Hockey Canada invites 119 players to Program of Excellence camps
Hockey Canada announced Thursday that it has invited 119 players to participate in two of its Program of Excellence summer camps, including Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team selection camp and Canada’s national under-17 development camp.
“We are excited to kick off a new season by announcing the 119 players that will attend camps in Oakville this month,” said Alan Millar, general manager of the Program of Excellence in a statement. “Our under-18 selection camp provides us with an opportunity to evaluate players and select a roster that we believe will give us the best chance to defend our gold medal at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
"Our under-17 camp is an opportunity to introduce athletes to the Program of Excellence and allow them to compete against other top players in Canada while we begin evaluating and preparing for the U17 World Challenge this fall.”
As part of Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team selection camp, 40 players—four goaltenders, 12 defencemen and 24 forwards—have been invited to compete for a chance to represent Canada at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, set for Aug. 11-16 in Brno, Czechia, and Trencin, Slovakia. The camp roster includes six players who won gold at the 2025 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship (Carels, Di Iorio, Edwards, Lin, Rudolph, Verhoeff), while 34 played for Canada Red or Canada White at the 2024 U17 World Challenge.
The selection camp, set for July 29-Aug. 1 at the Sixteen Mile Sports Complex in Oakville, Ontario, will include a pair of Red-White games on July 31 and Aug. 1. Following camp, Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team will practice at MET Arena in Szekesfehervar, Hungary, from Aug. 3-6. It will take on Hungary’s national under-20 team on Aug. 7 in Budapest and Slovakia on Aug. 9 at Easton Arena in Piestany as part of its pre-tournament schedule.
The player selection process was led by Millar, with support from Yanick Lemay, who serves as the U18 lead with the Program of Excellence management group, head scout Byron Bonora, Benoit Roy, director of hockey operations, and Scott Salmond, senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations.
On the under-17 side, 79 players—eight goaltenders, 23 defencemen and 48 forwards—will take the ice at the Sixteen Mile Sports Complex as part of Canada’s national under-17 development camp, set for July 19-23. All 79 players have been drafted by Canadian Hockey League (CHL) teams (30 from the OHL, 27 from the WHL and 22 from the QMJHL).
The selection process was led by Millar and Bonora, with assistance from Mike Johnston, who guides the U17 program as part of the POE management group. Roy and Salmond also supported the process. Players will continue to be evaluated through the beginning of the 2025-26 season in preparation for the 2025 U17 World Challenge, scheduled for Oct. 31-Nov. 8 in Truro, Nova Scotia.
Program of Excellence Summer Camp Invitees
Name | S/C | Ht | Wt | Team | CHL Draft |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Goaltenders | |||||
Sam Berthiaume | L | 6’3” | 169 | South Kent School (US15U) | CAP 2025 (2/25) |
Cash Christie | L | 5’11” | 122 | St. George's School (CSSHL) | MH 2024 (4/83) |
Mathys Fortin | L | 6’3” | 165 | Saint-Eustache (LHM18AAAQ) | DRU 2025 (3/55) |
Jase MacPherson | L | 6’1” | 173 | Kensington (NBPEIMU18HL) | SNB 2025 (2/29) |
Leif Oaten | L | 6’3” | 195 | Edge School (CSSHL) | LET 2024 (3/58) |
Cruz Reznik | L | 6’2” | 181 | Toronto Red Wings (GTHL) | GUE 2025 (3/56) |
Cole Vreugdenhil | L | 6’3” | 202 | Halton (OMHA) | NB 2025 (5/87) |
Charlie Weiss | L | 6’1” | 151 | Oakville (OMHA) | LDN 2025 (5/100) |
Defence | |||||
Aden Bouchard | L | 6’0” | 162 | CIHA (CSSHL) | TC 2024 (1/3) |
David Buchman | L | 5’10” | 177 | Ottawa Valley (HEO) | BFD 2025 (1/20) |
Thomas Charbonneau | L | 6’2” | 168 | Shattuck-St. Mary's (US15U) | QUE 2025 (1/4) |
Brock Cripps | R | 5’10” | 148 | St. George's School (CSSHL) | PA 2024 (1/2) |
Alexander Forrest | L | 5’11” | 140 | Oakville (OMHA) | KIT 2025 (2/24) |
Joaquin Geras | L | 6’1” | 180 | Edge School (CSSHL) | KAM 2024 (2/26) |
Peter Green | R | 5’11” | 173 | Don Mills (GTHL) | BRA 2025 (1/14) |
Calder Hamilton | L | 5’9” | 135 | Warman (SMU18AAAHL) | CGY 2024 (1/6) |
Owen Hayden | L | 6’7” | 205 | Edge School (CSSHL) | KEL 2024 (1/9) |
Matt Henderson | L | 5’11” | 162 | Huron Perth (Alliance) | KGN 2025 (1/17) |
Camden Jackson | R | 6’2” | 174 | Châteauguay (LHM18AAAQ) | MON 2025 (3/49) |
Carter Kunopaski | L | 6’1” | 204 | Ottawa Valley (HEO) | NB 2025 (2/29) |
Clément Landry | L | 6’2” | 205 | Laval-Montréal (LHM18AAAQ) | GAT 2025 (1/13) |
Harry Mattern | R | 6’1” | 180 | Northern Alberta (CSSHL) | SPO 2024 (2/34) |
Cooper McAslan | R | 6’2” | 175 | Ajax Pickering (OMHA) | LDN 2025 (2/43) |
Blake Munnings | L | 6’0” | 185 | Quinte (OMHA) | OS 2025 (2/28) |
Julien Nadeau | L | 5’10” | 150 | Collège Notre-Dame (LHM18AAAQ) | CAP 2025 (2/23) |
Quinn Norman | L | 6’0” | 160 | Vaughan (GTHL) | NFD 2025 (1/6) |
Lucas Nutting | R | 5’11” | 175 | Elgin Middlesex (Alliance) | FLI 2025 (2/33) |
Graeme Pickering | R | 5’10” | 138 | Rink Hockey Academy (CSSHL) | RD 2024 (1/15) |
Jaxon Pisani | L | 6’0” | 165 | St. Albert (AEHL) | EVT 2024 (2/39) |
Boston Tait | L | 6’2” | 170 | Regina (SMU18AAAHL) | WEN 2024 (1/12) |
Cohen Williams | R | 6’3” | 186 | Okanagan Hockey Academy (CSSHL) | MJ 2024 (2/40) |
Forwards | |||||
Keaton Ardagh | R | 6’0” | 163 | Toronto Jr. Canadiens (GTHL) | BRA 2025 (1/15) |
Zack Arsenault | R | 5’11” | 167 | Séminaire Saint-François (LHM18AAAQ) | RIM 2025 (1/2) |
Brayden Bennett | L | 5’11” | 188 | Toronto Titans (GTHL) | SUD 2025 (1/11) |
Maxwell Branton | L | 5’11” | 161 | Toronto Marlboros (GTHL) | RIM 2025 (2/20) |
Olivier Charron | L | 5’9” | 172 | Châteauguay (LHM18AAAQ) | CAP 2025 (1/14) |
Alex Campeau | L | 6’4” | 171 | Eastern Ontario (HEO) | LDN 2025 (1/23) |
Brock Chitaroni | R | 5’11” | 167 | Barrie (OMHA) | OTT 2025 (1/3) |
Max Delisle | R | 6’0” | 175 | Toronto Titans (GTHL) | OS 2025 (1/5) |
Alex Desruisseaux | R | 5’6” | 139 | Lévis (LHM18AAAQ) | QUE 2025 (2/26) |
Mirco Dufour | L | 5’8” | 171 | Edge School (CSSHL) | EVT 2024 (1/19) |
Eamon Edgar | R | 5’10” | 159 | Sun County (Alliance) | BAR 2025 (2/35) |
Ryerson Edgar | R | 5’10” | 157 | York-Simcoe (OMHA) | NIA 2025 (1/10) |
Brock England | L | 5’11” | 165 | Edge School (CSSHL) | SEA 2024 (1/11) |
Loik Gariepy | L | 5’10” | 154 | Saint-Eustache (LHM18AAAQ) | VIC 2025 (2/19) |
Louis-Étienne Halley | R | 6’3” | 191 | Saint-Eustache (LHM18AAAQ) | GAT 2025 (1/12) |
Ryan Hanrahan | L | 5’11” | 134 | Mississauga Reps (GTHL) | SAG 2025 (1/13) |
Ben Harvey | R | 5’8” | 164 | Edmonton Jr. Oilers Orange (AEHL) | PA 2024 (1/4) |
Nolann Héroux | L | 5’8” | 144 | Saint-Eustache (LHM18AAAQ) | SNB 2025 (1/10) |
Alexis Joseph | L | 6’4” | 199 | College Esther-Blondin (LHM18AAAQ) | SNB 2025 (1/1) |
Aleks Kulemin | L | 6’2” | 171 | Don Mills (GTHL) | KGN 2025 (1/9) |
Alexy Lafleur | R | 6’1” | 170 | College Notre-Dame (LHM18AAAQ) | DRU 2025 (3/45) |
Brenner Lammens | L | 6’0” | 191 | Toronto Red Wings (GTHL) | SAR 2025 (1/4) |
Noah Laus | L | 6’1” | 192 | Toronto Jr. Canadiens (GTHL) | SSM 2025 (1/7) |
Deryk Lemaire | L | 6’1” | 185 | Magog (LHM18AAAQ) | VIC 2025 (1/11) |
Phenwick MacLean | L | 6’1” | 158 | Dartmouth (NSU18MHL) | NFD 2025 (1/8) |
Marc MacPhee | R | 5’8” | 158 | Moncton (NBPEIMU18HL) | MON 2025 (2/24) |
Kaden McGregor | R | 5’11” | 168 | Ottawa Valley (HEO) | PBO 2025 (1/1) |
Ossie McIntyre | L | 5’9” | 155 | St. Albert (AEHL) | SPO 2024 (1/7) |
John McLaughlin | L | 5’9” | 163 | Lambton (Alliance) | WSR 2025 (1/21) |
Carter Moen | L | 5’11” | 154 | Swift Current (SMU18AAAHL) | SC 2024 (1/17) |
Charlie Murata | R | 5’11” | 174 | Don Mills (GTHL) | FLI 2025 (1/8) |
Jake Murray | L | 6’2” | 176 | Huron Perth (Alliance) | ER 2025 (1/12) |
Emrick Nolette-Robideaux | R | 5’11” | 161 | Saint-Hyacinthe (LHM18AAAQ) | SHE 2025 (1/16) |
Ludovic Perreault | L | 5’7” | 160 | Winnipeg Wild (MU18AAAHL) | VIC 2024 (1/18) |
Antoine Provencher | R | 5’11” | 177 | Collège Charles-Lemoyne (LHM18AAAQ) | CHA 2025 (1/7) |
Kieran Raynor | R | 5’10” | 175 | Niagara North (OMHA) | PBO 2025 (2/27) |
Sam Roberts | R | 6’1” | 179 | Toronto Jr. Canadiens (GTHL) | OSH 2025 (1/16) |
Luke Ruptash | R | 5’10” | 151 | SAHA (CSSHL) | MH 2024 (1/16) |
James Scantlebury | L | 5’9” | 165 | Bishop Kearney High School (US16U) | QUE 2025 (1/9) |
Maddox Schultz | L | 5’10” | 165 | Regina (SMU18AAAHL) | REG 2025 (1/1) |
Jacob Schwartz | L | 5’7” | 145 | Delta Hockey Academy (CSSHL) | VIC 2024 (1/8) |
Eddy Spytz | R | 5’10” | 170 | St. George's School (CSSHL) | EVT 2024 (3/51) |
Jordin St. Louis | L | 5’11” | 150 | Airdrie (AEHL) | POR 2024 (1/20) |
Kayden Stroeder | L | 5’10” | 150 | Saskatoon Contacts (SMU18AAAHL) | EDM 2024 (1/5) |
Chase Surkan | L | 5’8” | 155 | Regina (SMU18AAAHL) | BDN 2024 (1/14) |
Benjamin Veitch | L | 6’2” | 197 | York-Simcoe (OMHA) | NFD 2025 (1/5) |
Camryn Warren | R | 5’9” | 152 | Toronto Jr. Canadiens (GTHL) | NB 2025 (1/6) |
Jaakko Wycisk | R | 6’1” | 181 | Sun County (Alliance) | GUE 2025 (1/2) |