Giants Forward Schmidt Named to Hockey Canada's Summer U18 Selection Camp

July 16, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Vancouver Giants News Release

Vancouver Giants forward Cameron Schmidt
(Vancouver Giants, Credit: Rob Wilton)

Following this camp, 24 players will be selected to compete for Canada at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, which runs August 5-10 in Edmonton, Alta. This annual summer U18 tournament is the first opportunity for scouts to see NHL draft-eligible prospects in their draft year, 10 months ahead of the draft.

"The Vancouver Giants organization is proud to see Cameron earn this opportunity with Hockey Canada," Giants General Manager Barclay Parneta said. "We wish him good luck at selection camp later this month."

Among the 41 invited are 31 skaters and two goaltenders that suited up for Team Canada Red or Team Canada White at the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, including Schmidt, who scored the Golden Goal for Canada White last November, potting the overtime winner in a 2-1 victory over the United States. The roster also includes five players who won gold at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship (Desnoyers, Hamilton, Ivankovic, McKenna, Schaefer).

Head scout Byron Bonora (Brooks, AB) led the player selection process with assistance from senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations Scott Salmond (Creston, BC). U18 Program of Excellence management group lead Dave Brown (Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON/Erie, OHL), head coach Kris Mallette (Kelowna, BC/Kelowna, WHL) and assistant coaches Gordie Dwyer (Dalhousie, NB/Acadie-Bathurst, QMJHL) and Ryan Oulahen (Newmarket, ON/North Bay, OHL) also provided input.

Thirteen of the 41 invitees currently play in the Western Hockey League.

Schmidt and McKenna - the projected first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft - are the only two players invited to selection camp that scored 30 or more goals in their 16-year-old rookie seasons in the CHL. Schmidt scored 31 goals in 59 games, while McKenna scored 34 times in 61 games.

Canada will open the preliminary round at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup against Switzerland on Aug. 5 at 6:30 p.m. PT. It will also take on Slovakia and Sweden on Aug. 6 and Aug. 7, respectively, before the tournament concludes with the medal games on Aug. 10.

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Vancouver Giants forward Cameron Schmidt (Rob Wilton)	Vancouver Giants forward Cameron Schmidt (Rob Wilton)	Vancouver Giants forward Cameron Schmidt (Rob Wilton)
Vancouver Giants forward Cameron Schmidt (Rob Wilton)	Vancouver Giants forward Cameron Schmidt (Rob Wilton)

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Western Hockey League Stories from July 16, 2024

• Molendyk & Budd Invited to Canada Summer Camps - Saskatoon Blades
• Carter Sotheran Invited to Canada's National Junior Team Summer Showcase - Portland Winterhawks
• Griffin Darby Invited to Canada's U17 Development Camp - Portland Winterhawks
• Rudolph, Boychuk, Meunier All Invited to Canada's U17 Development Camp - Prince Albert Raiders
• Chadwick, Sharpe Named to Hockey Canada Summer Camps - Lethbridge Hurricanes
• Reschny & Verhoeff Invited to Team Canada Development Camps - Victoria Royals
• Wenatchee Forward Caelan Joudrey Selected to Hockey Canada Program of Excellence - Wenatchee Wild
• Fifty-Two Western Hockey League Players Named to Canada's Program of Excellence Summer Camps - WHL
• Catton, Esler, Gillespie, Preston Invited to Canada's Program of Excellence Summer Camps - Spokane Chiefs
• Giants Incoming Rookies Lin, Olson Invited to Hockey Canada's U17 Development Camp - Vancouver Giants
• Giants Forward Schmidt Named to Hockey Canada's Summer U18 Selection Camp - Vancouver Giants
• Yager Named to Hockey Canada's World Junior Summer Camp - Moose Jaw Warriors
• Schmidt Earns Invite to Canada's Hlinka-Gretzky Cup Camp - Moose Jaw Warriors
• Four Wheat Kings to Attend Hockey Canada Camps - Brandon Wheat Kings
• Howe Invited to Canada's National Junior Team Summer Showcase, Temple to Attend Canada's U18 Hlinka Gretzky Cup Selection Camp - Regina Pats
• Jackson Smith, Cruz Pavao Invited to Hockey Canada Summer Camps - Tri-City Americans
• Kettles Named to Hlinka Gretzky Cup Selection Camp Roster - Swift Current Broncos
• Five Tigers Named to Team Canada Summer Camps - Medicine Hat Tigers

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