Speers feeling hopeful as WJC cuts loom

Blake Speers was anxious heading into camp over whether the wrist he broke in October would hold up enough for him to make Canada's team for the world junior championship.

All went well as Speers helped set up a goal and the juniors downed the U Sports all-stars 3-0 on Tuesday afternoon, less than 24 hours after beating the national student selects 5-3 at the Centre d'Excellence Sports Rousseau in Boisbriand, Que.

Speers, captain of his hometown Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, only played in the second game but saw a lot of action on a line with Mathieu Joseph and centre Nicolas Roy.

"It felt about as good as I could have hoped," Speers said. "I got some good shots in during warmups and got some confidence from it and then it was nice to get into a game, finally.

"I could call it about 100 per cent. It's at the point where all I have to do is strengthen it back to normal. That's going to take some time, reinjuring it is not an issue."

Hopes it's enough

He hopes it's enough to make the team that will play at the world juniors Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Toronto and Montreal.

The four cuts were made after the game. Defenceman Victor Mete of the London Knights and forwards Nick Merkley of the Kelowna Rockets, Brett Howden of the Moose Jaw Warriors and Austin Wagner of the Regina Pats were returned to their teams.

Coach Dominique Ducharme said camp will likely be trimmed to the final 22 either Tuesday night or on Wednesday.

The junior team concludes its four-day selection camp with a game Wednesday night against the Czech Republic.

Ducharme didn't say if Speers would make it, but he spoke enthusiastically about the six-foot 185-pound right winger.

"I don't know if he was 100 per cent but he looked pretty good for a guy that's coming back from an injury," said Ducharme. "It was good to see him on the ice because it was the first time for me.

"He wasn't at the Super Series (against Russian juniors) and he wasn't there at (the Team Canada development camp) in the summer so I wanted to see him."

Speers, drafted 67th overall by New Jersey in 2015, played three games for the Devils this season. On his first game back with the Greyhounds on Oct. 27, he broke a bone in his wrist.

He hadn't played before suiting up against U Sports, but he hopes his performance was good enough to impress the Team Canada brass.

"I was a little bit worried, but I knew I was going to put everything I had into getting it ready and making sure the range of motion and strength was as good as it could be coming in," he said. "I'm really happy where I got it so far and it's just going to get better.

"Today was definitely my best day, shooting-wise."

Roy, defenceman Victor Mete and Brett Howden scored for Canada, which outshot U Sports 27-15.