Written by Aaron Bell
Photo by Andy Devlin (Hockey Canada Images)

When Team Canada opens the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championships in Edmonton on Boxing Day, the entire country will be looking for redemption from the dramatic loss to Russia in the gold medal game of last year's tournament.

It was the second silver medal for Canada in a row after a record-tying string of five straight gold medals.

But for Niagara IceDogs' netminder Mark Visentin, the hunger for redemption is personal.

Visentin was in net for Canada's third period meltdown last January in Buffalo, NY and has been waiting nearly 12 months to get another chance at the gold medal.

On Wednesday, Visentin learned that he will get that shot. He was one of 11 OHL players that were named to this year's team, and one of just four returning players.

"I learned a lot from last year," Visentin told The Canadian Press on Wednesday. "That experience is already a long ways away. I put it in my pocket and I've kept walking. It's something I used to motivate myself in the summer to get better, but right now it's a clean slate.

"It's a whole new team and a new focus and we need to earn the gold medal this year. As a team, I think we have a great group of guys and I'm looking forward to working harder and harder each and every day to get to that goal."

Visentin will be joined in the Team Canada crease by fellow OHL'er Scott Wedgewood of the Plymouth Whalers.  This marks the first time since 1995 when both of Canada's goaltenders were from the OHL (Dan Cloutier and Jamie Storr).  1995 was also the last time the World Junior Championship was held in Alberta with Canada capturing gold under Head Coach Don Hay.

Wedgewood sees Visentin as the likely starter but is anxious to push him to be at his best.

"He's got the No. 1 spot right now, it's definitely going to be a battle for him to keep that," he said. "I'm not going to sit back and just watch.

"I definitely want to play. I'm sure he's going to want to keep it so there will be a little bit of friendly competition here. We both want to obviously win this team a gold medal."

Other OHL'ers that were named to the team include defencemen Dougie Hamilton (Niagara IceDogs), Scott Harrington (London Knights) and Jamie Oleksiak (Saginaw Spirit) as well as forwards Freddie Hamilton (Niagara), Boone Jenner (Oshawa Generals), Tanner Pearson (Barrie Colts), Mark Scheifele (Barrie) and Ryan Strome (Niagara).

The IceDogs tied a Team Canada record with four players from one team which was also accomplished by the Windsor Spitfires (Ryan Ellis, Taylor Hall, Adam Henrique, Greg Nemisz) in 2010.

Mississauga St. Michael's Majors' graduate Devante Smith-Pelly was also released by the Anaheim Ducks to play in the tournament.

Strome, Scheifele and Smith-Pelly will all be counted on as top six forwards that could be the key to Canada's offence.

"Right now, I'm really honoured," Strome said just after being congratulated by Team Canada coach Don Hay for making the squad. "I was up all morning texting my parents and following along with them. I'm just really excited."

Meanwhile the Hamilton brothers become the first brothers to play on Team Canada since Randy and Mike Moller made the team together - in 1982.

"To make this team by yourself is just a huge accomplishment," Freddie Hamilton said. "But to be able to do it with him makes it even more exciting."

"It's awesome - I think it's pretty much every kid in Canada's dream to have this jersey on," Dougie Hamilton said on Wednesday. "It's been my dream for a while. It's pretty awesome right now and I'm looking forward to the tournament."

Action begins tonight as Canada hosts Finland in the first of three pre-competition games.  The game will be aired on TSN at 9pm ET.  

Canada opens the tournament on Boxing Day against Finland (3:30 p.m. Eastern on TSN).