CANADA—Three of the 163 young hockey players invited to Canada’s Program of Excellence summer camps are from or have ties to Manitoulin Island. Kohyn Eshkawkogan, Carter George and Jack Nesbitt have all been invited to the Hockey Canada camps.
“When I first found out I had been selected I was really excited and told my parents right away,” Kohyn, of Manitoulin, a defenceman with North York of the Greater Toronto Hockey League (who was recently drafted by the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League) told The Expositor on Wednesday of last week. He has been selected for the Canada National Under-17 team development camp roster.
Kohyn was to take place in the camp July 18-24. “I think my chances are pretty good to make the team.”
Hockey Canada has invited 163 players to participate in its Program of Excellence summer camps, Canada’s National Junior Team Summer Showcase, Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team selection camp and Canada’s national under 17 development camp.
Carter George, a goaltender for the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL, was recently drafted by the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League. He stated in a post on the Owen Sound Attack, “I am honoured and excited to be able to have the opportunity to represent my country at the Summer Showcase. I look forward to meeting new teammates and playing along side them in a Canadian uniform.
“We are thrilled for the opportunity to host summer camps across our Program of Excellence this year and gain valuable insights into the development of our up-and-coming athletes,” said Hockey Canada’s senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, Scott Salmond. “The athletes will gain experience in the operations of our program ahead of the 2024 U17 World Challenge, the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the highly anticipated IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa.”
Forty-two players, four goaltenders including Carter George, who calls Thunder Bay his hometown and plays with the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL, 13 defencemen and 25 forwards have been invited to Canada’s National Junior Team Summer Showcase, July 28 to August 3 at the WFCU Centre in Windsor, and south of the border in Plymouth, Michigan. Carter’s father Mike and grandparents are from Little Current.
As part of Canada’s National Men’s Summer Un ider-18 Team selection camp, 41 players—four goaltenders, 12 defenceman and 25 forwards—have been invited to compete to represent Canada at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, scheduled for August 5-10 in Edmonton, Alberta.
Those players selected to try out include Jack Nesbitt, of Sarnia who plays for the Windsor Spitfires in the OHL, and is a band member of Wiikwemkooong Unceded Territory.
Eighty players including eight goaltenders, 24 defencemen and 48 forwards will take to the ice at Joshua’s Creek Arena in Oakville, as part of Canada’s national under-17 development camp, set to take place July 18-24.
“We will find out October 1 if we made the team,” Kohyn explained. “The Ottawa 67’s training camp will begin August 26.”
