CALGARY - Steve Spott has chosen the 23 players he believes will give Canada the best chance at a gold medal at the upcoming world junior hockey championship. The question is, will he still have them when the tournament opens Dec. 26 in Ufa, Russia? Canadas coach doesnt know that. While theres no end to the NHL lockout in sight yet, theres a feeling not a lot separates the owners and players in negotiations. Earlier this week, the league cancelled games until Dec. 30, but training camps could conceivably start before that if an agreement is suddenly struck. "I am confident, but at the same time I understand some of the decisions that are going to be made as we go forward are really out of our control," Spott said following the announcement of his team. "If Im going to lose sleep, its going to be over a decision Ive made personally. We cant control it. Its unfortunate to a degree, but Id like to think that when we get on the plane on Saturday that well finish with the same group we started with." All countries must submit their tournament rosters on Dec. 25 and no forward or defenceman can be added after that. A goalie can be added during the tournament in the event that one of the two are injured. The Canadian players depart Calgary on Saturday for a pre-competition camp in Finland. They fly to Ufa on Dec. 23. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the Edmonton Oilers is the lone NHL player on the team, but there are others who would have played in the league if the season had started on time. The worst-case scenario for Canada is an NHL club recalls a player after the 25th. The team will then forced to both play a shorter bench in Ufa plus compensate for the loss of an important player. "Is it a great situation? No. There are some players it could affect," Spott said. "But one thing we determined real early was if we had the players we do today, that we were going to take them and we held true to that." So while the NHL lockout puts Canada in the rare position of having its top under-20 talent available to it, it injects uncertainty into preparations. Hockey Canada senior director of operations Scott Salmond is in discussions with the general managers of NHL clubs who have the rights to Canadas players what their plans would be if the lockout quickly ended. "Weve got some people who have committed their players all the way through no matter what happens in the lockout and some others that havent and that were going to continue to talk to," Salmond said. If the NHL resumes, it will be a mad dash to playoff berths and the Oilers have young legs. Salmond says hes spoken to NHL GM Steve Tambellini "its certainly their intention to have Ryan in the lineup when the season resumes." Of the six returning players from the squad that won bronze in the 2012 junior tournament in Alberta, only defenceman Scott Harrington (Pittsburgh) and forward Boone Jenner (Columbus) currently have the green light to play for Canada until the tournament ends Jan. 5. There is not yet the same firm commitment for Jonathan Huberdeau (Florida), Mark Scheifele (Winnipeg), Dougie Hamilton (Boston) and Ryan Strome (New York Islanders). Hockey Canada can only watch and be ready react to what the NHL does. The likelihood of the NHL meddling with Canadas junior team seems to become more remote with every day the lockout continues, but the uncertainty continues. "With that date of Dec. 30 being out there, I dont think that helps us necessarily," Salmond said. "If it was January second, third or fifth, I think it would play more into our favour. Youve got to kind of look at that rolling calendar of cutting games." Spott could recall a player from the final three defencemen or four forwards released Thursday prior to the tournament. "If there should there be a situation where we have to make calls, then were fully prepared with the group we saw today," the coach said. In a year where the team had Canadas best 19-year-olds available, a pair of 17-year-olds made it onto the team. Halifax Moosehead teammates and linemates Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin were among the 13 forwards chosen. On the 1995 and 2005 junior teams also bolstered by lockouts, defenceman Wade Redden (1995) and Sidney Crosby (2005) were the only 17-year-olds on those teams. "We feel this cant be a team selected purely on age," Spott said. "Jonathan and Nathan have proven they can compete at this level. They play against 18 and 19 year olds every night in Halifax. They just re-affirmed what we thought." Anthony Camara, Phillip Danault, Charles Hudson, JC Lipon, Ty Rattie and Brett Ritchie will be Canadas other forwards. Ryan Murphy, Xavier Ouellet, Griffin Reinhart, Morgan Rielly and Tyler Wotherspoon join Hamilton and Harrington on the blue-line. Jordan Binnington, Jake Paterson and Malcolm Subban were the goaltenders selected and all are out of the Ontario Hockey League. The Canadian team is taking a third goaltender to Ufa as insurance against injury to either the starter or backup. Spott had yet to inform the third goalie he would be an alternate. "Its such a special evening for these young men right now thats going to be a little bit of a bittersweet conversation so were going to save that for this week when we sit down with one of those three and have that conversation," Spott said. "Its a special night and I wanted to keep it that way." Canada won five straight gold from 2005 to 2009 and then took silver in 2010 and 2011. Canada dominated the tournaments of 1995 and 2005, so there are high expectations on this team to reclaim gold. "I think its good pressure," said Murphy, a defenceman who made the team on his third try. "Everyone knows how great this team could be so its just preparing us for what everyone expects from us." Along with MacKinnon and Drouin, 19-year-old Lipon is the only other undrafted player on the team. The OHL dominates the team with 11 players, followed by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with six and the Western Hockey League with five and one from the NHL. Notes: Released from the team Thursday were forwards Daniel Catenacci, Mark McNeill, Hunter Shinkaruk and Tom Wilson, defencemen Frank Corrado, Mathew Dumba and Ryan Sproul, as well as goaltender Laurent Brossoit . . . Nugent-Hopkins, chosen first overall by the Oilers in 2011, is the highest draft pick in a lineup that includes 10 first-round draft picks . . . The Boston Bruins lead all draft picks with three. nfl jerseys china . -- Canadians Dominique Maltais and Maelle Ricker won the womens World Cup snowboard cross team final Saturday. cheap jerseys paypal . There were plenty of handshakes and welcome-back hugs all around as the six-foot-four, 248-pound tailback returned to the Edmonton Eskimos on Thursday after being released Saturday by the NFLs Miami Dolphins. http://www.wholesalenflch... . However, there was a setback for another of the competitions big names as Liverpool was held to a frustrating 2-2 draw at home to Young Boys, leaving the English sides hopes of progressing to the last 32 in the balance. [url=http://www.wholesalenflcheapjerseysfromchina.biz/]Wholesale nfl jerseys . With all their regulars back, it was just like old times for the Philadelphia Phillies. Except the end result. Brian McCann hit a grand slam, Tim Hudson tossed four-hit ball over seven innings and the Atlanta Braves beat the struggling Phillies 5-0 to spoil Howards season debut Friday night. wholesale jerseys china . The 19-year-old forward is riding a nine-game point streak and now has 17 goals and 46 points in 25 games, which leads the OHL in scoring. Mitchell Theoret and Anthony DiFruscia had the other goals for the IceDogs (16-7-2), who have won four of their last five contests, and Brett Ritchie chipped in with two assists.ATLANTA -- Chipper Jones absorbed every moment of a performance he said hell cherish in retirement. The newly chosen All-Star, delivered his first five-hit game in a decade, driving in four runs Tuesday night and leading the Atlanta Braves over the Chicago Cubs 10-3. Jones was added to the NL All-Star roster before the game. The 40-year-old third baseman replaced injured Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp. He then played like an All-Star at the plate, on defence and with his first stolen base of the season. Jones, who plans to retire after this season, went 5 for 5 for his third career five-hit game and first since Aug. 11, 2002. "Tonight was just one of those dream games," Jones said. "I would be hard-pressed to find a game in which I played better." After his fifth hit, a single in the eighth inning, Jones was lifted for pinch runner Juan Francisco. Jones tipped his batting helmet as he received an ovation on his way to the dugout. He emerged from the dugout for another wave to the fans as the cheers continued. "That was fun. That was a lot of fun," Jones said. "Its just another one to file in the memory bank from my last year. It has been pretty special to this point." Jones hit a three-run double in the sixth. He has a season-best 10-game hitting streak and is hitting .313. "I dont think that swing is ready to retire," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. Jones added a defensive highlight in the eighth inning when he fielded Darwin Barneys grounder behind third base and, while in foul territory, threw him out at first. "Impressive," Braves right-hander Jair Jurrjens said. "He stole the show today. He carried us." Jurrjens (2-2) gave up nine hits and three runs, all unearned, in five innings. Reliever Kris Medlen pitched three perfect innings. The Cubs led 3-1 before Michael Bourn hit a bases-loaded triple in Atlantas five-run fifth. Martin Prados sacrifice fly and Jason Heywards 13th homer in the inning pushed the Braves lead to 6-3, chasing Chris&nbssp;Volstad out of the game.dddddddddddd Volstad (0-7) was promoted from Triple-A Iowa for the start. He gave up six runs on seven hits and two walks in 4 1-3 innings. "He didnt really pitch to the game plan and that was discouraging," Sveum said, adding Volstad didnt follow catcher Steve Clevenger. Sveum said Volstad will have another chance. "We dont have any options, so well run him out there again," Sveum said. "As of now we dont have any other options." The loss left Volstad with 20 consecutive starts without a win. It is the longest winless streak in the majors since Jo-Jo Reyes made 28 straight winless starts for the Braves and the Blue Jays from 2008-11, according to STATS LLC. Volstad was winless in his last 11 starts with Florida in 2011 and hasnt won in nine starts over two stints with the Cubs this season. "Its definitely a learning process," Volstad said. "I think its just a matter of trying to be too perfect. Too fine. "I just need to relax." Bourn walked in the first and scored when Jones single dropped in front of David DeJesus in centre field. DeJesus dove and trapped the ball. Cubs relievers Rafael Dolis and Jairo Asencio combined to walk six batters in the sixth, helping the Braves score four runs on only one hit -- Jones bases-loaded double to right field. Prado forced in a run with a bases-loaded walk from Asencio. The start of the game was delayed by rain for 52 minutes. Following the rain, the first-pitch temperature was 72 degrees, a drop of more than 20 degrees. NOTES: Volstads last win came on July 10, 2011 with Florida against Houston. ... The Cubs optioned RHP Casey Coleman to Triple-A Iowa to clear a roster spot for Volstad. Coleman gave up seven earned runs, his career high as a reliever, in last Wednesdays 17-1 loss to the Reds. ... Braves RHP Randall Delgado will face Cubs LHP Paul Maholm as the series continues on Wednesday night. Maholm threw seven scoreless innings in a 1-0 win over the Braves in Chicago on May 5. ' ' '