yekaterinburg Automobolist in the KHL.

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Regardless, the crop that will be in attendance – which also includes invitees such as highly productive yet undrafted former WHLer Curtis Valk and this guy – is an intriguing one, that fans of the team will imaginably want to get a closer look at. While most of these players will ultimately be dispersed back to their respective clubs, you figure the likes of Jensen, Corrado, Shinkaruk, Gaunce and Horvat will all be chomping at the bit to impress leading up to Canucks training camp.

Speaking of the camp, that’ll start not long after; it runs from the 19th to 22nd in Whistler this year. Which is to say that we’re not too far removed from a full slate of preseason games that’ll start immediately following the conclusion of camp, as well.

But for now, we have the Young Stars Classic to look forward to, which’ll include 3 games for the Canucks representatives that weekend (with San Jose not sending a squad this time around). If you’re unable to follow along throughout don’t fret, we’ll have representatives out there covering it for us.

Hockey! It’s finally (almost) back!





