CHL Talent Shines Across Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence Summer Camps

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CHL Talent Shines Across Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence Summer Camps

July 17, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Toronto, ON - The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is proud to recognize the significant representation of CHL players invited by Hockey Canada to its 2025 Program of Excellence summer camps. In total, 119 players will participate in the camps; 39 will compete for a spot on Canada's 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup roster while 80 will begin preparations for the U17 World Challenge.

The selections reflect the CHL's continued leadership in developing elite hockey talent and its vital role in shaping the future of Canadian hockey at the international level.

CHL Powers U18 Camp Roster Ahead of Hlinka Gretzky Cup

Forty players have been invited to Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team selection camp, taking place July 29 to August 1 in Oakville, Ontario. Of the 40 invitees, 39 players come directly from CHL teams across the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).

These players will vie for a spot on the Canadian roster set to compete at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Brno, Czechia, and Trencin, Slovakia, from August 11-16. Notably, six CHL players attending camp helped Canada claim gold at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship in Frisco, TX.:

Carson Carels (Prince George Cougars, WHL)

Alessandro Di Iorio (Sarnia Sting, OHL)

Beckham Edwards (Sarnia Sting, OHL)

Ryan Lin (Vancouver Giants, WHL)

Daxon Rudolph (Prince Albert Raiders, WHL)

Keaton Verhoeff (Victoria Royals, WHL).

The U18 team will be led by head coach Mathieu Turcotte, with support from CHL coaches Travis Crickard (Saint John Sea Dogs, QMJHL) and Rick Steadman (London Knights, OHL) among others.

All U17 Development Camp Invitees Drafted by CHL Clubs

The CHL's impact is even more pronounced at the U17 level. All 80 players invited to the national under-17 development camp- set for July 18-24, also in Oakville- have been drafted by CHL teams. This includes 30 players drafted by OHL clubs, 26 by WHL teams, and 24 by QMJHL organizations.

This diverse group of high-potential players will be evaluated for selection to Canada's Red and White rosters at the 2025 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, to be held October 31 to November 8 in Truro, Nova Scotia.

This list includes the number one overall selections in each of the three member leagues' 2025 draft classes:

Maddox Schultz (Regina Pats, WHL)

Kaiden MacGregor (Peterborough Petes, OHL)

Alexis Joseph (Saint John Sea Dogs, QMJHL)

Alan Millar, general manager of Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence, explained the importance of this event: "Our under-18 selection camp provides us with an opportunity to evaluate players and select a roster that we believe will give us the best chance to defend our gold medal at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Our under-17 camp is an opportunity to introduce athletes to the Program of Excellence and allow them to compete against other top players in Canada while we begin evaluating and preparing for the U17 World Challenge this fall."

In addition to the Canadian selections, 22 CHL players have also been named to USA Hockey's national summer camps, including 10 from the WHL, 10 from the OHL, and two from the QMJHL- a reflection of the league's cross-border reach and international impact.

For more information on CHL players competing in international events, visit CHL.ca or follow us on social media @CHLHockey.

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Western Hockey League Stories from July 17, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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