He didn鈥檛 get his way. That distinction went to Ryan Strome with Scheifele playing the middle on sa国际传媒鈥檚 second line.
Scheifele looks like he will get a chance to play on the top unit this year, but as a converted right-winger.
Canadian team head coach Steve Spott had Scheifele on the right side of Edmonton Oilers centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and left-winger Jonathan Huberdeau from the start of this week鈥檚 selection camp in Calgary.
鈥淚鈥檓 willing to play any position, whatever it is,鈥� Scheifele says. 鈥淥bviously, being on the No. 1 line right now with Huberdeau and Nugent-Hopkins, I just want to stay on that, obviously make the team.鈥�
That he鈥檒l make the team isn鈥檛 in question. The 19-year-old from Kitchener, Ont., would have played for the Winnipeg Jets this season if not for the NHL lockout.
Nugent-Hopkins, Scheifele and Huberdeau were among a dozen players who didn鈥檛 play in Wednesday鈥檚 4-1 exhibition loss to the University of Alberta Golden Bears.
Defencemen Dougie Hamilton, Morgan Rielly and Scott Harrington and forwards Strome, Philip Danault, Boone Jenner, Charles Hudon and Brett Ritchie also sat out, meaning they are safe bets to be on 23-player Canadian team announced today. Defender Xavier Ouellet was a scratch because of an ankle injury.
Spott made several cuts following the game. Defencemen Adam Pelech and Derrick Pouliot and forwards Francis Beauvillier, Sean Monahan and Tyler Graovac were sent back to their junior clubs, dropping the number of players competing for 23 spots on the team to 32.
Canadian defenceman Frank Corrado of the Sudbury Wolves scored for the second time in as many days. He scored the winner in the previous night鈥檚 intrasquad game.
Malcolm Subban had a tough start in sa国际传媒鈥檚 net as he gave up three goals on Alberta鈥檚 first seven shots, but settled down and made 11 saves. Jordan Binnington then turned away seven of eight in his half of the game.
Laurent Brossoit and Jake Paterson tended Alberta鈥檚 nets. Brossoit stopped 18 of 19 shots before giving way to Paterson, who stopped the 12 he faced.
A Paterson glove save late in the second period drew appreciation from spectators.
Torrie Dyck led Alberta with a pair of goals. Kruise Reddick and Johnny Lazo also scored.
鈥淲ith the kids who weren鈥檛 in the lineup tonight, those are guys we鈥檝e got a very, very deep book on and very familiar with,鈥� Spott said. 鈥淭he guys we played tonight are guys we鈥檝e got to give a legitimate opportunity to make this hockey club.
鈥淭here are some players in my mind here this evening that didn鈥檛 take advantage of a very good opportunity. I know there鈥檚 very good players in the stands, but there鈥檚 jobs to be had here. I said from Day 1 鈥�;don鈥檛 have any regrets鈥� and I think some players may have some after tonight.鈥�
Another exhibition game against a team of university players is scheduled for today, followed by the announcement of the Canadian team. The 2013 world junior championship opens Dec. 26 in Ufa, Russia.
Scheifele says his right-wing experience to this point was limited to a few practices with the Jets last season. But Spott began preparing the six-foot-three, 187-pound forward for the switch with the call to invite him to selection camp.
With the help of his Barrie Colts head coach Dale Hawerchuk, a former Jet himself, Scheifele worked on chipping the puck up the boards and getting the puck to the centre on the fly during practices prior to his arrival in Calgary.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to battle more along the walls especially,鈥� Scheifele said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good thing to add to your resum茅. If you can play right-wing, it gives coaches at the next level a different opportunity.
鈥淚 want to be the best player I can at that position and do whatever it takes to help that line.鈥�
Huberdeau played on the left side of Strome during the 2012 world junior championship and had strong chemistry with right-winger Mark Stone, who led sa国际传媒 in assists. Scheifele had a slow start to the tournament in Alberta, but helped sa国际传媒 win the bronze-medal game with a goal and an assist.
Nugent-Hopkins feels there is chemistry already forming between himself, Huberdeau and Scheifele, even though they are a new trio.
鈥淭he big thing for us is using our speed and talking out there for sure,鈥� Nugent-Hopkins said.
