Local hockey players have made another step forward in the journey toward the 2019 WHL Cup in Calgary.
Nine players from Central Alberta made the list of 80 2004-born players that will compete at the Team Alberta U16 Male Summer Camp from July 2-7 in Red Deer.
Of those 80 players, a shortlist will be established and 20 players will make up Team Alberta at the WHL Cup in October.
The list of 80 players included eight goalies, 24 defencemen and 48 forwards, most of whom were scouted during the 2018-19 season and competed at the Alberta Cup in April in Red Deer.
“We saw an outstanding level of talent at the 2019 Alberta Cup in Red,” said Michael Kraichy, Manager of Team Alberta in a press release.
Congratulations to @toussie31 @AveryTrotter4 @tydano04 @NateDanielson @_TylerMacKenzie Connor Claughton, Kaiden Ellertson, Nash Bamford, And Nolan Larson on making the Top 80 camp this summer for Team Alberta! Go and get it men #hardworkpaysoff
— Red Deer Bantam AAA Rebels (@rebels_baaa) May 9, 2019
“It wasn’t an easy task for our staff to select the eighty players to attend summer camp, but we’re excited to see what this group can show us as they move forward in the Team Alberta process.”
From Red Deer, defencemen Connor Claughton and Kaiden Ellertson were selected. Claughton was picked in the ninth round, 195th overall by the Prince George Cougars in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft, while Ellerston went in the fifth round to the Brandon Wheat Kings.
At forward from Red Deer, Nate Danielson, Ty Daneault, Nolan Larson and Tyler Mackenzie were invited to the camp. Danielson made history at the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft, becoming the top player selected from Red Deer at fifth overall.
Goalie Kaiden Toussaint of Rimbey, who played for Team Black at the 2019 Alberta Cup also earned an invite to camp.
Defenceman Avery Trotter of Olds and Lacombe’s Nash Bamford were also selected.
The week-long camp in July features an opportunity for players to develop their skills through both on and off-ice training sessions as well as classroom work.
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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