A pair of Barrie Colts draft picks have received invitations to Hockey Canada's National Under-17 Development Camp in Alberta next month.
The Ontario Hockey League announced Thursday that 40 OHL prospects have been invited to the camp, which is set to take place July 10-16 at the Markin McPhail Centre at WinSport's Canada Olympic Park in Calgary.
Representing the Barrie Colts will be left-handed centre Cole Beaudoin, who was selected in the first round (10th overall) of last month's OHL Priority Selection, and left-winger Carter Lowe, who was selected in the second round at 26th overall.
Last season with the Nepean Raiders U18 'AAA' team, Beaudoin scored 24 goals and added 53 assists for 77 points in 32 games. The 16-year-old Kanata native is listed at six-foot-two and 190 pounds.
Lowe, meanwhile, had 22 goals and 28 helpers for 50 points in 46 games with the Toronto Marlboros U16 'AAA' team. The 16-year-old Toronto native, who is listed at six-foot-three and 185 pounds, also had three goals and two assists in five games at the OHL Cup.
Five goaltenders, nine defencemen and 26 forwards will participate in an next month's development camp, which includes 100 players invited from across Canada. Players in attendance will be split into five teams for on- and off-ice training, fitness testing, practices, intrasquad games and classroom sessions.
“The national under-17 development camp is the first stage in introducing these athletes to the Program of Excellence, and it is a great opportunity for them to develop as players and learn what it takes to wear the Maple Leaf,” Alan Millar, director of player personnel for Hockey Canada, said in a release. “We look forward to enhancing these young players’ ongoing development during this camp and starting the process of building our three national U17 teams for the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge this fall.”
Following the camp, players will continue to be evaluated through the early portion of the 2022-23 season before 66 are named to one of three Canadian national teams – Team Canada Black, Team Canada Red and Team Canada White – that will compete at the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, scheduled for Nov. 5-12 in Langley and Delta, B.C.
So far, 77 of the 100 players invited have been drafted by Canadian Hockey League teams, including 40 from the Ontario Hockey League and 37 from the Western Hockey League, while the remaining 23 are prospects for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Entry Draft, to be held July 4-5.
For a full list of OHL invitees, click here.
