NHL prospect Dillon Dubé called his mom last week to tell her he might not make it home to Cochrane for Christmas this year … and she didn’t seem to mind at all.
That’s because he’s got a pretty good reason for skipping out on turkey and stuffing – the 18-year-old has been selected to show off his skills in hopes of earning a sought-after spot on Canada’s celebrated national junior hockey team.
“My mom was probably the most excited about it. I don’t think she’s too upset,” Dubé said.
Last week, Dubé was one of just 32 athletes – 19 forwards, 10 defencemen, and three goaltenders – invited to attend Hockey Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp from Dec. 10 to 14 in Blainville, Que.
Coaches will put the group through their paces for four days, then narrow the field to 22 players who will represent Canada at the 2017 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Junior Championship, hosted by Montreal and Toronto from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5.
Dubé said personally receiving the news last week from Team Canada head coach Dominique Ducharme was a surreal moment in itself.
“There was a lot of excitement. It didn’t feel real,” Dubé said of the phone call. “(The World Junior Championship) was the thing you always watched – it was almost a holiday tradition.
“Having that opportunity I’ve been dreaming about since I was a kid … would be a huge honour.”
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound leftwing currently plays for the Western Canada League’s Kelowna Rockets and was chosen 56th overall by the Calgary Flames earlier this year.
After four months at training camp with the NHL team, Dubé moved back to the Rockets – where he has since posted one goal and seven points during the first six games of the season.
At world junior camp next week, Dubé said he’s challenging himself to use speed as an advantage, since he knows it will be an even playing field as far as great skill.
The most important thing he’s planning to do is enjoy it.
“The experience in unbelievable,” he said.
“It doesn’t happen all the time. You’ve got to make the most of it.”
