Kaiden Guhle and Ozzy Wiesblatt are off to the Czech Republic, where they will represent Team Canada at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup beginning on Monday. (Lucas Chudleigh/Apollo Media)

By paNOW Staff

Going for gold

Guhle, Wiesblatt to represent Canada at Hlinka Gretzky Cup

Jul 30, 2019 | 4:56 PM

The remaining offseason just got a lot busier for Kaiden Guhle and Ozzy Wiesblatt.

Hockey Canada announced this afternoon the two Raiders were selected to represent the country at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, which begins on Monday in the Czech Republic.

The duo was joined by teammate Jakob Brook at development camp in Calgary this week, as national team brass evaluated the top 44 2002-born players in the country to decide who would wear the maple leaf on the world stage.

This will be the second time representing the country for both Guhle and Wiesblatt, as they competed in the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in New Brunswick back in November. Upon their return to Prince Albert, the pair put together impressive seasons on their way to sharing the Raiders’ Rookie of the Year award.

Guhle, the first overall pick from the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft, fit right in as a 16-year-old in the WHL, scoring three goals and adding 14 assists in 65 games played. The Sherwood Park native also contributed three assists in 23 games during the post-season.

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Wiesblatt was the third selection by the Raiders in 2017, selected 25^th overall. In his rookie season, the Calgary product finished 11^th on the team in scoring with 15 goals and 39 points in 64 games played. Among 16-year-olds across the league, Wiesblatt finished tied with Portland Winterhawks forward Seth Jarvis for second behind Vancouver Giants rookie Justin Sourdif, who had 46 points. Both Jarvis and Sourdif were also named to Team Canada.

This marks the first time a Raider has been selected to represent Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup since goaltender Ian Scott made the squad in 2016. Prior to that, current Winnipeg Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey had an impressive tournament with nine points in five games in 2012.

The Hlinka Gretzky Cup [formerly Hlinka Memorial Cup] is one of the few best-on-best international hockey tournaments and features the premier under-18 players from some of the world’s greatest hockey nations – Canada, USA, Finland, Sweden, Russia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Switzerland.

The 2018 edition of Team Canada featured seven players who were selected in the first round of this June’s NHL Draft.

All Canada games will be nationally broadcast on TSN beginning Monday.

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panews@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @princealbertnow