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BROSSARD, Que. -- Aaron Ekblad says no one has a right to expect a spot on Canadas world junior roster, even those players returning for a second tour of duty. The first overall pick in this summers NHL entry draft said that a fourth-place finish at least years world junior championship means everyone vying for a spot on the Canadian squad to play on home soil later this year is on equal footing -- himself included. "Theres something left on the table," said Ekblad of the opportunity squandered in Malmo, Sweden that ended abruptly with a bronze medal game loss to Russia. "Obviously were coming into this with positivity, but we lost last year," added Ekblad, a defenceman for the Ontario Hockey Leagues Barrie Colts. "None of us, I think, have earned the right to say we deserve a spot again." Head Coach Benoit Groulx says thats exactly what he wants to hear. "Thats the attitude we like -- hes coming here as the first pick overall and hes first on every drill and hes probably the hardest working player on the ice," said Groulx, the Gatineau Olympiques coach who served as an assistant-coach for Canada in Sweden. Ekblad is among 39 players in suburban Montreal this week taking part in development camp that runs until Aug. 8. The Canadian players will play in exhibition games in Sherbrooke, Que. and at Concordia University in Montreal against teams from Russia and the Czech Republic. Groulx says he wants to see how players will adapt to what theyre being taught during practice and how theyll put those lessons to the test during games. Everyone will get a chance to play. "We want to be a team, we want to play as a team, we want four lines going hard, playing the same way," Groulx said. "This is our challenge and this is their challenge to be fitting on this team in a specific role." The coach said this week is just the first step in a very long process to decide on who will make up the Canadian squad that will play at the world junior championship in Montreal and Toronto at the end of the year. Ekblad is among a group of ten players at the camp who are back. The group also includes fellow first-round pick Sam Reinhart and young phenom Connor McDavid, the only draft-eligible player among them. Groulx had praise for all returnees who have been exhibiting leadership qualities since camp began Sunday night. "Theyre here, you can tell their ready and they dont take anything for granted," Groulx said. For McDavid in particular, its expected to a pressure-packed year. The Erie Otters forward is projected to be a top NHL draft pick in 2015. McDavid says hes got plenty of people around him keeping him grounded and helping him keep the focus on the task at hand. "At the end of the day, youre here for the world junior championship and nothing else," the soft-spoken McDavid said. "Youre not here for your draft stock or anything like that, youre just here to represent Team Canada and thats it." Canada hasnt won a gold medal in since 2009, when it won its last of five straight. The country hasnt had a medal since 2012 and has back-to-back fourth place finishes in the past two years. "Even to this day, I know a lot of the returning guys are disappointed and have the drive and fire to improve on last year," said Reinhart, a first-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres. "If we were all privileged enough to play, I know everyone is going to be motivated to get the best result possible." The 11-day tournament in Montreal and Toronto opens on Boxing Day and runs to Jan. 5, with the final at Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Its up in the air how many of the players at camp this week will still be eligible to play come December. Many, like Ekblad, expect to challenge for NHL spots. In the case of this years first overall pick, Ekblad made it clear he wants to secure an everyday spot on the Florida Panthers. But he assures that hell be ready and willing if he ends up suiting up for Canada. "We dont know whats going to happen with him (Ekblad) but one thing we know is that if hes with us at Christmas time, hell have the respect of his peers, which is key, and the respect of his coaches," Groulx said. NOTES: Thirty-nine players of the 41 players invited are expected on the ice this week. The exceptions are Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Jonathan Drouin, who isnt obliged to be here because it is his third invite. Vancouver Canucks prospect Jake Virtanen is present but is recovering from an injury and wont be on the ice. Tyler Bertuzzi didnt dress Monday due to illness. 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Linemates Ryan Johansen and Boone Jenner each had a goal and an assist in the first period, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 36 saves to lead the Blue Jackets past the Florida Panthers 4-1 on Saturday night.NEW YORK, N.Y. - After a year of record revenues, the NHL salary cap is going up again. The exact figure for the 2014-15 hasnt been set yet, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Thursday following a meeting of the leagues board of governors, but he hoped it would be worked out with the players association in time for the start of the two-day entry draft Friday in Philadelphia. The final number is expected to be in the high $60 millions or low $70 millions. That gives general managers a guideline as they head into the draft and the free-agent shopping season that begins on Tuesday. "We hope to have a mutual understanding as to what the cap will be within the next day, hopefully at the latest," Bettman said. "Its something that obviously we do in conjunction with the players association. "There have been ongoing meetings, but our goal would be to move this as quickly as possible. But we have a dance partner and we want to make sure the music is playing appropriately and were both hearing the same things." Many team officials rushed out of the midtown Manhattan hotel where Thursdays meeting took place and headed to Philadelphia for the draft, which will open with the first round Friday night and conclude with rounds 2-7 on Saturday. Teams that have large amounts of cap space can already make their off-season plans, whether it be trades or free-agent signings, without knowing the final cap number. "I expect to see a lot more trades than we normally see," Minnesota Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher said. "Well see a lot more trades, in my opinion, that dont even involve draft picks. Hockey trades. Theres so much parity in the league, everyone is trying to get ahead. I think some teams look at free agency as not an ideal route. I think there will be a lot of movement." Last seasons salary cap sat at $64.3 million, quite a jump from the original cap number of $39 million, established after the lockout-cancelled season of 2004-05. The only time the cap number dropped from the previous season was in 2012-13 following another lockout when the figure was set at $60 million after being $64.3 in 2011-12. Bettman said number-crunching was still being done to determine wwhat the leagues revenues were last season, but he declared they were at an all-time high.dddddddddddd "It is a record number, which is a testament to the strength of the game and our fans, and how competitive things are," he said. Also discussed Thursday were a host of potential rules changes that have already passed through the leagues competition committee and the general managers, who met earlier this month in New York during the Stanley Cup finals. There were no hurdles involved in those proposed adjustments, and the new rules are on track to be approved by the players association. "There are things that we need to consult with the players association on," Bettman said "I would prefer to do that before we make any formal announcements. I think its better for the process that way." The biggest possible changes revolve around the 5-minute overtime period in the regular season. The league would like to create more overtime goals and have fewer shootouts. The proposal includes doing a scrape of the ice before overtime instead of before the shootout to give a cleaner surface to play on, and having teams change direction after the third period to create a longer change to the benches. "In our game now, the way its played, teams play so hard," said Hockey Hall of Famer Luc Robitaille, now the Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings president of business operations. "Players are so good, and when theres not a lot of room, suddenly one bad change and it ends up on a 2-on-1 or a 3-on-2. "It does make a difference. This certainly will open up a few plays here and there. That long change is always a hard thing for most teams." Also subject to change are penalties for faceoff infractions after icings, which could result in a delay-of-game penalty, the configuration of faceoff circles, increasing the size of the trapezoid behind the net, and tougher penalties for embellishment. "Very consistent with the discussions with the competition committee and with the general managers," Bettman said of Thursdays talks. "When everything is neatly bundled up, well issue a formal release giving you the details on all of that." 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