Canada's National Junior Team Summer Development Camp Set to Open
Published on July 28, 2011 under Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release
CALGARY, Alta. - Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League, will host Canada's National Junior Team Sport Chek Summer Development Camp from August 3-7 in Edmonton and Fort McMurray, Alta.
Canada's National Junior Team Sport Chek Summer Development Camp is the first step in identifying players for Canada's National Junior Team for the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, which will be held from December 26, 2011 to January 5, 2012 in Calgary and Edmonton. At the conclusion of camp, Kevin Prendergast, Hockey Canada's head scout for the men's Program of Excellence, will continue to monitor these players and other potential candidates before inviting a group of players to a final selection camp in December, after which a final National Junior Team roster of 22 players will be named.
Forty-seven players will be attending the camp including 45 from the CHL, with the addition today of defenceman Jamie Oleksiak who recently committed to the OHL's Saginaw Spirit for the 2011-12 season.
The camp roster now includes four goaltenders, 17 defencemen and 26 forwards.
The 47 players, born in 1992 or 1993, were selected by Prendergast, in consultation with Hockey Canada's vice-president of hockey operations and national teams, Brad Pascall, Hockey Canada's senior director of hockey operations and national teams, Scott Salmond, head coach Don Hay (Vancouver, WHL) and assistant coaches George Burnett (Belleville, OHL) and Ryan Huska (Kelowna, WHL). Prendergast evaluated players over the course of the 2010-11 season, following these players along with numerous other candidates for the program during league play, as well as during international competitions for both the under-18 and under-20 programs.
The team's third assistant coach, Pascal Vincent, has recently accepted a coaching position with the NHL's Winnipeg Jets, making him unavailable for the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship. The National Junior Team policy committee will not be making a decision on his replacement until after the development camp.
Practice sessions are open to the public free of charge. Fans can enter Rexall Place at the North East entrance, next to the Wayne Gretzky statue. Tickets for Canada's two Red-White games are on sale as follows:
Saturday, August 6 Red vs. White Rexall Place, Edmonton, Alta.
TICKETS: www.ticketmaster.ca / 1-855-985-5000 / Sport Chek and Safeway retail locations in Edmonton area
Sunday, August 7 Red vs. White Casman Centre, Fort McMurray, Alta.
TICKETS: www.oilbarons.com
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