According to The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler, Team Canada has sent invites for its World Junior Championship camp, and 15 forwards received an invitation, but only 14 will make the cut.

Montreal Canadiens’ prospect Michael Hage was among those invited; the list also includes Carson Carels, Jett Luchanko, Cole Beaudoin, Jake O’Brien, Caleb Desnoyers, Ben Dandord, Keaton Verhoeff, Cameron Reid, Jackson Smith, Braedon Cootes, Brady Martin, Kashawn Aitcheson, Cole Reschny, Tij Iginla, Liam Greentree, Gavin McKenna and Porter Martone.

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News wasn’t as good for Owen Protz, who didn’t get an invite. The blueliner, who was a fourth-round pick at the 2024 draft and was invited to the summer showcase, failed in his bid to make the team. The 19-year-old had a great rookie camp in September and earned himself an invite to the Canadiens’ main camp.

In 26 games so far this season with the Brantford Bulldogs, he has put up 11 points. But it’s his defensive play, his physicality and his ability to make a good first pass that helped him make the Canadiens' main camp. Speaking about him after the rookie camp, Pascal Vincent and Francis Bouillon both praised him for the fact that he played to his strengths and his identity. Unfortunately for the youngster, World Junior teams often prefer more offence-minded players.

As for Hage, given the type of season he is having in his sophomore year with the Michigan Wolverines, the invite wasn’t at all surprising. In Big 10 play, he has 28 points in 20 games and leads the scoring race along with his linemates, TJ Hughes and Will Horcoff.

It will be interesting to see if freshman LJ Mooney gets an invite to Team USA. He was part of their summer showcase and has undoubtedly done well in the NCAA so far, with 15 points in 19 games with the Minnesota Gophers, just four points behind the team's top scorer, Brodie Ziemer.

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