The competition will be stiff.

But former University of Maine All-American defenseman Eric Weinrich of Gardiner, who made the National Hockey League’s All-Rookie team while manning the blue line for the New Jersey Devils, is ready for the challenge of trying to make the United States’ Canada Cup team roster.

The Canada Cup, held every three or four years, pits the best professional players in the world in a six-team round-robin format followed by a medal round. The United States will be joined in the field by Canada, the Soviet Union, Sweden, Czechoslovakia and Finland.

The tourney, to be held in Canada and the United States, will begin Aug. 31.

Weinrich will be competing against the likes of Calgary’s Gary Suter, Washington’s Kevin Hatcher, Winnipeg’s Phil Housley, Washington’s Al Iafrate, Minnesota’s Jim Johnson, the New York Rangers’ Brian Leetch and Chicago’s Chris Chelios, among others. Pittsburgh Penguins Coach Bob Johnson will coach the team.

“It’s going to be tough to make the starting six,” acknowledged Weinrich, who will report to the U.S. camp in Pittsburgh on Aug. 10. “Just making the team would be a real honor.

“But I feel I have as good a chance as anybody,” added Weinrich. “I’ve proved I can play at this level. Now I just have to make the next step.”

Weinrich had 4 goals and 34 assists and was a plus-10 for the Devils in 76 regular-season games this past season. In seven Stanley Cup playoff games, he had 1 goal and 2 assists in 7 games and was minus-2.

He then played for the U.S. team in the World Championships.

The next step for Weinrich, according to the defenseman, is to become “more productive.

“I’d like to become more of a presence this year,” said Weinrich.