Kelowna Capital News
Schultz to attend TC West tryout
By Kevin Parnell – Kelowna Capital News
Published: October 18, 2008 12:00 PM
It appears Justin Schultz will get to test himself against the best junior A hockey players in Canada.
Schultz, the second-year Westside Warriors defenseman, is among nine B.C. Hockey League players selected to attend a pre-tournament camp for Team Canada West, one of six teams that will play in the World Junior A Challenge tournament to be held in Camrose, Alberta, in November.
?I?m really excited,? said Schultz, an Anaheim Ducks draft pick this summer.
?I really wanted to play for that team since I watched the tournament last year. I wanted it so bad. It?s going to be fun,? he said.
Schultz is one of eight defencemen named to the team. Heading into this B.C. Hockey League weekend, the Westside Minor Hockey product was leading the Warriors in scoring with 13 points in 11 games.
The 25 player pre-tournament roster will be trimmed to 22 before the tournament begins on Nov. 2.
Schultz says the opportunity to play against the best players from across Canada and around the world would be a great experience.
?It can only make you better playing against the best players in the world,? said Schultz.
?It?s a chance to see where you stack up against other guys from different leagues. It?s definitely going to make me a better player.?
If Schultz is named to the final roster he will likely miss a half dozen games for the Warriors, who enter this weekend with a .500 record through the first 13 games of the season.
Schultz, who missed two games and part of another with an early season injury, says he is back to 100 per cent and excited about this year?s team, despite some early season losses.
?We have a great group of guys,? he said. ?We have a lot of good young guys that we brought in. It just takes a little time to get toget
