17 OHL players invited to attend Canada’s National Junior Team Summer Development Camp

 The Ontario Hockey League is pleased to announce that 17 OHL players have been invited to attend Hockey Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Summer Development Camp.

The camp roster features two OHL goaltenders, four defencemen and 11 forwards as part of the 43-player roster that will attend the five-day virtual camp taking place July 27-31. The camp will feature various online education sessions with a focus on player development. Hockey Canada announced last month that various programming and training sessions will be held virtually this summer due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“We are excited to begin preparations for the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship with this group of 41 players and our full staff at our online camp, as we believe we have a good mix of veteran leadership and young talent that are eager to represent Canada during the holiday season,” said Scott Salmond, senior vice-president of national teams for Hockey Canada. “We are also pleased to have Michael and Mitch round out the coaching staff, as their Canadian Hockey League and international experience will compliment André’s leadership while we work towards defending our gold medal on home ice.”

The roster for Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Summer Development Camp includes three OHL skaters who helped Canada win gold at the 2020 World Juniors (Byfield, Drysdale, McMichael), six OHL players who were selected at the 2019 NHL Draft (Harley, Clarke, McMichael, Rees, Suzuki, Tomasino), eight OHL players who are eligible for the 2020 NHL Draft (Brochu, Drysdale, O’Rourke, Byfield, Foerster, Perfetti, Perreault, Quinn), one who is eligible in 2021 (Lennox) and one who is eligible in 2022 (Wright).

As announced earlier this year, Ottawa 67’s head coach André Tourigny will return to Canada’s National Junior Team and serve as head coach after helping Canada to a gold medal as an assistant coach at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship. He was named head coach of the OHL’s 67’s in 2017 and has helped them claim the Hamilton Spectator Trophy twice as back-to-back regular season champions. Tourigny was recently awarded the Matt Leyden Trophy as the OHL’s Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season and was named the CHL Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year presented by Janes.

The 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship is set to take place in Edmonton and Red Deer this December.

OHL Players Invited to Canada’s National Junior Team Summer Development Camp

Goaltenders:
Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Tristan Lennox (Saginaw Spirit)

Defencemen:
Jamie Drysdale (Erie Otters)
Thomas Harley (Mississauga Steelheads)*
Mason Millman (Saginaw Spirit)
Ryan O’Rourke (Soo Greyhounds)

Forwards:
Quinton Byfield (Sudbury Wolves)
Graeme Clarke (Ottawa 67’s)
Tyson Foerster (Barrie Colts)
Connor McMichael (London Knights)*
Cole Perfetti (Saginaw Spirit)
Jacob Perreault (Sarnia Sting)
Jack Quinn (Ottawa 67’s)
Jamieson Rees (Sarnia Sting)
Ryan Suzuki (Saginaw Spirit)
Philip Tomasino (Oshawa Generals)
Shane Wright (Kingston Frontenacs)

Coaches:
Head Coach – André Tourigny (Ottawa 67’s)

*- invited, but included in Phase 4 NHL Return to Play Rosters

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