31 OHL Prospects Named to Canada's National Under-17 Development Camp
Published on July 14, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL) News Release
TORONTO - The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) will send 31 prospects to Canada's National Under-17 Development Camp, more than any other Canadian Hockey League (CHL) circuit, Hockey Canada announced Tuesday.
The OHL group headlines an 80-player field that also includes 29 players from the Western Hockey League (WHL) and 20 from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). The camp runs July 17-21 at the Sixteen Mile Sports Complex in Oakville, with players split into four teams for two days of practice and six games from July 19-21.
The roster was selected by Program of Excellence (POE) General Manager Alan Millar, POE Head Scout Byron Bonora and U17 Assistant General Manager Mike Johnston (Portland Winterhawks, WHL), with input from Hockey Canada's regional scouting staff that includes Scott Grieve (Erie Otters) and Rob Simpson (London Knights). Following camp, players will continue to be evaluated through the start of the 2026-27 season before Canada Red and Canada White rosters are named ahead of the 2026 U17 World Challenge, set for Nov. 1-7, also in Oakville.
Announced last week, Team Red will be led by Director of Hockey Operations Dave Drinkill (Saginaw Spirit) and also features former Soo Greyhounds Assistant Coach Brendan Taylor along with Video Coach Ryan Lennon (Kingston Frontenacs) and Equipment Manager Brandon Grace (Sudbury Wolves).
Team White will be overseen by Director of Hockey Operations Dylan Seca (Sarnia Sting) and features Head Coach Dylan Smoskowitz (Barrie Colts), Video Coach Alex Darling (Peterborough Petes) and Equipment Manager Justin Vanderlaan (Sarnia Sting).
Guest Staff assisting with the execution of the U17 Development Camp include Guest Coaches Brad Flynn (Kitchener Rangers), Brayden Guy (Sarnia Sting), Goaltending Coach Nate McDonald (North Bay Battalion), Athletic Therapists Luca Paron (London Knights) and David Pandolfi (formerly Niagara IceDogs) along with a pair of OHL Alumni in Daniel Tkaczuk and Corey Locke as Skills Coaches.
Canada has won gold at the U17 World Challenge three years running. Last year in Truro, N.S., Canada White captured gold behind six OHL players, defeating a Canada Red squad that carried 11 OHL players by a 6-3 final.
OHL PROSPECTS BY TEAM - CANADA'S U17 DEVELOPMENT CAMP
Barrie Colts
Lucas Matheson, D - 1st round, 17th overall (Barrie Jr. Colts, OMHA)
Brampton Steelheads
Tanner Adams, F - 1st round, 3rd overall (The Hill Academy) Arjun Nanubhai, F - 2nd round, 28th overall (Mississauga Senators, GTHL)
Brantford Bulldogs
Marko Mesich, G - 6th round, 107th overall (Toronto Jr. Canadiens, GTHL)
Finn Ellery, F - 2nd round, 31st overall (Central Ontario Wolves, OMHA)
Erie Otters
Tanner Gibson, G - 3rd round, 50th overall (Ajax-Pickering Raiders, OMHA)
Colin Kennedy, F - 1st round, 2nd overall (Detroit Little Caesars)
Flint Firebirds
Cole Guizzetti, F - 3rd round, 52nd overall (Upper Canada College)
Guelph Storm
Declan McNally, D - 1st round, 7th overall (Don Mills Flyers, GTHL)
Kingston Frontenacs
Gavin Godick, D - 3rd round, 47th overall (Don Mills Flyers, GTHL)
Logan Prud'homme, F - 1st round, 10th overall (Upper Canada College)
Roman Vanacker, F - 2nd round, 23rd overall (Brantford 99ers, ALLIANCE)
Kitchener Rangers
Evan Fitzgerald, F - 2nd round, 41st overall (Vaughan Kings, GTHL)
Braden Reilly, F - 1st round, 19th overall (Toronto Marlboros, GTHL)
London Knights
Ryan Beaulieu, D - 1st round, 14th overall (London Jr. Knights, ALLIANCE)
Niagara IceDogs
Finn Merrill, F - 2nd round, 32nd overall (The Hill Academy)
North Bay Battalion
Owen Loftus, G - 1st round, 11th overall (Don Mills Flyers, GTHL)
Alexandre Saulnier, F - 2nd round, 35th overall (Ottawa Jr. 67's, HEO)
Oshawa Generals
Kane Cloutier, F - 1st round, 1st overall (Vaughan Kings, GTHL)
Ottawa 67's
Andrew Laurin, F - 1st round, 18th overall (Quinte Red Devils, OMHA)
Owen Sound Attack
Max Fransen, D - 1st round, 8th overall (Upper Canada College)
Jace Voortman, F - 3rd round, 46th overall (Toronto Jr. Canadiens, GTHL)
Matthew Zilinski, F - 2nd round, 21st overall (Mississauga Senators, GTHL)
Peterborough Petes
Landon Roulston, F - 1st round, 13th overall (Vaughan Kings, GTHL)
Saginaw Spirit
Drew Bate, F - 1st round, 6th overall (London Jr. Knights, ALLIANCE)
Kyler Lauder, F - 2nd round, 24th overall (Central Ontario Wolves, OMHA)
Sarnia Sting
Adrian Sgro, D - 1st round, 4th overall (Vaughan Kings, GTHL)
Soo Greyhounds
Jaden Licastro, D - 1st round, 12th overall (Toronto Marlboros, GTHL)
Sudbury Wolves
Shayden Hintenberger, D - 3rd round, 44th overall (The Hill Academy)
Kash Kwajah, F - 1st round, 5th overall (Toronto Jr. Canadiens, GTHL)
Windsor Spitfires
Lauchlan Whelan, F - 1st round, 16th overall (Quinte Red Devils, OMHA)
For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from July 14, 2026
- Kitchener Rangers Sign Defenceman Jiří Gombár to OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement - Kitchener Rangers
- Sawyer Schmidt to Attend USA Hockey's Hlinka Gretzky Cup Selection Camp - Saginaw Spirit
- Lucian Bernat One of Four OHL Players Named to Slovakia's National Junior Team Summer Camp Roster - Owen Sound Attack
- Braden Reilly and Evan Fitzgerald Named to Team Canada U17 National Development Camp - Kitchener Rangers
- 80 CHL-Drafted Players to Attend Hockey Canada U17 Development Camps - OHL
- Where There's a Will, There's a Dog - Niagara IceDogs
- IceDogs Prospect Finn Merrill Named to Team Canada U17 Dev Camp - Niagara IceDogs
- Saginaw's Drew Bate, Kyler Lauder Named to Canada's National Under-17 Development Camp - Saginaw Spirit
- Three Frontenacs Draft Picks Invited to Canada's National Under-17 Development Camp - Kingston Frontenacs
- Kane Cloutier Invited to Hockey Canada U17 Development Camp - Oshawa Generals
- Trio of Attack Draftees Named to Hockey Canada Under-17 Development Camp - Owen Sound Attack
- 31 OHL Prospects Named to Canada's National Under-17 Development Camp - OHL
- Bulldogs Name Evan Mathias Assistant Coach & Director of Analytics - Brantford Bulldogs
- Sawyer Schmidt to Attend USA Hockey's Hlinka Gretzky Cup Selection Camp - Saginaw Spirit
- Spitfires Sign 2026 1st Round Pick Lauchlan Whelan to an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement - Windsor Spitfires
- Barrie Colts Sign Maxim Shirochenkov - Barrie Colts
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