GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- If there's one player on the U.S. National Junior Team selection camp roster with a good idea what players for Canada might expect from coach Steve Spott, it's Kitchener Rangers goalie John Gibson.

Gibson just so happens to be Spott's starting goalie in Kitchener. He's currently second in the Ontario Hockey League with a 2.13 goals-against average and .934 save percentage. Spott, of course, is the coach for the Rangers when he's not instructing the Canadian National Junior Team.

Originally chosen by Kitchener in the 11th round of the 2009 OHL priority draft, Gibson would later be selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round of 2011 NHL Draft. Gibson, who was signed by Spott to an OHL contract on July 27, 2011, is already penciled in as the U.S. starter for the 2013 World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia.

Watch WJC on NHL Network-US

NHL Network-US is the home of the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship with coverage of over 15 games as well as highlights and analysis.

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GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- USA Hockey general manager Jim Johannson confirmed Monday that he has no intention of inviting another player to U.S. National Junior team training camp here at the Rangers' practice facility in the absence of suspended forward Stefan Noesen.

Johannson confirmed Monday that Noesen's 10-game suspension by the Ontario Hockey League for a hit in a Dec. 8 contest against the Oshawa Generals has forced him from participation in the 2013 World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russa, Dec. 26-Jan. 5. The 6-foot-1, 206-pound center is not eligible to return to the OHL until Jan. 11.

"We wanted to let the process go full and, in the end, we do not feel it's an equitable process," Johannson said. "We did send this to the [IIHF] for [its] determination since there's an opportunity for them to read and review. That was done. In the end, that suspension is behind upheld."

Watch WJC on NHL Network-US

NHL Network-US is the home of the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship with coverage of more than 15 games as well as highlights and analysis.

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MORE 2013 WJC STORIES ›2013 WJC BLOG ›

Less than 24 hours after solidifying the roster for the 2013 World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia, later this month, Canadian National Junior Team coach Steve Spott named his captain.

Not surprisingly, forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will don the "C" on his Canadian jersey when he represents his country at the WJC for the first time. Nugent-Hopkins, the first selection of the 2011 NHL Draft by the Edmonton Oilers, is in his last year of WJC eligibility.

Additionally, defenseman Scott Harrington (Pittsburgh Penguins) and forward Jonathan Huberdeau (Florida Panthers) were named alternates. Spott made the announcement Saturday prior to Canada's departure for Helsinki, Finland, for a pre-competition camp.

Entering this week's selection camp at the Markin MacPhail Centre at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, there were several players considered to be virtual locks as starters for the Canadian National Junior Team at the 2013 World Junior Championship later this month.

Malcolm Subban of the Belleville Bulls in the Ontario Hockey League -- one of four goalies invited to the camp -- was among the "locks." Fact is, however, Subban's lackluster performance through the first two exhibition games was rather un-Subban-like.

During the four-game series in the Canada-Russia Challenge in August, Subban was superb, allowing four goals for a 1.97 goals-against average in two victories. In five appearances for Canada's Under-18 National Team, the 6-foot-1, 187-pound goalie sported an impressive 2.98 GAA and .913 save percentage.

Perhaps that's why coaches and fans were willing to give Subban the benefit of a doubt through the first two days of selection camp. But there's no question Subban realizes he must play better. After all, the 2013 WJC will be the biggest event of his hockey career.

The last day of Canada's National Junior Team selection camp at Markin MacPhail Centre in Calgary also provided the final round of cuts as coach Steve Spott trimmed his roster in preparation for the 2013 World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia, later this month.

The eight players released Thursday were forwards Mark McNeill (Chicago Blackhawks) of the Prince Albert Raiders, Daniel Catenacci (Buffalo Sabres) of the Owen Sound Attack, Tom Wilson (Washington Capitals) of the Plymouth Whalers and Hunter Shinkaruk (2013 draft eligible) of Medicine Hat Tigers; defensemen Mathew Dumba (Minnesota Wild) of the Red Deer Rebels, Frank Corrado (Vancouver Canucks) of the Sudbury Wolves, Ryan Sproul (Detroit Red Wings) of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds; and goalie Laurent Brossoit (Calgary Flames) of the Edmonton Oil Kings.

Spott's 23-man roster consists of 13 forwards, seven defenseman, two goalies and one emergency goalie in case of injury. The club will depart for pre-competition camp in Finland on Saturday.

Hockey Canada released the names of a dozen players not participating in Wednesday's game against the University of Alberta on Day 2 of World Junior selection camp at the Markin MacPhail Centre at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary.

Forwards Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Mark Scheifele, Phillip Danault, Brett Ritchie, Charles Hudon, Boone Jenner, Jonathan Huberdeau and Ryan Strome are healthy scratches, along with defensemen Dougie Hamilton, Scott Harrington, Morgan Rielly, and Xavier Ouellet (ankle sprain).

It's interesting to note that six of the players are returnees from last year's bronze medal-winning club at the 2012 World Junior Championship, including Hamilton, Harrington, Scheifele, Jenner, Huberdeau and Strome.

Goalies Laurent Brossoit, Jordan Binnington, Jake Paterson and Malcolm Subban will be playing. Binnington and Subban will split duty for Canada and Paterson and Brossoit share the cage for Alberta.

Even when they're not performing their magic together for the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, linemates Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin are inseparable.

The dynamic duo, who have combined for 41 goals and 100 points with the Mooseheads this season, were again in the spotlight on Tuesday during Hockey Canada's selection camp intrasquad game for Team Red against White.

"I think they were both nervous early," Canada head coach Steve Spott said after Red's 3-1 win. "Both kids made plays with the puck that they didn't look like [17-year-old] kids to me. They looked like 19 or 20 year olds out there, so I thought both kids played real well."

Hockey Canada announced Friday that forward Colton Sissons of the Kelowna Rockets in the Western Hockey League will be unable to attend Canada's selection camp next week for the World Junior Championship due to an upper-body injury.

Sissons will not be replaced on the roster, which now has a total of 36 invitees, including four goaltenders, 12 defensemen and 20 forwards. The 19-year-old Sissons was drafted by the Nashville Predators in the second round (No. 50 overall) of the NHL Draft last June. He had 10 goals and 27 points in 27 games for Kelowna in 2012-13.

Junior forward Connor Hurley of Edina High School in Minnesota on Wednesday announced that he would be continuing his career at the University of Notre Dame.

The 6-foot-1.25, 172-pound center, who was being courted by Minnesota, Wisconsin, Minnesota-Duluth and Michigan State, is considered one of the top draft-eligible scholastic skaters for the 2013 NHL Draft. Hurley earned a B rating on NHL Central Scouting's preliminary rankings for players participating in scholastic high school hockey in Minnesota.

"The academics [at Notre Dame] obviously was a big thing that matters in my family," Hurley told the Minnesota Hockey Hub website. "They've got a great team now and they are getting a lot of good recruits in for the years to come."

Hurley has struck for eight goals, including three game-winners, and 15 points in six games with Edina (6-0-0) this season. He also played two games for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League this season, producing three assists and a plus-1 rating.

Defenseman Ryan Pulock of the Western Hockey League's Brandon Wheat Kings has been cleared to return to the lineup following a six-game absence due to a facial injury.

According to Brandon general manager Kelly McCrimmon, Pulock, No. 3 on NHL Central Scouting's preliminary rankings for players in the WHL, will join his teammates for Friday's home game against the Spokane Chiefs. Pulock was injured after taking a puck to the face in a Nov. 16 game against the Kootenay Ice and has been wearing a full face shield in practice.

Despite missing some time, the 6-foot-0.5, 211-pound blueliner is fourth in scoring among WHL defensemen with 25 points, including nine goals, in 24 games. He also has a team-leading plus-14 rating.