Six players were released Friday from Canada's world junior hockey team roster and veteran forward Alex Formenton of the London Knights was ruled out of the upcoming championship tournament due to injury.
Formenton will be assessed by the Knights’ medical staff when he returns. It will be at least four to six weeks before he plays again, the Knights say.
Liam Foudy of the Knights and London native Issac Ratcliffe were released late Friday after completing a three-game pre-tournament.
Foudy, 18, a forward, will be back in the lineup Sunday with the Knights.
"I'm taking the whole thing as a learing experience. Taking it all in...happy I got the invite," Foudy said.
Ratcliffe was obviously disappointed.
"A lot of guys go through this in their career - still tough...."
Defenceman Evan Bouchard of the Knights and London native Nick Suzuki made the roster.
Eleven players have left the team in the past two days, with four cuts Thursday, six more Friday and the announcement that Ottawa Senators draft pick Formenton is injured and not able to play in the tournament which starts Boxing Day in Vancouver.
Formenton, one of only two returning players from last year's gold medal team, injured his right leg in a pre-tournament contest Wednesday.
"We've done everything medically for assessments and he unfortunately has suffered an injury that is longer term recovery than this tournament," said national team director Shawn Bullock.
"Unfortunately, Alex won't be part of our national team program this year."
Michael DiPietro, formerly of the Windsor Spitfires and now with the Ottawa 67s, is one of two goalies selected to the team.
