By Patrick King, Sportsnet.ca
CALGARY - Angelo Esposito is hoping the third time's the charm.
Esposito, an 18-year-old forward with the Québec Remparts, is attending Canada's world junior selection camp this week for the third consecutive year. Unfortunately for Esposito, Hockey Canada opted not to keep the dynamic offensive player on its tournament roster the previous two times.
"I know a lot better now what it takes to make this team," Esposito said Monday before Team White practised at Father David Bauer Arena in Calgary. "I think if I do my best there's no reason why I shouldn't be on this team."
As one of the older players this time around, one would think Esposito has an excellent chance of making this year's team. Esposito was originally named to Canada's under-20 roster in the Canada-Russia Super Series this summer but missed the series because of a groin injury which happened just a week before leaving for Russia.
"Obviously it was something I would have liked to have been a part of," he said. "I was disappointed I missed it."
Although Hockey Canada insists the world junior roster won't be a duplicate of the Super Series roster, Esposito should be high on their list. Esposito, who was typecast for his offensive exploits, has worked hard on shoring up his defensive game and it has been noticed.
"Angelo's been in the program for a number of years now and has always been thought of as strictly an offensive player," Al Murray, Hockey Canada's head scout, said. "I think he's probably a lot more in tune to the defensive part of the game."
Esposito knows also that players must sometimes play different roles than they might on their club teams, where each of the attendees would be considered the "star."
"Whatever they throw at me, I'm ready for it and I'm ready to do whatever they offer me to do," he said.
"Many of the players that we brought in here we have expectations that they can play a number of different roles," Murray said. "Angelo could easily fit into a couple of different roles with us."
One role in which Esposito has proven capable in the past is that of team captain. Esposito wore the "C" for Team Québec at the 2006 world under-17 tournament and for Team Canada at the 2006 under-18 Junior World Cup. Both teams won the gold medal.
In addition to his two gold-medal performances, Esposito won the Memorial Cup with the Remparts in his rookie season in 2006. Despite his impressive resume, Esposito remained humble when asked if his accomplishments proved he was a big-game performer.
"It helps," he said. "Big-game player, that's a big (label) to put on right now and I'm hoping to just make this team and we'll see what happens from there."
With Brad Marchand, Karl Alzner and Leland Irving as the lone returning players from last year's gold-medal winning team, this year's camp is certainly wide open. Although it will all depend on how he performs in camp, Esposito might have an inside track given his international experience.
"A lot of our players, while they might not have world junior experience, do have international experience against the players we're going to play against and I think that's very valuable," Murray said.
Like many young hockey players, Esposito grew up watching the world junior tournament every year after Christmas. His fondest memory is of the 2005 tournament when his future Pittsburgh Penguins teammate, Sidney Crosby, helped lead Canada to its first gold since 1997.
"Ever since I was young I've been watching these (tournaments)," he said. "It would be a great honour playing for Team Canada."
If the third time proves to be the charm for Esposito, it will be his turn to leave memories on young hockey players of the future.
