A trio of Battlefords North Stars will be battling 57 other players for a spot on Canada West at this year’s World Junior A Challenge.
Forward Layne Young along with blueliners Levi Kleiboer and Cody Spagrud will head to Leduc, Alta. from Dec. 5-8, as they look the make the final roster for the tournament, which will be held in Bonnyville, Alta. from Dec. 11-17.
Young, who was invited to last year’s camp along with teammates Reed Delianey and Connor Sych, leads the North Stars in scoring this season with 32 points in 26 games.
The Frenchman Butte native won the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League rookie of the year award last year and is currently fifth in league scoring this season.
Kleiboer, who is from Martensville, leads all North Stars blueliners in scoring this year with 19 points in 28 games.
He had 21 points in 39 games last season.
Spagarud is also in his second season with the team and has 10 points in 28 games.
The Gull Lake product had 25 points in 47 games a year ago.
The North Stars have never had a player take part in the tournament, which began in 2006.
Eight other players from the SJHL will also be at the camp, as the league looks to have a player on Canada West this year after not having a player on last year’s gold medal winning side.
Also attending the camp will be goaltender Brandon Wells (Melville), defencemen Mike Eskra (Weyburn), Regan Seiferling (Yorkton) and Cory Thomas (Flin Flon), and forwards Dakota Boutin (Melfort), Adam Dawe (Notre Dame), Kaelan Holt (Estevan) and Hafford product Brandon Lesko (Flin Flon).
