Vancouver Giant’s Bowen Byram is headed to the Czech Republic.
From playing on home ice in Langley to now competing the worlds in the Czech, the young defenceman is enjoying quite the career for an 18-year-old hailing from Cranbrook.
Hockey Canada announced the 24 players who will be heading to Europe in advance of the 2020 IIHF World Juniors – which kick off on on Boxing Day (Dec. 26), and Byram was one of six WHL’ers named to the roster.
The announcement was made Thursday night, when Canada’s complete 2020 world junior list was revealed.
Byram is the first Giant to represent Canada at the world juniors since Brendan Gallagher in 2012.
Going for gold! Six WHL players have moved forward w/ @HockeyCanada's roster for the 2020 #WorldJuniors!
DETAILS 🇨🇦 | https://t.co/4ZS2X4kKJO pic.twitter.com/fzE35k45Ue
— The WHL (@TheWHL) December 13, 2019
Byram has previously represented Canada at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup (gold medal), the 2018 World Under-18s, and the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge (silver medal).
He’s the 15th Giants player to ever compete in the World Juniors.
In 27 games this season with the Giants, Byram has scored three goals and 16 assists for 19 points along with a +6 rating and 51 penalty minutes.
Byram has appeared in 165 career games for the Giants and has totalled 35 goals and 83 assists for 118 points.
In 29 additional playoff games, Byram has added 11 goals and 22 assists for 33 points.
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Last season he became the first-ever WHL defencemen to lead the playoffs in scoring (26 points) and he set a new single-season WHL record with six overtime winning goals.
In June he was selected by the Colorado Avalanche with the fourth overall pick.
Previous Giants players to represent Canada at the world juniors include: Gallagher (2012), Evander Kane (2009), Cody Franson (2007), and Kenndal McArdle (2007).
🇨🇦 BYRAM GETS THE CALL TO CANADA! 🇨🇦@HockeyCanada has named Giants defenceman @BowenByram to their 2020 IIHF World Junior Team! Byram is one of six @TheWHL'ers named to the team. He's the fifth Giants player to represent Canada. Congrats Bo!
More 📎: https://t.co/q7aZb7uZkI pic.twitter.com/fTtUOTip5k
— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) December 13, 2019
Per Hockey Canada’s release: Among the athletes travelling to the Czech Republic are five returnees from the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship in Vancouver and Victoria, (Hayton, Lafrenière, McIsaac, Smith, Veleno) and two players who won a silver medal with Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup (Byfield and Drysdale).
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“As with every year, there are difficult decisions to trim down our roster, but ultimately we believe this group will give us our best shot at a gold medal,” said Shawn Bullock, director of men’s national teams with Hockey Canada.
“We are excited about working with these players in the Czech Republic, and we are looking forward to an exciting world juniors.”
Canada’s final 22-player roster does not need to be officially submitted to the International Ice Hockey Federation until Dec. 25.
RELATED: Bowen Byram named to Team Canada’s World Junior selection camp
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