Ashton to Play in Super Series

From the Canes' Office: (Ryan Ohashi)

Lethbridge, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes are very proud to congratulate forward Carter Ashton on his invitation to represent Team WHL at the 2009 Subway Super Series. Ashton will play in Game 6; the final game of the Super Series in the home of the 2009 WHL Champion Kelowna Rockets. The Canadian Hockey League in association with SUBWAY® and the three regional leagues the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League, and the Western Hockey League will take on the Russian Selects team in a six game series for the 2009 SUBWAY® Super Series.

All three regional league teams will be led by members of Team Canada’s National Junior Team coaching staff including Head Coach Willie Desjardins who will serve as the Head Coach for Team WHL. Team Canada Associate Coach Dave Cameron and Assistant Coach Steve Spott will lead Team OHL behind the bench, with Assistant Coach André Tourigny serving as Head Coach for Team QMJHL.

This will be Ashton’s first opportunity to play for Team WHL and the first time in four seasons that the Hurricanes will have only one representative at the event. Last season, Zach Boychuk and Colton Sceviour received invites for the 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge in Swift Current and Prince Albert. For Sceviour it will be his 1st selection while Boychuk represented Team WHL for the third straight season.

Ashton signed an NHL Entry level contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning this fall after attending his first pro camp. In the summer, the 6'3" 210 pound skill power forward became the Hurricanes third first round NHL Draft pick in the last two years when he was selected by Tampa Bay (29th overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. This marked the first time in club history that the Canes had a player chosen in the first round of the NHL draft in back to back seasons. Ashton led all Hurricanes with 30 goals and 10 power play goals last season. He was the recipient of the Hurricanes Top Draft Prospect Award, the Hurricanes Three Stars Award and co-winner of the Hurricanes Community Relations Award.Last year, CHL teams defeated Team Russia in five of the six games in the series before Team Canada captured their fifth straight Gold Medal at the World Junior Championships.