Well, isn’t this fitting.
Per a Sportsnet report, Peter Chiarelli -- the GM of an Edmonton team filled with young stars -- will be named the GM of the Young Stars team set to compete at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
The team will be comprised of North American players aged 23 or younger, though the specific cutoff birthdate for qualification remains unofficial (per an earlier ESPN report, it’s set to be Sept. 1, 1992).
Previously, the NHL and NHLPA confirmed that, should a Canadian or American player be chosen for the Young Stars team, he would have to participate -- meaning there’s no holding out in the hope of making the senior team.
Which brings us back to the guy picking the Young Stars.
Chiarelli would, presumably, have two of his own players firmly in the mix: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Connor McDavid. He could also be in a position to select one of his former, and brightest, prospects -- Dougie Hamilton, who Chiarelli drafted in Boston, only to later see Hamilton get dealt to Calgary by current B’s GM Don Sweeney.
Here’s our full list of potential Young Stars, from back in January:
Forwards: Nugent-Hopkins, McDavid, Jack Eichel Brandon Saad, Matt Nieto, Sean Couturier, J.T. Miller, Nathan MacKinnon, Sean Monahan, Mark Scheifele, Jonathan Huberdeau, Boone Jenner, Ryan Strome, Johnny Gaudreau, Alex Galchenyuk, Jonathan Drouin, Bo Horvat, Sam Reinhart, Anthony Duclair, Curtis Lazar.
Defense: Hamilton, Connor Murphy, Aaron Ekblad, Jacob Trouba, Seth Jones, Morgan Rielly, Damon Severson, Ryan Murray, Cody Ceci, Derrick Pouliot, Griffin Reinhart, Matt Dumba, Darnell Nurse (another Oiler!)
Goalies: John Gibson, Connor Hellebuyck, Malcolm Subban.
As for GM’s of the other teams, Team Canada has confirmed that St. Louis’ Doug Armstrong will serve as its GM, while Los Angeles’ Dean Lombardi will spearhead the U.S. team.