2015 U16 CHALLENGE CUP: TEAM MANITOBA PREVIEW
Calgary, AB – The 2015 Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup is set to begin on Wednesday, October 28th at Markin MacPhail Centre in Calgary, Alberta. The Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup will feature the highest-rated players in the Under-16 category representing the four Western Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
The majority of the players participating in the event were selected in the WHL Bantam Draft in May of 2015. Many of these top young prospects will play major roles on WHL Clubs in the seasons ahead.
Team Manitoba heads into the fifth edition of the Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup seeking its first gold medal win. Manitoba finished in third place to win the bronze medal in 2013 while claiming silver medals in 2011 and in 2009.
Team Manitoba boasts five players who were first-round picks in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft. Calen Addison, who was selected second overall by the Lethbridge Hurricanes, will miss the tournament due to injury, but Team Manitoba possesses a lot of depth with defenceman Jett Woo heading up a strong Manitoba roster. The 15 year-old native of Winnipeg, MB was the first of two first-round picks in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft by the Moose Jaw Warriors as he was selected fourth overall.
“I was smiling and was really excited,” said defenceman Jett Woo when he got the phone call indicating he made the team. “It’s a huge honour and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Woo added that the tournament will be intense right from the start. “The first game is going to be real intense! We’re playing in a tournament that everyone wants to win and everybody has something to prove. Most of the guys on the team I know really well and you can feel the bond in the room. I know that is one thing we’ll bring to the table to help us succeed.”
Team Manitoba comes into the tournament with high expectations as head coach Brad Purdie sees a group that can claim the gold medal.
“We’re looking to go there not just to compete, but to come away with a title,” said Brad Purdie, head coach for Team Manitoba. “This year we have a special group of guys and unfortunately we’ll miss Calen Addison but that means somebody else will get a chance to step up and show what they can do. We’re looking forward to the challenge. We had a good weekend playing against Shattuck St. Mary’s, playing three games in three nights which gave our guys a taste of what to expect.”
Purdie went on to further mention that he’s preparing his squad to play a simple game. “We’ve just got to keep it simple at the start, get pucks deep, and let our game come out and do what we can do. If we can get everybody out early for a quick shift or two, calm the butterflies and settle into our game, we’ll be fine.”
Other Team Manitoba players that fans should keep an eye on are Grandview, MB native Koby Morrisseau who was selected ninth overall by the Spokane Chiefs, forward Riley Stotts who was selected 10th overall by the Swift Current Broncos, Dawson Barteaux selected 14th overall by the Regina Pats and Caiden Daley selected 22nd overall by the Brandon Wheat Kings.
TEAM MANITOBA ROSTER
|
Position |
Number |
Player Name |
Hometown |
|
G |
1 |
Duncan McGovern |
Winnipeg, MB |
|
G |
35 |
Matthew Thiessen |
Altona, MB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
D |
7 |
Dawson Barteaux |
Foxwarren, MB |
|
D |
2 |
Lane Kirk |
Swan River, MB |
|
D |
16 |
Jack Lenchyshyn |
Steinbach, MB |
|
D |
3 |
Layne Toder |
Elkhorn, MB |
|
D |
6 |
Samuel Stewart |
Winnipeg, MB |
|
D |
4 |
Jett Woo |
Winnipeg, MB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
F |
5 |
Mackenzie Belinski |
Vista, MB |
|
F |
9 |
Rylan Bettens |
Winnipeg, MB |
|
F |
11 |
Cedric Chenier |
Winnipeg, MB |
|
F |
10 |
Benjamin Coppinger |
Winnipeg, MB |
|
F |
18 |
Caiden Daley |
Winnipeg, MB |
|
F |
12 |
Noah Geekie |
Strathclair, MB |
|
F |
14 |
Grady Hobbs |
Deloraine, MB |
|
F |
19 |
Michael King |
Winnipeg, MB |
|
F |
17 |
Koby Morrisseau |
Grandview, MB |
|
F |
15 |
Justin Nachbaur |
Cross Lake, MB |
|
F |
13 |
Duncan Pierce |
Winnipeg, MB |
|
F |
8 |
Riley Stotts |
Winnipeg, MB |
TEAM MANITOBA ROUND-ROBIN SCHEDULE:
*all games will take place at Markin MacPhail Center (Calgary, Alberta)
|
Date |
Visitor |
|
Home |
Time |
|
Wednesday, Oct. 28 |
Saskatchewan |
@ |
Manitoba |
3:00p.m. |
|
Thursday, October 29 |
British Columbia |
@ |
Manitoba |
7:00p.m. |
|
Friday, October 30 |
Manitoba |
@ |
Alberta |
7:00p.m. |
Ticket Information:
|
Tournament Pass |
Day Pass |
|
Adult $40 |
Adult $15 |
|
Student & Senior $35 |
Student & Senior $10 |
|
Early-Bird (until October 25th) $30 |
|
|
Youth (14 & under) FREE with minor hockey jersey or Halloween costume |
|
CLICK HERE for Early-Bird Tickets.
On-site ticket sales will begin one (1) hour prior to the start of the first game, each day of the tournament.
For more information on the 2015 Western Canada Under-16 Challenge Cup, CLICK HERE
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