Brown Attending USA Hockey Camp
Moose Jaw Warrior defenceman Tyler Brown is putting on a red, white, and blue jersey this weekend with hopes of one day representing his country.
Brown, who hails from Olympia, Washington, is in Buffalo, New York for USA Hockey’s selection camp for the upcoming 2014 Ivan Hlinka Cup.
Coming out of his rookie season with the Warriors, Brown was quick to point out the importance of this off-season. “This is going to be a big summer for me. Having a year under my belt in the league, I’m hoping to step in to bigger roles next year. This summer is crucial for development of strength, and getting bigger, faster, and stronger to be able to compete with the older guys.”
“(I’m working on) power, quick bursts off the start, having quick feet and being more explosive with my skating,” he added. “I’m trying to get better and hopefully the coaches will see my improvement at training camp so that I can step in to a bigger role and help out.”
Like all Warriors, Brown’s hard work over the summer months is being put towards making a solid impression when training camp opens in August, but for him having this opportunity to try and impress USA Hockey means a lot to him.
“It would be a great honour to represent my country. It’s good to be even thought about to try out for the team at the selection camp,” he said when asked about the possibility of wearing a Team USA jersey.
“I was kind of surprised, I thought the email was going to be sent out earlier but when I got it I was excited, it was a very good day,” he said. “It’s all the same age, playing with guys older than you all year you kind of get a jump on some of the other kids. I just have to play my game, I have to play both ends of the ice and defence first coming out of the zone.”
Brown says that players involved with USA Hockey’s National Development Program will be at the camp to help the flow but won’t be eligible to make the team. With that being said, he says this is an opportunity for him to showcase his develop to USA Hockey. “I have a couple of buddies on that team (NDP) so it will be good to see them and show them what the WHL has to offer and what they’re missing out on.”
“It’s one of the first times you have to showcase your skills, it’s like the Under-17 teams that played last year over Christmas,” he said on getting his foot through the door with USA Hockey. “I just want to try and make a good first impression on them and hopefully throughout the years they remember me and hopefully that turns in to the World Juniors or anything else”
Earlier this week Hockey Canada extended an invitation to Warriors goalie Zach Sawchenko to attend their Summer Under-18 selection camp. If Brown were to make Team USA and if Sawchenko makes Canada’s national team, the two teammates could collide at the tournament.
If that were to happen, Brown says it would be great to square off against his good friend. “I was thinking about this when I got the invitation, I think it would be awesome. Spending a lot of time with Zach last season he’s become a great friend, it would be very special for us if we got to square off at the tournament.”
Brown says that he plans on being a sponge and soaking in all the information he can that could help him become a better player. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, you only get one shot at it. Going there and playing on the international stage can show you how other kids prepare. You can take in other things and implement them in my game when I get back and hopefully overall makes a better player out of me.”
The 2014 Under-18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup is August 11 to 16 in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, last year the Americans captured silver after falling to Canada in the gold medal game. In total they have three medals in the last eight years, all are silvers, and all three times they lost to Canada. The United States last gold medal came in 2003.
