Seattle Thunderbirds’ Ethan Bear snubbed by Hockey Canada

Earlier this week Hockey Canada announced the roster for its national junior team development camp. Mathew Barzal and Keegan Kolesar were the two Seattle Thunderbirds who got an invite to what is the first step towards selecting Canada’s World Junior squad.

There was one T-Birds player who was surprisingly left off the roster and the omission leaves you scratching your head. Defenseman Ethan Bear did not get an invitation in what feels like a snub from Hockey Canada.

“The way he played last year, I thought it would be almost a slam dunk for him to be in that camp,” Seattle head coach Steve Konowalchuk said of the omission. “He’s played well every time he’s been with Team Canada and only has gotten better. I don’t know what else he can do.”

Bear’s résumé is pretty impressive.

Drafted in the fifth round by the Edmonton Oilers in the summer of 2015, Bear returned to Seattle and turned in the best season of his career. In 69 games with the T-Birds he nearly doubled his career-best point total by notching 19 goals and 65 points.

As the games got tougher in the playoffs, Bear only got better. He added eight more goals and 22 points in the club’s 18 postseason contests. In the five-game finals series against the Brandon Wheat Kings, he picked up at least one point in each game for a total of seven. Facing the best offensive team in the league, loaded with high-end , NHL-level forwards, Bear posted an even plus-minus rating.

Bear has also represented his country in the past. He was part of Canada’s gold medal winning team at the Ivan Hlinka U18 championships in 2014, and in 2013 he was named captain of Canada’s Western team at the World Hockey Challenge U17 tournament.

That all seems like it would be plenty to garner a tryout for Team Canada’s junior team now.

“I was surprised and I think it’s disappointing for him that he’s not at that tryout,” Konowalchuk said. “In my opinion he’s definitely better than some of the guys there.”

Canada invited 14 defensemen to its summer camp, which begins at the end of July. Four of them play in the WHL and only former Seattle draft pick Dante Fabbro played in a non-CHL league this past season. Fabbro is also the only defenseman in camp that had more points than Bear last year. Fabbro tallied 67 for the Penticton Vees in the BCHL last season – a league below the WHL in terms of overall talent.

There is no set policy for how Team Canada selects these players and it is often done without input from the guys who coach these players on a day-to-day basis. Konowalchuk said he’s heard from them in the past but hasn’t in the past couple of seasons. The roster and success at the World Juniors is also a subject of national scrutiny north of the border, perhaps comparable to the NFL Draft here in the United States. At times critics have accused Hockey Canada of overthinking things in terms of its junior roster.

Konowalchuk has touched base with his defenseman and said that while disappointed, Bear has a great attitude about the snub.

“I talked to Ethan and he’s going to focus on what he can control and being ready to play to start the year,” Konowalchuk said. “I love his attitude that he’s not down and he believes he can play with those guys and prove that Team Canada made a mistake.”

The Team Canada door isn’t shut for Bear.

A strong start to the upcoming season could – and should – get him an invite to the Subway Superseries against Team Russia in November and there is still Canada’s winter camp just prior to the tournament.

“He’s already on their radar, and will keep opening their eyes,” Konowalchuk said. “It’s a good challenge for him and that’s a part of sports. Sometimes you’ve got to keep proving yourself, and that’s what he’s got to keep doing right now.”

Note

• Canada also invited players to its U17 development camp and two T-Birds prospects were invited. Goalie Carl Stankowski and forward Elijah Brown will both be vying for a spot with Team Canada.

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