Red Deer Rebels defenceman Haydn Fleury is one of 45 players invited to the Canadian national junior hockey team’ summer development camp Aug. 3-8 in three Quebec centres — Brossard, Montreal and Sherbrooke.
Fleury, who is projected as a top-10 to top-15 pick in this year’s NHL entry draft Friday and Saturday in Philadelphia, is also one of 16 Western Hockey League players invited to the summer camp.
Other WHL players to received invitations include goaltenders Eric Comrie of the Tri-City Americans and Tristan Jarry of the Edmonton Oil Kings, defencemen Madison Bowey (Kelowna Rockets), Dillon Heatherington (Swift Current Broncos), Josh Morrissey (Prince Albert Raiders), Travis Sandheim (Calgary Hitmen) and Shea Theodore (Seattle Thunderbirds).
The WHL forwards set to attend the camp are Greg Chase and Jake Virtanen of the Hitmen, Jayce Hawryluk (Brandon Wheat Kings), Morgan Klimchuk (Regina Pats), Curtis Lazar (Edmonton), Nic Petan (Portland Winterhawks), Brayden Point (Moose Jaw Warriors) and Sam Reinhart (Kootenay Ice).
Conspicious by his absence on the invitation list is Rebels captain and forward Conner Bleackley, expected to be a late first-round or early second-round pick in this year’s NHL entry draft. However, with a strong showing through the first two and a half months of the 2014-15 season, Bleackley can earn himself an invitation to the national junior team final selection camp in December.
• The WHL preseason schedule will be released today and the regular-season schedule will be released Wednesday.
• The Canadian Hockey League import draft is scheduled for July 2.