Double dose of Kelowna Rockets star power at World Juniors

Did you go back for Christmas meal seconds? Go on admit it.

Well, why stop now? The festive period abundance keeps on coming with a double dose of Kelowna Rockets at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championships.

Rockets skipper Colton Dach dresses for Canada while Gabriel Szturc will help carry the hopes of his nation, Czechia, as they face each other at the start of the star-studded tournament today.

And there will be plenty of Rockets teammates catching the game with the rest of us on TV.

Check out the video to hear the well wishes for Colton and Team Canada from some local hockey who know his capabilities.

The championships run from today in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Moncton, New Brunswick, thru Jan.5.

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This story was originally published Dec.13, 2022

Kelowna Rockets captain Colton Dach has made the roster for the Canadian World Junior team.

The 19-year-old is one of 11 players from the WHL, guided by Everett Silvertips head coach Dennis Williams.

As RocketFAN’s Regan Bartel explains, The Chicago Blackhawks, the team that drafted Dach in the second round of the 2020 NHL Draft, love when prospects can experience a high-pressure tournament.

It allows elite players to showcase their abilities with teammates of equal or greater skill sets.

Dach's teammates were delighted for him as they spoke Tuesday after a practice session ahead of their game Wednesday against Swift Current. Check out the video.

Dach joins three other Blackhawks prospects that could be teammates down the road in the NHL.

Nolan Allan, Ethan Del Mastro, and Kevin Korchinski join Dach, when Canada opens the tournament Boxing Day against fellow Rocket, Gabriel Szturc and Czechia.

Get all your latest news, views and interviews on the Rockets at RocketFAN.