Eight 2024 #OHLDraft prospects to represent Canada at Winter Youth Olympic Games
A total of eight players eligible for the 2024 OHL Priority Selection have been named to Canada’s roster for the upcoming 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games to be held in Gangwon, South Korea from January 27-31.
The Youth Olympic Games are the world’s largest multi-sport event for high-performance young athletes aged 15–18. It will be the fourth edition of the Winter Youth Olympic Games and the first in Asia, and will have a fully gender-balanced sporting program with seven sports, 15 disciplines and a total of 81 events.
Canada’s roster includes a total of four representatives from the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL), four from the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) and one, Beckham Edwards, of the Detroit Little Caesars 15U AAA program.
“Congratulations to the tremendous athletes, coaches and staff who have been selected to represent Canada in men’s hockey at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games,” said Katherine Henderson (Thunder Bay, ON), president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada and co-chair of Canada’s Winter Caucus of Sport. “Wearing the Maple Leaf at the Games is an incredible honour and we know fans across our country will be cheering on this group and the rest of Team Canada on as it goes for gold.”
The roster was selected by Byron Bonora (Brooks, AB), Hockey Canada’s U17 head scout, and Kurt Keats (Winnipeg, MB), manager of hockey operations. A long list of players was shared by Hockey Canada’s 13 Members in the summer, with regional scouts Pierre Cholette (Quebec), Rob Simpson (Ontario/London Knights), Darren Sutherland (Atlantic) and Darrell Woodley (Ontario/OHL Central Scouting) also providing input.
“We are thrilled to announce the 18 players from six Members who will have the unique opportunity of representing Canada for the first time at the Winter Youth Olympic Games,” said Benoit Roy (Sudbury, ON), senior manager of hockey operations. “This event gives us an opportunity to introduce players to Hockey Canada while providing athletes with the chance to develop the skills and experience needed in international competition, all while competing for a gold medal and taking in an experience of a lifetime in Gangwon.”
Team Canada has participated in the men’s hockey tournament at each Winter Youth Olympic Games to date, winning the bronze medal at Innsbruck 2012 and Lausanne 2020, and the silver medal at Lillehammer 2016.
Eight 2024 #OHLDraft Prospects Representing Canada at Winter Youth Olympic Games:
Goaltenders:
Mateo Beites (Barrie Colts, OMHA – Sudbury, Ont.)
Colin Ellsworth (York-Simcoe Express, OMHA – Aurora, Ont.)
Defencemen:
Callum Croskery (Oakville Rangers, OMHA – Oakville, Ont.)
Zach Nyman (Vaughan Kings, GTHL – Toronto, Ont.)
Forwards:
Alessandro Di Iorio (Vaughan Kings, GTHL – Vaughan, Ont.)
Beckham Edwards (Detroit Little Caesars 15U – London, Ont.)
Adam Valentini (Toronto Marlboros, GTHL – Toronto, Ont.)
Braidy Wassilyn (Markham Majors, GTHL – Puslinch, Ont.)
For a complete Canadian roster, visit hockeycanada.ca.