By Canadian Press

Canadian junior hockey team invites 41 players to development camp

Jun 16, 2020 | 5:09 PM

CALGARY — Seven players from this year’s gold medal-winning squad and the underage Canadian Hockey League rookie of the year highlight the roster for Canada’s national junior team development camp next month.

Forty-one players have been invited to the virtual camp, July 27-31. A traditional on-ice camp in one location will not be held because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kingston Frontenacs centre Shane Wright, the CHL rookie of the year this past season after being granted entry into the league a year early, will get a shot to be on the team for the 2021 world junior championship, starting Dec. 26, 2020, in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta.

Forwards Quinton Byfield, Dylan Cozens, Alexis Lafreniere, Connor McMichael and Dawson Mercer, and defencemen Bowen Byram and Jamie Drysdale return from the squad that won gold in the Czech Republic in January.

Lafreniere, the projected top pick in this year’s NHL draft, has been invited, but is not required to attend.

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All five goaltenders — Brett Brochu, Sebastian Cossa, Dylan Garand, Taylor Gauthier and Tristan Lennox — are newcomers.

The team also named Vancouver Giants coach Michael Dyck and Saskatoon Blades coach Mitch Love as assistants to previously named head coach Andre Tourigny of the Ottawa 67’s.

Hockey Canada says the camp will include a variety of sessions with a focus on player development through online education.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 16, 2020.

The Canadian Press