Four Storm Prospects, Associate Coach Chad Wiseman and Mental Performance Coach Ashwin Patel Invited to Participate in Canada’s Virtual National Under-17 Development Camp
Toronto, Ont. – Hockey Canada has announced a roster of 113 players invited to its virtual national under-17 development camp, set for July 19-25, as well as the coaching staffs that will lead Canada’s national men’s under-17 teams at the 2020 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, presented by TELUS.
12 goaltenders, 37 defencemen and 64 forwards will be split into six teams for the week-long virtual camp, participating in a variety of sessions with a focus on player development through online education.
The list of players invited includes 49 OHL prospects consisting of 30 forwards, 16 defencemen and three goaltenders. All 17 eligible first round 2020 OHL Priority Selection choices received invitations while a total of 35 prospects on the list have committed to OHL member teams for the 2020-21 season.
Nineteen of the OHL’s 20 member teams have prospects attending the virtual camp led by the London Knights with six 2020 OHL Priority Selection choices. The Guelph Storm, Kitchener Rangers, North Bay Battalion and Peterborough Petes trail with four each.
Additionally, a number of OHL coaches and hockey operations support staff have been assigned roles with Teams Black, Red and White ahead of the annual showcase. Most prominently, Saginaw Spirit head coach Chris Lazary will lead Team Red behind the bench as head coach. Guelph Storm associate coach Chad Wiseman will serve as an assistant coach with Team White and Flint Firebirds associate coach Ryan Kuwabara will be an assistant with Team Black.
“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,” said Scott Salmond, senior vice-president of national teams with Hockey Canada. “Our three under-17 teams are very fortunate to have these nine experienced coaches, and we know our coaching and support staffs will embrace the opportunity to guide the development of the top young players in Canada.”
Lazary was promoted to head coach of the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in November 2018 after more than two seasons (2016-18) as an associate coach with Saginaw and two seasons (2014-16) as an assistant coach with the Sarnia Sting (OHL). Prior to his Canadian Hockey League (CHL) coaching career, he spent two seasons (2010-12) as an assistant coach with the St. Michael’s Buzzers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) and one season (2012-13) as an assistant with York University.
Wiseman is entering his third season with the Guelph Storm (OHL), second as associate coach, having helped the team to the OHL championship in 2019. He began his coaching career as head coach of the New York Riveters of the National Women’s Hockey League in 2015, winning the Isobel Cup with the team (renamed the Metropolitan Riveters) in 2018.
Kuwabara recently completed his first season as an associate coach with the Flint Firebirds (OHL) after two seasons (2017-19) as an assistant with the Saginaw Spirit (OHL). He served as a video coach with Team Canada White at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, and was a guest coach at U17 camp in 2019. As a player, Kuwabara competed in the 1998 Olympic Winter Games and five IIHF World Championships with Japan.
49 OHL Prospects Invited to Canada’s Virtual National Under-17 Development Camp
^ – indicates first round 2020 OHL Priority Selection choice
* – indicates player committed to OHL member team for 2020-21 season
Goaltenders (3):
Domenic DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
Nolan Lalonde (Erie Otters)*
Jackson Parsons (Kitchener Rangers)*
Defencemen (16):
Aaron Brown (Flint Firebirds)
Michael Buchinger (Guelph Storm)*
Jorian Donovan (Hamilton Bulldogs)^*
Jackson Edward (London Knights)*
George Fegaras (Kitchener Rangers)
Isaiah George (London Knights)
Matthew Jovanovic (Saginaw Spirit)
Jacob LeBlanc (Kitchener Rangers)*
Alec Leonard (Niagara IceDogs)*
Tnias Mathurin (North Bay Battalion)*
Donovan McCoy (Peterborough Petes)^*
Matthew Morden (Sarnia Sting)
Ty Nelson (North Bay Battalion)^*
Shawn Ramsey (Peterborough Petes)
Spencer Sova (Erie Otters)^*
Madden Steen (Owen Sound Attack)
Forwards (30):
Sam Alfano (Peterborough Petes)*
Owen Beck (Mississauga Steelheads)*
Gavin Bryant (Owen Sound Attack)*
Ben Bujold (London Knights)^*
Aidan Castle (Oshawa Generals)^
Carson Christy (Mississauga Steelheads)*
Brody Crane (London Knights)*
Kocha Delic (Sudbury Wolves)*
Justin DeZoete (Peterborough Petes)*
Adam Fantilli (Saginaw Spirit)^
Pano Fimis (Niagara IceDogs)^*
David Goyette (Sudbury Wolves)^*
Cedrick Guindon (Owen Sound Attack)^*
Hunter Haight (Barrie Colts)^*
Beau Jelsma (Barrie Colts)
Jake Karabela (Guelph Storm)*
Zakary Lavoie (Mississauga Steelheads)^*
Andrew LeBlanc (Kitchener Rangers)^*
Paul Ludwinski (Kingston Frontenacs)^*
Cooper Matthews (Barrie Colts)
Bryce McConnell-Barker (Soo Greyhounds)^*
Ryan McGuire (Guelph Storm)*
Ryder McIntyre (Sarnia Sting)*
Nicholas Moldenhauer (Ottawa 67’s)^
Matthew Poitras (Guelph Storm)^*
Lucas Ross (Erie Otters)*
Landon Sim (London Knights)*
Colton Smith (London Knights)*
Brady Stonehouse (Ottawa 67’s)
Dalyn Wakely (North Bay Battalion)*
Hockey Operations Staff:
Management Group – James Boyd (Ottawa 67’s)
Scout (Ontario) – Rob Simpson (London Knights)
Scout (Ontario) – Darrell Woodley (OHL Central Scouting)
Team Black Assistant Coach – Ryan Kuwabara (Flint Firebirds)
Team Black Equipment Manager – Clayton Johns (Barrie Colts)
Team Red Head Coach – Chris Lazary (Saginaw Spirit)
Team Red Goaltending Consultant – Charlie McTavish (Ottawa 67’s)
Team Red Athletic Therapist – Chris Trivieri (Niagara IceDogs)
Team Red Physician – Dr. Wanda Millard (London Knights)
Team White Assistant Coach – Chad Wiseman (Guelph Storm)
Team White Mental Performance Consultant – Ashwin Patel (Guelph Storm)
Team White Athletic Therapist – Andrew Sachkiw (North Bay Battalion)
For more information on Hockey Canada and the Program of Excellence, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook and Twitter.
