On the eve of the first round of cuts at Hockey Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp, sleep may be a scarcity.
As nerves strike the 42 hopefuls to represent their country at the 2012 World Junior Championship, players aren’t expecting to sleep a wink as coach Don Hay, head scout Kevin Prendergast and the rest of the Hockey Canada crew deliberate their fate.
“It’s going to be pretty crazy for sure,” Boone Jenner admitted. “I don’t know how much sleep I’m going to get. It’s very nerve-wracking. I don’t think I’ll get that much sleep to be completely honest. I’m pretty hyped up about this whole thing.”
Jenner isn’t alone as players begin to replay their camp play.
“It’s probably a tough sleep tonight,” said Max Reinhart, a member of the defending WHL champion Kootenay Ice. “I played the way I wanted to play. I think I left everything I could out there. It’ll be a tough sleep just not knowing but I don’t think I played myself out of anything. I think I made it as tough as I could for them to send me back.”
Mark McNeill of the Prince Albert Raiders felt the same.
“I left it all out there on the line, just have to hope for the best now,” McNeill said. “Might be a little nervous tonight.”
At least one player tried to put the importance of sleep into perspective as Canada enters its final day of camp Tuesday.
“I’m going to try to get as much sleep as I can so if I happen to be there tomorrow night I have as much rest as possible,” Barrie Colts forward Tanner Pearson said. “I’m going to try not to think about it too much. It’s going to be an interesting morning tomorrow.
But at least four players will rest easy tonight.
Goaltenders Mark Visentin, Tyler Bunz, Louis Domingue and Scott Wedgewood will all avoid cuts tonight. The foursome will square off against each other in Canada’s final exhibition match against the CIS All-Stars.
Not facing cuts, the goaltenders can relax – at least temporarily.
“I’ll be able to get some sleep,” Wedgewood admitted.
Aaron Vickers is the managing editor of Future Considerations and can be found on Twitter. For all the latest Future Considerations news and posts, follow FC’s Official Twitter Feed, on YouTube and on Facebook!