The only Manitoban selected was [Brandon Sutter]'s [Ryan White], 19, a 6-foot, 213-pound centre who tops the Western Hockey League's Eastern Conference-leading Calgary Hitmen with 15 goals and 30 points in 29 games, along with 58 penalty minutes.

The Montreal Canadiens' third-round draft choice, 66th overall in 2006, is in his fourth season with the Hitmen. He's tied for the club lead with five power-play goals and three game-winners but is well back of the more offensively explosive talents in scoring, but is considered a scrappy front-line player who can fill all roles.

Other NHL players who are age-eligible (born in 1988 or later) to play for Canada are Pittsburgh's Jordan Staal, Minnesota's James Sheppard and Chicago's Jonathan Toews, but their respective NHL clubs are keeping them.