The Spengler Cup isn’t viewed as a major tournament on the world stage, but it’s among the most historic. First held in 1923, it’s the oldest invitational ice hockey tournament in the world and is hosted by Swiss National League club HC Davos, which is tied for the all-time lead with 16 tournament titles. It’s run annually from Dec. 26 to 31, with a series of round-robin matchups and a brief playoff bracket.
Team Canada is the other competing body with 16 championships. Each year, the governing body compiles what’s always an interesting list of names, usually with plenty of representation among former NHLers, even if just in the form of forgotten call-up names.
The squad is compiled of the top Canadian names in the National League who aren’t on the Swiss teams in the tournament – a list of just two this year in Davos and reigning champion Fribourg-Gottéron. More frequently in recent years, they’ve gotten NHL teams to loan minor-league fixtures to them on two-way deals for the event, as well as nabbing some Canadian talent contracted at the AHL and ECHL levels, and other European leagues.
Out of the 25 names on this year’s roster for Canada, 16 of them have a degree of NHL experience. This year’s tournament also includes a new face: a team compiled of some of the NCAA’s top talents who aren’t otherwise occupied with this year’s World Juniors.
This week, Hockey Canada revealed their contingent for the tournament. As follows, it’s made up of 14 forwards, eight defenders, and three goalies.
F Andy Andreoff (ZSC Lions, NL)
F Drake Caggiula (Lausanne HC, NL)
F Graeme Clarke (Hershey, AHL) under contract with Capitals
F Jean-Luc Foudy (Iowa, AHL)
F Tanner Fritz (SC Rapperswil-Jona, NL)
F Derek Grant (ZSC Lions, NL)
F Jonathan Hazen (HC Ajoie, NL)
F Tyler Morley (EHC Kloten, NL)
F Matthew Peca (Springfield, AHL)
F Anthony Richard (Lehigh Valley, AHL) under contract with Flyers
F Nate Schnarr (Kölner Haie, DEL)
F Brett Seney (Rockford, AHL)
F Michael Sgarbossa (HC Lugano, NL)
F Mason Shaw (Manitoba, AHL) under contract with Jets
D Calen Addison (Utica, AHL) under contract with Devils
D Nolan Allan (Rockford, AHL) under contract with Blackhawks
D Trent Bourque (JYP, Liiga)
D Nikolas Brouillard (San Diego, AHL)
D Gabriel Chicoine (Vlci Zilina, Slovakia)
D Jesse Graham (HK Nitra, Slovakia)
D Joe Hicketts (Ontario, AHL) under contract with Kings
D Jake Livingstone (Charlotte, AHL)
G Taylor Gauthier (Wheeling, ECHL)
G Connor Hughes (Lausanne HC, NL)
G James Reimer (UFA)