North Bay news: Ty Nelson of the Battalion added to Team Canada’s roster

For the first time since 2015, a member of the North Bay Battalion has been added to Team Canada’s roster for the World Junior Championship.

19-year-old North Bay Battalion defenceman Ty Nelson was added to Team Canada’s roster for the World Junior Hockey Championships in Sweden on Saturday. (Supplied/North Bay Battalion)

Hockey Canada announced Saturday that Ty Nelson was added to the team, which starts group play on Tuesday in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Nelson, a 19-year-old defenceman, will take the place of Tristan Luneau – who has battled an illness.

Both Nelson and Battalion goalie Dom DiVincentiis were originally cut from the Canadian team in mid-December during Hockey Canada’s selection camp in Oakville, Ont.

When the team reached Nelson he was in Pittsburgh, Penn., for the OHL holiday break – he was to travel to Toronto to fly to Sweden in time to play on Boxing Day.

There are 10 teams competing in the annual tournament, with final rosters due Monday night and the tournament concluding on Jan. 5 with the medal games.

“I’m sure I speak for all of North Bay in saying the world juniors just got a lot more personal,” said Battalion general manager Adam Dennis, in a news release.

“This is a huge thrill for Ty and the rest of our organization, and we couldn’t be prouder. We look forward to watching him represent the red and white.”

North Bay Battalion defenceman Ty Nelson was cut from Hockey Canada’s selection camp on Dec. 13 but has now been added to Team Canada’s roster for the World Junior Hockey Championships. (File Photo/Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario)

Nelson is now a Seattle Kraken prospect following the 2022 National Hockey League Draft. He has recorded 12 goals and 19 assists over 28 games so far this OHL season with the Battalion.

In group play, Canada faces Finland on Tuesday at 8 a.m. EST, followed by Latvia on Wednesday, Sweden on Friday and Germany on Dec. 31. Tournament quarterfinals are scheduled for Jan. 2, with the semifinals to be held on Jan. 4 before the medal games on Jan. 5.

All Canadian games will be televised nationally by TSN.

A North Bay area goaltender Ben Gaudreau, originally from Corbeil, captured gold with Team Canada’s World Junior team last year.

19-year-old North Bay Battalion defenceman Ty Nelson was added to Team Canada’s roster for the World Junior Hockey Championships in Sweden on Saturday. (Supplied/North Bay Battalion)

– With files from CTV News Northern Ontario videojournalist Eric Taschner