OHL Kitchener Rangers

Roberts, Meireles Invited to Hockey Canada National Teams' Summer Showcase

Published on June 20, 2016 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kitchener Rangers News Release


Elijah Roberts and Greg Meireles were among 44 players invited to the 2016-17 National Men's U-18 Team Selection Camp roster as part of the National Teams' Summer Showcase from July 26-August 6.

196 players in total were selected to participate three men's camps; the U-18 Selection Camp, Canada's National U-17 Development Camp, as well as Canada's National Junior Team Sport Chek Summer Development Camp.

Four Rangers selections from this past May's OHL Priority Selection including Merrick Rippon, Giovanni Vallati, Riley Damiani and Eric Guest have all been invited to take part in the U-17 camp.

In its second summer, the National Teams' Summer Showcase will bring together Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team selection camp (44 players) and Canada's National Under-17 Development Camp (111 players) in Calgary at the Markin MacPhail Centre from July 26-August 2. Canada's National Junior Team Sport Chek Summer Development Camp (41 players) will be hosted in Toronto July 30-August 2, and will feature a four-game series against the U.S., Sweden, and Finland from Aug. 3-6 in Plymouth, Michigan.

Ryan Jankowski, director of player personnel for Hockey Canada, was responsible for all player selections, with assistance from regional scouts Carl Bouchard (Quebec), Barclay Branch (Ontario), Wade Klippenstein (West), Kevin Mitchell (Atlantic), and Darrell Woodley (Ontario) for the Under-17 roster along with branch representatives, and with input from coaches and general managers from across the Canadian Hockey League for the Under-18 and Under-20 rosters.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase the talent we have across the country, and for our coaches and scouts to evaluate the players in our programs," said Scott Salmond, Hockey Canada's vice-president of hockey operations and national teams. "These camps are key in selecting our international teams for the 2016-17 season, and we are looking forward to hosting 196 players as they work towards their ultimate goal of wearing the maple leaf."

Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team Selection Camp (Roberts, Meireles)

July 29-August 2: 44 players - Four goaltenders, 16 defencemen, and 24 forwards will participate in practices and three Red-White intrasquad games.

Of the 44 players who have been invited to the selection camp, 22 will be selected for Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team for the 2016 U18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup, August 8-12 in Breclav, Czech Republic and Bratislava, Slovakia. Canada has won the summer Under-18 tournament 11 times in the last 12 years, including the last eight consecutive years.

MORE: http://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/Team-Canada/Men/Under-18/2016-17/Selection-Camp/Roster

Canada's National Under-17 Development Camp (Vallati, Damiani, Guest, Rippon)

July 26-August 1: 111 players - 12 goaltenders, 36 defenceman and 63 forwards will participate in practices and games on one of six teams: Black, Blue, Gold, Green, Red, and White.

Following the development camp, players will continue to be evaluated through the early season before 66 are selected to represent Canada on one of three national teams - Team Canada Black, Team Canada Red, and Team Canada White - at the 2016 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, which is scheduled for October 30 - November 5 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

This year, 110 players have been drafted or listed by CHL teams, including 42 from the Ontario Hockey League, 40 from the Western Hockey League and 28 from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

MORE: http://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/National-Championships/Men/World-U17/2016/Camps/Roster-Development?AgilityChannelID=1&agilityts 160620035451

Canada's National Junior Team Sport Chek Summer Development Camp

July 30-August 6: 41 players - Four goaltenders, 14 defencemen and 23 forwards will participate in practices on July 30-August 2 in Toronto before playing in a series against the Finland, Sweden, and the United States at the USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich.

Jankowski will continue to monitor these players and other potential candidates during the first few months of the 2016-17 season and at the CHL Canada Russia Series to determine who will be invited to Canada's National Junior Team selection camp in December. In total, 22 players will be selected to represent Canada at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship when it returns to Canadian ice December 26, 2016 to January 5, 2017 in Toronto and Montreal.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the Program of Excellence, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter, and Twitter.com/HC_Men.

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