Like the WHL's Kelowna Rockets, Swizterland's national junior hockey program holds forward Calvin Thurkauf in high regard.
On Wednesday, Thurkauf was named captain of the Swiss team for the world junior hockey championship in Montreal and Toronto.
The 19-year-old from Zug, Switzerland has 17 goals and 31 points in 28 games with the Rockets this season and was one the WHL's most dominant forwards in December.
In his last four games with the Rockets prior to the world juniors, Thurkauf scored eight goals and added two assists, and was named the WHL player of the week.
The 6-foot-2, 203-pound Thurkauf and the Swiss open the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship Dec. 27 against the Czech Republic.
Thurkauf's Kelowna teammate, Tomas Soustal, plays with the Czechs.
A third Rockets forward, Dillon Dube, is a member of the Canadian junior team.