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WHL Kelowna Rockets

Trio of Rockets Invited to Hockey Canada Summer Camps

June 16, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release


Kelowna Rockets assistant captain Colton Dach
Kelowna Rockets assistant captain Colton Dach
(Kelowna Rockets, Credit: Steve Dunsmoor)

For the second consecutive day, Hockey Canada made an announcement that includes members of the Kelowna Rockets organization.

Hockey Canada has invited 88 players to participate in Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team selection camp and Canada's National Junior Team summer camp, set to take place this July at the Markin MacPhail Centre at WinSport's Canada Olympic Park in Calgary.

Rockets assistant captain Colton Dach has been invited to attend the National Junior Team summer camp, while forward Andrew Cristall and defenceman Caden Price have been named to the Men's Under-18 Team Selection Camp.

In his first season with the Rockets, Dach led the Kelowna in points (79), assists (50) and shared the team lead in goals (29) through 61 games during the regular season. The 19-year-old also led the team in shots on goal with 274 and power play points with 27 (9G, 18A). He was named to the WHL's B.C. Division First All-Star Team.

Cristall, the eighth overall pick from the 2020 WHL Draft, was named the BC Divison Rookie of the Year after putting together a remarkable rookie campaign that saw him match and break franchise records. Through 61 games this season, Cristall posted 69 points (28G, 41A) over 61 games, including 31 penalty minutes and a +18 plus/minus rating. He finished third in team scoring and tied Colton Dach for the team lead in power play goals with nine. He set a new franchise record for goals by a 16-year-old and tied Shane McColan's record of 69 points by a 16-year-old-McColgan needed 71 games to reach that total, while it took Cristall 61 games.

Price played beyond his years, eating up major minutes during his rookie campaign with the Rockets this past season. The 16-year-old finished tied for fourth in points among Rockets defencemen with 21 points (2G, 19A) through 47 games, adding 21 penalty minutes and a +24 plus/minus rating.

Both Cristall and Price represented Canada at Hockey Canada's U-17 Capital City Challenge this past November.

Hockey Canada announced yesterday Rockets head coach Kris Mallette and former Rocket goaltender Kelly Guard as coaches of the Men's Summer Under-18 Team at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

Canada's National Junior Team summer camp

44 players - four goaltenders, 14 defencemen and 26 forwards - will also be on the ice in Calgary for Canada's National Junior Team summer camp, set for July 23-27.

The camp roster features 26 players that have been selected in the NHL Draft, including eight first-round picks: Nolan Allan (CHI), Brandt Clarke (LAK), Corson Ceulemans (CBJ), Zach Dean (VGK), Wyatt Johnston (DAL), Zachary L'Heureux (NSH), Brennan Othmann (NYR) and Chase Stillman (NJD).

"This is an exciting first step as we begin preparations for the upcoming season and the opportunity to compete at the 2023 World Juniors on home ice in Halifax and Moncton this December," Millar added. "We are excited about this group of players, and we look forward to returning to the ice for a highly-competitive camp to kick off a new season."

Hockey Canada announced in May that the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship will be held in Halifax, N.S., and Moncton, N.B., Dec. 26, 2022 to Jan. 5, 2023.

Men's Summer Under-18 Team selection camp

As part of Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team selection camp, 44 players - four goaltenders, 14 defencemen and 26 forwards - will compete for an opportunity to wear the Maple Leaf at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Red Deer, Alta. The selection camp, which takes place July 20-23, will include a variety of on- and off-ice sessions. Following the selection of the final roster on July 24, Team Canada will play a pair of games against Red and White teams from Canada's National Junior Team summer camp.

Alan Millar (Tottenham, Ont.), Hockey Canada's director of player personnel, led the player selection process with assistance from Tyler Dietrich (Vancouver, B.C.), senior manager of hockey operations, and Byron Bonora (Brooks, Alta.), manager of hockey operations and U17 head scout.

The player selection process also included Peter Anholt (Prince Albert, Sask./Lethbridge, WHL) and James Boyd (Mississauga, Ont./Ottawa, OHL) of the Program of Excellence management group, and the Canadian Hockey League general managers committee, made up of Pierre Cloutier (Rouyn-Noranda, Que./Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL), Kurt Hill (Winnipeg, Man./Edmonton, WHL), Jim Hulton (Wolfe Island, Ont./Charlottetown, QMJHL), John Paddock (Oak River, Man./Regina, WHL), Barclay Parneta (Saskatoon, Sask./Vancouver, WHL), Cam Russell (Halifax, N.S./Halifax, QMJHL) and Steve Staios (Hamilton, Ont./Hamilton, OHL).

"We are excited to bring together a group of 44 athletes with a solid foundation of junior and international experience for selection camp," said Millar. "As our players are preparing to compete in short-term competition, we know all 44 players will come to camp ready to compete for a spot on the team and the opportunity to wear the Maple Leaf in international competition."

For more information on Hockey Canada and the Program of Excellence, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Images from this story

Kelowna Rockets assistant captain Colton Dach
Kelowna Rockets assistant captain Colton Dach
(Steve Dunsmoor)		   



Western Hockey League Stories from June 16, 2022


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