80 CHL drafted players to attend Hockey Canada U17 development camp
Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is proud to recognize the 80 players drafted by clubs in the Western Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League, and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League who have been invited by Hockey Canada to its 2026 U17 World Hockey Challenge Development Camp, taking place July 17–21 in Oakville, ON, at the Sixteen Mile Sports Complex.
The roster includes eight goaltenders, 24 defencemen, and 48 forwards, drawn from all three CHL member leagues: 29 players drafted by Western Hockey League teams, 31 selected by Ontario Hockey League clubs, and 20 drafted by Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League organizations.
Among these selections are the 2026 first-overall draft picks in the Ontario Hockey League (Kane Cloutier – Oshawa Generals), and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (Thomas Boisvert – Rouyn-Noranda Huskies), as well as the second overall pick from the 2025 Western Hockey League Prospects Draft (Holden Wouters – Edmonton Oil Kings).
Hockey Canada Program of Excellence General Manager Alan Millar spoke to the group’s talent ahead of camp: “This is a very talented and exciting group that will be surrounded by world-class coaching and support staffs, and we look forward to introducing them to our program, setting the expectations for the season and preparing for the U17 World Challenge later this year.”
For a full list of players at the camp, click HERE.
The U17 Development Camp gives players an opportunity to be introduced to Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence and to compete against other top players from across the country. The camp also serves as an evaluation ground for the U17 World Challenge, set to take place November 1–7 in Oakville, ON.
At last year’s event in Truro, NS, 44 players from across the WHL, the OHL, and the QMJHL took home a medal, with 22 players from Canada Red winning gold and 22 players from Canada White winning silver.
This year’s two teams will be selected by an all-CHL staff, led by Canada Red and White Directors of Hockey Operations Dave Drinkill (Saginaw Spirit, OHL) and Dylan Seca (Sarnia Sting, OHL), along with Red and White Head Coaches Dan DaSilva (Saskatoon Blades, WHL) and Dylan Smoskowitz (Barrie Colts, OHL), as well asHockey Canada’s Program of Excellence staff.
For more information on CHL players competing in international events, visit CHL.ca or follow us on social media @CHLHockey.
