GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Saying Connor Murphy has been unlucky the past few seasons would be a major understatement.

The 6-foot-3, 190-pounder is considered one of the best defense prospects in the Phoenix Coyotes' system, but a series of back issues and a knee injury has seen him play about 80 games over three seasons.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Stefan Noesen is one of 27 players taking part in USA Hockey's National Junior Team Training Camp here at the MSG Training Center, but his eligibility for the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship remains in question.

Noesen, a forward with the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League, was handed a 10-game suspension by the OHL on Dec. 8 for a hit to the head during a game.

Team USA general manager Jim Johannson said he's hoping to have a resolution either way prior to the team's departure for Finland on Tuesday.

"It's still a pending situation, and in fairness to everybody that's involved in it right now I really don't have much more of a comment," Johansson said prior to the U.S. team's first practice. "In our opinion it's pending. It's a matter that's not closed and we're working on that. We hope to have resolution on that before we leave here.

"There's a lot of conversations. Ultimately he has to be eligible for an IIHF tournament. We're working on it as best we can. It takes a lot of communication with a lot of people right now. It's a little bit of uncharted territory for everybody. All I can say is I'm working on it as hard as I can. And I've been happy with the cooperation but it’s a difficult position for everybody and everyone involved is giving it the right diligence right now."

Noesen, a 6-foot, 187-pound right wing taken by the Ottawa Senators with the 21st pick of the 2011 NHL Draft, was part of the best line at USA Hockey's summer evaluation camp in Lake Placid, N.Y., along with Sean Kuraly and Mario Lucia.

Contact Adam Kimelman at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @NHLAdamK

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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."

The Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday announced that they have reassigned defenseman Hampus Lindholm, who had been playing with the team's American Hockey League affiliate in Norfolk, to Sweden for participation in the 2013 World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia.

Sweden, the defending gold medalist, heads the Group A field with Finland, Czech Republic, Switzerland and Latvia. The Group B field includes Russia, the United States, Canada, Slovakia and Germany. Sweden head coach Roger Rönnberg will take 25 players to training camp on Dec. 15 in Norrtälje, Sweden, before continuing with preparation games in Finland right through Dec. 22. The Swedes will open the 2013 WJC against the Czech Republic on Dec. 26. The roster must be trimmed to 23 by Dec. 25.

Saint John Sea Dogs forward Jonathan Huberdeau will not miss any time at Hockey Canada's National Junior Team selection camp in Calgary this week despite receiving a four-game suspension by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on Monday.

The trouble started for the Florida Panthers prospect late in the third period of a loss to the Halifax Mooseheads on Sunday when Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar of Halifax dropped the gloves. Huberdeau received an automatic suspension for instigating the fight, in addition to an automatic three-game suspension for abusing an official after a linesman was injured in the altercation.

Neither the International Ice Hockey Federation nor Hockey Canada will uphold the league's suspension, so Huberdeau will not miss any time at Canada's camp slated Dec. 11-13 at the Markin MacPhail Centre at Canada Olympic Park. Huberdeau actually arrived in Calgary on Monday.

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said Saturday he will attend Canada's selection camp for the World Junior Championship.

Nugent-Hopkins' participation was in doubt due to left shoulder discomfort he felt playing for Oklahoma City in the American Hockey League. Camp begins Monday.