Rangers loaning Duclair to Team Canada for WJC

Anthony-Duclair;-New-York-Rangers;-NHL;-2015-IIHF-World-Junior-Championship

The New York Rangers traded a package including Anthony Duclair to Arizona in exchange for Keith Yandle. (Frank Franklin II/AP)

New York Rangers rookie forward Anthony Duclair has been loaned to Team Canada for the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship, the team announced Tuesday morning.

New York Rangers on Twitter

Larry Brooks on Twitter

Duclair led the Rangers in scoring in the pre-season and has recorded seven points and a plus-4 rating in 18 regular-season games with New York.

The 19-year-old was selected 80th overall in the 2013 NHL Draft and promptly exploded for 50 goals and 99 points in the QMJHL last season. The 5-foot-11, 185 lb. winger impressed the Rangers so much during the pre-season that the team traded defenceman Steven Kampfer and forward Andrew Yogan to the Florida Panthers in early October to create a roster spot for him.

Hockey Canada will hope that the decision by the Rangers starts a trend. Players such as Tampa’s Jonathan Drouin, Ottawa’s Curtis Lazar and Vancouver’s Bo Horvat would be a big boost to the team’s chances of ending a two-year medal drought and five years without a gold.

Team Canada opens the tournament Dec. 26 at the Bell Centre in Montreal against Slovakia.

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