Okanagan prospects invited to Canada’s U-17 camp
Hockey Canada has invited 37 Western Hockey League players to participate in Canada’s national under-17 development camp, set to take place July 10-16 at the Markin MacPhail Centre in Calgary.
In total, 21 of 22 WHL teams will be represented at the event, led by the Medicine Hat Tigers who boast four players, including 2021 first-round pick Tomas Mrsic (Surrey, B.C.). The Brandon Wheat Kings, Lethbridge Hurricanes, Red Deer Rebels, and Seattle Thunderbirds will all be represented by three players, while the Moose Jaw Warriors, Prince Albert Raiders, Spokane Chiefs, Swift Current Broncos, and Tri-City Americans will all send two players to the camp.
Led by first-overall selection, Berkly Catton (Spokane Chiefs), the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft class will be well represented in Calgary.
Three Okanagan products are on the list: Tij Iginla of Lake Country (pictured), Lynden Lakovic of Kelowna and Jaxsin Vaughan of Kelowna, who are all forwards.
For the duration of the week-long camp, the 100 players invited to camp will be split into five teams for on- and off-ice training, fitness testing, practices, intrasquad games and classroom sessions.
WHL Players Invited to Canada’s National Under-17 Development Camp
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown | WHL Club |
| Brunen, Luke | G | 6-3 | 177 | Warman, Sask. | Portland (2021, 2-36) |
| McCallum, Ethan | G | 6-2 | 180 | Brandon, Man. | Medicine Hat (2021, 2-39) |
| Wutzke, Chase | G | 6-1 | 150 | Debden, Sask. | Red Deer (2021, 2-40) |
| Brunicke, Harrison | D | 6-1 | 165 | Calgary, Alta. | Kamloops (2021, 3-52) |
| Buczkowski, Tyson | D | 6-0 | 166 | Saskatoon, Sask. | Prince George (2021, 1-15) |
| Davidson, Hyde | D | 6-2 | 150 | Edmonton, Alta. | Seattle (2021, 2-24) |
| Doyle, Tristen | D | 5-10 | 160 | Winnipeg, Man. | Lethbridge (2021, 1-17) |
| Elick, Charlie | D | 6-2 | 175 | Calgary, Alta. | Brandon (2021, 1-3) |
| Fluker, Josh | D | 5-10 | 140 | Boissevain, Man. | Swift Current (2021, 1-7) |
| Guilbault, Gabriel | D | 6-2 | 163 | Calgary, Alta. | Kelowna (2021, 3-61) |
| Howell, Marek | D | 6-3 | 188 | Calgary, Alta. | Moose Jaw (2021, 1-16) |
| McInnis, Keith | D | 6-1 | 175 | Red Deer, Alta. | Red Deer (2021, 5-91) |
| McIsaac, William | D | 6-3 | 170 | Vancouver, B.C. | Spokane (2021, 2-28) |
| Roberts, Colton | D | 6-4 | 180 | Ridge Meadows, B.C. | Vancouver (2021, 1-11) |
| Smith, Tarin | D | 6-1 | 174 | Porcupine Plain, Sask. | Everett (2021, 1-20) |
| Woo, Jonas | D | 5-9 | 155 | Winnipeg, Man. | Winnipeg (2021, 1-18) |
| Buttazzoni, Diego | F | 5-10 | 170 | Langley, B.C. | Medicine Hat (2021, 2-37) |
| Caswell, Clarke | F | 5-10 | 150 | Brandon, Man. | Swift Current (2021, 1-6) |
| Catton, Berkly | F | 5-11 | 155 | Saskatoon, Sask. | Spokane (2021, 1-1) |
| Celebrini, Macklin | F | 5-11 | 185 | Vancouver, B.C. | Seattle (2021 US, 1-1) |
| Garland, Gavin | F | 6-0 | 168 | Calgary, Alta. | Tri-City (2021, 2-31) |
| Gavin, Jordan | F | 5-11 | 165 | Surrey, B.C. | Tri-City (2021, 1-2) |
| Gojsic, Hiroki | F | 6-4 | 182 | Langley, B.C. | Victoria (2021, 2-23) |
| Hadland, Caleb | F | 5-10 | 165 | Sylvan Lake, Alta. | Brandon (2021, 1-22) |
| Hodnett, Gavin | F | 5-8 | 135 | Winnipeg, Man. | Edmonton (2021, 1-19) |
| Iginla, Tij | F | 5-10 | 160 | Lake Country, B.C. | Seattle (2021, 1-9) |
| Josephson, Ollie | F | 6-1 | 170 | Victoria, B.C. | Red Deer (2021, 1-5) |
| Lakovic, Lynden | F | 6-5 | 170 | Kelowna, B.C. | Moose Jaw (2021, 2-27) |
| Lindstrom, Cayden | F | 6-5 | 190 | Chetwynd, B.C. | Medicine Hat (2021, 3-54) |
| Marques, Miguel | F | 5-11 | 169 | Prince George, B.C. | Lethbridge (2021, 1-10) |
| McQueen, Roger | F | 6-3 | 170 | Saskatoon, Sask. | Brandon (2021, 1-4) |
| Mrsic, Tomas | F | 5-10 | 150 | Surrey, B.C. | Medicine Hat (2021, 1-8) |
| Peardon, Cole | F | 6-0 | 174 | Outlook, Sask. | Prince Albert (2021, 1-13) |
| Ritchie, Ryder | F | 5-9 | 140 | Calgary, Alta. | Prince Albert (2021, 1-14) |
| Vaughan, Jaxsin | F | 6-1 | 185 | Kelowna, B.C. | Regina (2021, 1-21) |
| Wetsch, Carson | F | 6-2 | 165 | North Vancouver, B.C. | Calgary (2021, 1-12) |
| Wilke, Trae | F | 5-11 | 168 | Saskatoon, Sask. | Lethbridge (2021, 2-29) |
Alan Millar, Director of Player Personnel for Hockey Canada, led the player selection process, with assistance from U17 Head Scout Byron Bonora, and Regional Scouts Rob Simpson (Ontario), Pierre Cholette (Quebec), Darren Sutherland (Atlantic), and Darrell Woodley (Ontario), as well as Member Representatives.
“The national under-17 development camp is the first stage in introducing these athletes to the Program of Excellence, and it is a great opportunity for them to develop as players and learn what it takes to wear the Maple Leaf,” Millar said. “We look forward to enhancing these young players’ ongoing development during this camp and starting the process of building our three national U17 teams for the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge this fall.”
Following camp, players will continue to be evaluated through the early portion of the 2022-23 season before 66 are named to one of three Canadian national teams – Team Canada Black, Team Canada Red, and Team Canada White – that will compete at the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, scheduled for November 5-12 in Langley and Delta.