T-Birds’ Barzal, Bear join Canada’s under-18 team

For the Reporter

Seattle Thunderbirds center Mathew Barzal and defenseman Ethan Bear will play for Team Canada at the Under-18 World Championship on April 16-26 in Zug and Lucerne, Switzerland.

Barzal, a 17-year-old from Coquitlam, British Columbia, finished his second season with the T-Birds and had 57 points on 12 goals and 45 assists. He had four goals and four assists in six playoff games. In two seasons with the T-Birds, Barzal had 111 points on 26 goals and 85 assists in 103 games.

Barzal is ranked No. 11 in the NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings for 2015 draft-eligible players.

Bear, a 17-year-old from Ochapowace, Saskatchewan, finished his second season with the T-Birds and had 38 points on 13 goals and 25 assists. He had a goal and two assists in six playoff games. In two seasons with the T-Birds, Bear has 57 points on 19 goals and 38 assists in 128 games.

Bear is ranked No. 97 in the NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings for 2015 draft-eligible players.

Barzal and Bear were part of Team Canada’s Under-18 Team that won gold at the 2014 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup on Aug. 11-16 in Breclav, Czech Republic and Piestany, Slovakia.

Barzal was part of Team Canada’s U-18 National Team that won bronze at the 2014 IIHF World Championship in Finland in April. He had three goals and one assist for four points in seven games.