CALGARY – After a successful transition to one of the top hockey leagues in Europe, former University of Calgary Dinos defenceman
Kodie Curran has caught the eye of Hockey Canada and earned a roster spot on Team Canada at the 2018 Spengler Cup.
Curran is one of 25 players chosen to wear the Maple Leaf with Canada's National Men's Team at the 2018 Spengler Cup, Dec. 26-31 in Davos, Switzerland. The roster includes several former National Hockey League players and three members of Canada's entry at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea.
Playing in the Swedish Hockey League for Rögle BK, based out of Ängelholm, Sweden, Curran leads all defenceman in goals and points with seven goals and 17 points. His performance in the first half earned him a contract extension, keeping him with Rögle BK through the 2020-21 season.
"We are excited with this year's group of players, as we believe we have assembled a team that combines experience from previous Spengler Cup appearances and the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, and a group of new faces who will contribute to the success of our team," said Team Canada co-general manager Sean Burke. "The Spengler Cup is always an exciting tournament with a rich history, and we look forward to competing for our fourth-consecutive championship with this group of 25 players."
Following a four-year junior career in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, Curran made the jump to the Dinos in 2010 and went on to play five seasons at UCalgary. In 96 career Canada West regular season games, the Calgary native compiled 89 points, including 17 goals.
During his final season with the Dinos in 2014-15, Curran led all blueliners in scoring and was named a conference first-team all-star, for a second time, and played for Team Canada at the 2015 Winter Universiade in Granada, Spain.
After leaving the Dinos, Curran spent one season in the New York Rangers' system, split between the American Hockey League and ECHL. He then went overseas where he won back-to-back league titles in Denmark and Norway before landing with Rögle BK this year.
Team Canada has won the Spengler Cup, the oldest club tournament in the world, the last three years, and will look to win a fourth straight championship for the first time since 1995-1998.
It is the second year in a row that Team Canada's roster at the Spengler Cup will include a connection to Canada West. In 2017, former Saskatchewan Huskies goaltender Jordon Cooke became the first active Canada West player in more than 30 years to join Team Canada for the event.
Before Cooke, the most recent Canada West connection to the Spengler Cup came in 1999 when Kent Simpson played for Team Canada at the event following his career with the Alberta Golden Bears.
Team Canada will open the 2018 Spengler Cup against host HC Davos on Dec. 26 before the 11-game schedule wraps up with the championship game on Dec. 31. TSN will carry all 11 tournament games live.
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