Get Ready for Canada-Russia Tuneup

Last year around this time, Russia sent a touring team of juniors across Canada to face teams from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The Russian touring squad took the bulk of the Super Series challenge games, and then several members of that squad were on the team that defeated Canada for the gold medal at the World Junior Championship tournament in early January in Buffalo.

Canada, which will have the upcoming World Junior tournament in Alberta, wants to get off on the right foot starting tonight when the 2011 Super Series challenge begins in Victoriaville, Quebec, with a team of QMJHL players facing Russia. Russia will face the QMJHL team again on Nov. 9 in Quebec City before moving to Ontario to face an OHL squad on Nov. 10 in Ottawa and Nov. 14 in Sault Ste. Marie. The Russian team will conclude the series with two games against a team Western Hockey League selects in Saskatchewan. Those games will be Nov. 16 in Regina and Nov. 17 in Moose Jaw.

(Update: The QMJHL selects will have to do without Jonathan Huberdeau, the captain of the Saint John Sea Dogs and a Florida Panthers prospect.)

Rosters for the QMJHL, OHL and WHL are on the web site of the Canadian Hockey League, which comprises the three junior leagues that have teams across Canada as well as teams in Oregon, Washington, Michigan and Pennsylvania. The Russian selects roster is here.