Seven Western Hockey League prospects are set to represent Canada at the inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria.

The seven WHL top prospects are among the 15 players named to Canada’s Men’s hockey squad that will compete in the games, which begin on January 13^th and run through January 22^nd.

All seven WHL prospects named to the team were selected in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft, with six of the seven chosen in the first round, including defenseman Brycen Martin, who was chosen second overall by the Swift Current Broncos, and Lethbridge Hurricanes prospects Ryan Pilon and Reid Duke, who were chosen third and fifth overall.

WHL PROSPECTS ON CANADA’S YOUTH OLYMPIC HOCKEY TEAM:

F Adam Brooks – Regina Pats (2^nd Rd, 25^th O/A, 2011)

F Reid Duke – Lethbridge Hurricanes (1^st Rd, 5^th O/A, 2011)

F Reid Gardiner – Prince Albert Raiders (1^st Rd, 8^th O/A, 2011)

F Ryan Gropp – Seattle Thunderbirds (1^st Rd, 6^th O/A, 2011)

D Joseph Hicketts – Victoria Royals (1^st Rd, 12^th O/A, 2011)

D Brycen Martin – Swift Current Broncos (1^st Rd, 2^nd O/A, 2011)

D Ryan Pilon – Lethbridge Hurricanes (1^st Rd, 3^rd O/A, 2011)

To follow the progress of the WHL’s prospects at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games, CLICK HERE