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MONTREAL -- Benoit Groulx says it will take more than flashy statistics to ensure a spot on Canadas junior hockey team. The Gatineau Olympiques head coach will lead Canada in its quest to end its gold medal drought at the 2015 world junior hockey championship held in Montreal and Toronto at the end of this year. As Groulx begins naming players to his roster over the next two weeks, he wants to look beyond goals and assists when sending out invitations to training camp. He and the rest of the coaching staff are looking to reinvent the selection process that has proved unsuccessful in the last tournaments. "Recent history has shown us that being a hundred-point guy on a first line is no longer enough at the Juniors," Groulx said from Montreal on Thursday, after Hockey Canada introduced him as the teams head coach. "Our players have to raise their game. These are players who will one day be in the National Hockey League. They have the talent, but can they elevate their play? "Thats the message were sending. The level weve competed at these last few years simply wasnt enough." Canada is suffering through a five-year gold medal drought at the tournament after winning five consecutive years between 2005 and 2009. The teams last medal, a bronze, came in 2012. Groulx was an assistant coach at the 2014 junior championship in Malmo, Sweden, where Canada finished fourth after losing to Russia in the bronze-medal game. The 46-year-old says only elite players can challenge for the top of the podium. "We need guys who are self-driven, who are relentless, guys who want to make the difference," said the Hull, Que., native. "We need hundred-point players who are ready to make changes, ready to play out of their comfort zones. To win that championship, you need world-class players." Canada has 11 players eligible to return from last years squad, including goalie Zachary Fucale and forwards Jonathan Drouin, Curtis Lazar and NHL prospect Sam Reinhart. The teams one-week development camp begins Aug. 9 in Montreal. The Canadians will also host an exhibition tournament involving the Russian and Czech national junior teams which will be held in Montreal and Sherbrooke, Que. The goal is to keep competitiveness high as the world junior championship approaches. "Those are two great countries, two teams that we lost to last year," said Hockey Canadas Scott Salmond. "Any time you can bring those teams back in a competitive environment, and send a message to them, its great. Its not a summer camp, its a competition, and we want to play there to win." After the exhibition games, Canada opens the 11-day tournament on Dec. 26 with a group game against Slovakia in Montreal. Canada will play its four round-robin matches at Montreals Bell Centre. The Canadians are in Group A with the United States, Finland, Slovakia and Germany. Toronto will welcome teams from Group B, which includes Russia, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Sweden, and Switzerland. The gold-medal game will take place at the Air Canada Centre on Jan. 5. Groulx wouldnt guarantee Canada would make it to the ACC for that final, but he is relishing the opportunity to play in front of the home crowd. Incidentally, Groulx would have coached a national junior team on home soil in 2009 had he not resigned. After initially accepting Hockey Canadas invitation, he later took a head coach position with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League. Groulx says theres no changing course this time around. "Montreal and Toronto are two of the most passionate sports cities in Canada, and even in North America," he said. "Its a huge challenge that I look forward to. Pressure will be good for us. Whens theres pressure like that, people are very aware of it. Playing in Montreal and Toronto forces us to prepare adequately. "People in Canada expect us to win. For us, thats the ultimate. But our focus is on the process more than anything else." Notes: With 15 gold medals, Canada is the most successful country in the competitions 38-year history. a Dave Lowry (Victoria Royals of the Western Hockey League) and Scott Walker (Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League) will be Groulxs assistant coaches. a Finland won last years tournament, beating Sweden in the final game. a Groulx took the Gatineau Olympiques to three Memorial Cup appearances, in 2003, 2004 and 2008. ... Hockey Canada also named the coaching staff for Canadas under-18 team. Head coach Derek Laxdal will be joined by assistants Jody Hull and Eric Veilleux. Stan Smith Kengät Ale . Wayne and Cindy Tuck of Ilderton, Ont., closed out round-robin play earlier in the day with a 7-3 win over Finland but needed a win over Austria to reach the final eight. Stan Smith Kengät . - The Minnesota Vikings have ruled Christian Ponder out for Sundays game at Baltimore, because the quarterback has not yet passed all of his post-concussion tests. http://www.yeezysuomi.com/suomi-yeezy-boost-350.html. Old times for a defence that has looked just plain old recently? "No," safety Ryan Clark said. "We used to be much better than that. Yeezy Boost 700 V2 Suomi . -- Oakland Athletics third baseman Scott Sizemore has undergone surgery on his left knee to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Adidas Ultra Boost Uncaged Suomi . The Pope greeted Klose at his general audience Wednesday and the pair had a long chat. Klose is German like the pope, although he was born in Poland. In Sundays derby, Lazio took the lead in the seventh minute after Maarten Stekelenburg brought down Klose, resulting in the Roma goalkeeper being sent off and a penalty that Hernanes converted.KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- The Atlanta Braves agreed Wednesday on a $14.1 million, one-year contract with Ervin Santana, bolstering their injury plagued starting rotation. The 33-year-old right-hander went 9-10 with a 3.24 ERA in 32 starts for the Kansas City Royals last season and should make a huge impact with the battered Braves, who are facing the prospect of losing Kris Medlen for the season and opening with Brandon Beachy and Mike Minor on the disabled list. Medlen, who had been announced as Atlantas opening-day starter, left a spring training outing Sunday after grabbing his right elbow. Initial tests showed ligament damage, and he will undergo further examination to determine if he needs surgery for the second time in less than four years. Medlen said hes already preparing himself to miss the entire season. Beachy left a start Monday because of continuing problems with his right elbow, and Minor has yet to pitch this spring because of a sore shoulder. "In light of what has happened over the past few days with our pitching staff, we felt it was incumbent on us to do everything we could to strengthen our starting pitching," Braves general manager Frank Wren told reporters before a game against Washington. Santana will be pitching in the NL for the first time in his 10-year career. He spent eight seasons with the Los Angeles Angels before being traded to the Royals in 2013, helping Kansas City post an 86-76 record, their best since 1989. But Santana, who made $13 million in the final year of his contract, turned down a $14.1 million qualifying offer from the Royals and became a free agent. Given his hefty contract demands, he remained unsigned as spring training began, despite putting up some impressive career numbers. "This guy makes our rotation a lot better than where we are at now," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said, praising Wren. "We lost Medlen and Beachy in a matter of 2 1/2 days and he went out there and got the best pitcher available for us." Santana threw a bullpen at the Braves spring training complex on Wednesday, which Gonzalez said went well. Despite his late entrance to camp, Santana could be ready for the start of the season. "It will be close," Gonzalez said. "We are kind of keeping our fingers crossed that we can get him enough innings where he can start for us." Santana was an AL All-Star in 2008, tossed a no-hitter in 2011, and has reached double-figure wins five times, going a career-best 17-10 in 2010 and twice winning 16 games. Overall, he is 105-90 with a 4.19 ERA. Santanas agent, Jay Alou, said he initially received a text from Wren on Sunday, then got another call Tuesday night while negotiating with other clubs. It didnt take long to reach an agreement with Atlanta, a deal that includes award bonuses. Its easy to see why the Braves felt a sensee of desperation.dddddddddddd Medlen went a team-leading 15-12 with a 3.11 ERA last season, while Minor was 13-9 with a 3.21 ERA. The team also was counting on a full recovery for Beachy, who was one of the NLs most effective pitchers in 2012 before he underwent season-ending elbow surgery. Beachy has been limited to a total of 18 starts over the past two seasons, enduring several setbacks in his attempt to come back. After his latest problem, he will miss his next scheduled spring start and faces another trip to the DL. Minor, who underwent urinary tract surgery on Dec. 31, hopes to pitch within the next week but also seems likely to start the season on the DL while he builds his arm strength. Given all the health issues, the Braves got to the go-ahead from corporate owner Liberty Media to bump the payroll well above the projected $100 million limit. Wren called it "an incredible decision by the organization." With opening day less than three weeks away, the only healthy members of the Braves possible rotation are second-year pitchers Julio Teheran (14-8 last season) and Alex Wood, rookie David Hale and non-roster invitee Freddy Garcia. Hale and Garcia have both struggled this spring. Atlanta also signed veteran Gavin Floyd, but he is coming off Tommy John surgery and wont be ready to pitch until at least May. Now, add Santana to the list, though it will likely be mid-April before he is prepared to join the rotation. He has been throwing on the side and could make his spring training debut next week. "We want to take the right amount of caution to get him ready right, and be ready for the long haul," Wren said. By signing Santana, the Braves forfeited their first-round pick in Junes amateur draft, No. 26 overall, and the Royals will receive a compensation-round selection, the 28th overall. Atlantas first pick is now 32nd overall, as compensation for losing free agent catcher Brian McCann, who signed with the New York Yankees. Santanas signing leaves only two free agents -- Stephen Drew and Kendrys Morales -- available from the 13 players who turned down qualifying offers. If they agree to one-year contracts after opening day, they wouldnt be subject to qualifying offers this November. If they wait until after the draft to reach agreements, clubs that sign them wont lose selections. Among the 22 qualifying offers in the two years of the new labour contract, none have been accepted. "Frankly, the players havent adjusted to the change," New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said. "To blame the system versus the marketplace and blame the system versus a misunderstanding of the marketplace I think is a little one-sided. From a management standpoint, Id say, Hey, Im surprised if you guys havent taken a qualifying offer. Maybe they should have." ' ' '