There is Saskatoon content getting set to take part in Hockey Canada’s upcoming Program of Excellence Summer Meetings.
Out of 45 participants in the Under-20 program, 16 are from the W-H-L, including Saskatoon products Kevin Korchinski and Brayden Yager. Korchinski was a defenceman on the gold medal-winning Canadian Under-20 team this past season in Halifax. He’s a 2022 N-H-L first round pick of Chicago and plays for Seattle in the Dub. Yager was a first round pick by Pittsburgh last month and is a centre with Moose Jaw.
In addition, out of 66 prospects taking part in the Under-17 meetings, 21 are affiliated with W-H-L teams, including Saskatoon products Logan Edmonstone and Lee Shurgot plus Cole Reschny of Macklin. Edmonstone is a goaltender prospect of Kamloops, Shurgot is a forward and property of Prince George while Reschny is a forward with a Victoria affiliation. Forward Luke Moroz from Regina is also part of the Under-17 meetings, property of the Prince Albert Raiders. Following are news releases from the W-H-L and Hockey Canada…..
37 WHL PLAYERS PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAM OF EXCELLENCE SUMMER MEETINGS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2023
Calgary, Alta. – The WHL is proud to recognize the 37 players and prospects who were invited to participate in Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence summer meetings in preparation for the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship.
“This impressive group of athletes is an excellent representation of the talent pool in our country, and these meetings were a great opportunity to kick off a new season and begin our preparations for two major international events,” said Regina Pats vice-president of hockey operations and general manager Alan Millar, who oversaw the meetings as Hockey Canada director of player personnel. “This was a great opportunity to introduce prospective national team players to the Program of Excellence and help prepare them for international competition.”
A total of 21 WHL prospects participated in summer meetings in preparation for the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, while 16 WHL players, including 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship gold medalist Kevin Korchinski of the Seattle Thunderbirds, took part in meetings ahead of the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship. In all, 19 of the 22 WHL Clubs were represented at the Hockey Canada Program of Excellence summer meetings.
WHL Prospects – World Under-17 Hockey Challenge
| Last Name | First Name | Team | Hometown | Height | Weight | Position |
| Cleaver | Koen | Lethbridge Hurricanes | Port Alberni, B.C. | 6’2” | 177 | G |
| Edmonstone | Logan | Kamloops Blazers | Saskatoon, Sask. | 5’10” | 160 | G |
| Hamilton | Reese | Calgary Hitmen | Whitewood, Sask. | 6’0” | 160 | D |
| Kettles | Peyton | Swift Current Broncos | Winnipeg, Man. | 6’3” | 160 | D |
| Schmidt | Connor | Moose Jaw Warriors | Sturgeon County, Alta. | 5’11” | 163 | D |
| Sharpe | Will | Lethbridge Hurricanes | Delta, B.C. | 6’0” | 183 | D |
| Smith | Jackson | Tri-City Americans | Calgary, Alta. | 6’3” | 179 | D |
| Vlooswyk | Luke | Red Deer Rebels | Calgary, Alta. | 6’2” | 160 | D |
| Baumuller | Joby | Brandon Wheat Kings | Wilcox, Sask. | 5’11” | 175 | F |
| Behm | Nathan | Kamloops Blazers | Calgary, Alta. | 6’0” | 173 | F |
| Cootes | Braeden | Seattle Thunderbirds | Sherwood Park, Alta. | 5’9” | 151 | F |
| Harrington | Chase | Spokane Chiefs | Langley, B.C. | 6’0” | 166 | F |
| Harsanyi | Hayden | Medicine Hat Tigers | Calgary, Alta. | 5’7” | 140 | F |
| McCann | Kadon | Medicine Hat Tigers | Cochrane, Alta. | 6’3” | 184 | F |
| McKenna | Gavin | Medicine Hat Tigers | Whitehorse, Yukon | 5’11” | 165 | F |
| Moroz | Luke | Prince Albert Raiders | Regina, Sask. | 5’8” | 150 | F |
| Reschny | Cole | Victoria Royals | Macklin, Sask. | 5’9” | 160 | F |
| Sawchyn | Lukas | Seattle Thunderbirds | Grande Prairie, Alta. | 5’9” | 165 | F |
| Schmidt | Cameron | Vancouver Giants | Prince George, B.C. | 5’7” | 136 | F |
| Shurgot | Lee | Prince George Cougars | Saskatoon, Sask. | 6’1” | 177 | F |
| Temple | Cole | Regina Pats | Brandon, Man. | 5’9” | 150 | F |
WHL Players – National Junior Team
| Last Name | First Name | Team | Hometown | Height | Weight | Position |
| Ratzlaff | Scott | Seattle Thunderbirds | Irma, Alta. | 6’0” | 175 | G |
| Young | Ty | Prince George Cougars | Coaldale, Alta. | 6’2” | 183 | G |
| Cagnoni | Luca | Portland Winterhawks | Burnaby, B.C. | 5’9” | 182 | D |
| Korchinski^ | Kevin | Seattle Thunderbirds | Saskatoon, Sask. | 6’2” | 187 | D |
| Mateychuk | Denton | Moose Jaw Warriors | Dominion City, Man. | 5’11” | 189 | D |
| Pickering | Owen | Swift Current Broncos | St. Adolphe, Man. | 6’4” | 182 | D |
| Benson | Zach | Wenatchee Wild | Chilliwack, B.C. | 5’9” | 170 | F |
| Danielson | Nate | Brandon Wheat Kings | Red Deer, Alta. | 6’1” | 186 | F |
| Firkus | Jagger | Moose Jaw Warriors | Irma, Alta. | 5’10” | 155 | F |
| Geekie | Conor | Wenatchee Wild | Strathclair, Man. | 6’3” | 190 | F |
| Gustafson | Jordan | Seattle Thunderbirds | Ardrossan, Alta. | 5’11” | 182 | F |
| Minten | Fraser | Kamloops Blazers | Vancouver, B.C. | 6’1” | 185 | F |
| Roest | Austin | Everett Silvertips | Coldstream, B.C. | 5’9” | 175 | F |
| Savoie | Matthew | Wenatchee Wild | St. Albert, Alta. | 5’9” | 170 | F |
| Yager | Brayden | Moose Jaw Warriors | Saskatoon, Sask. | 5’11” | 170 | F |
| Ziemmer | Koehn | Prince George Cougars | Mayerthorpe, Alta. | 6’0” | 210 | F |
^ – returnee from 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship gold-medal team.
Players took part in virtual meetings that covered a variety of topics, including education on the Program of Excellence, Sport Safety presentations, short-term international competition preparation and meetings with the Hockey Canada management group. The discussions will allow participants to continue to evolve as high-performance athletes and utilize the strengths and experience of the Program of Excellence’s leadership.
Players will continue to be evaluated through the early portion of the 2023-24 season before Canadian rosters are named for the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and the 2024 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden.
July 26, 2023
NR.049.23
111 PLAYERS PARTIPATE IN PROGRAM OF EXCELLENCE SUMMER MEETINGS
National men’s under-17 program and National Junior Team began preparations for 2023-24 season during three days of virtual meetings
CALGARY, AB – Hockey Canada is proud to recognize the 111 players that took part in the Program of Excellence summer meetings in preparation for the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Sixty-six under-17 players were selected by Alan Millar (Tottenham, ON), director of player personnel, Byron Bonora (Brooks, AB), U17 head scout, and Dave Brown (Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON/Erie, OHL), the U17 lead for the Program of Excellence management group, with input from Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of hockey operations. Regional scouts Rob Simpson (Ontario), Pierre Cholette (Quebec), Darren Sutherland (Atlantic) and Darrell Woodley (Ontario), as well as Member representatives, also provided input.
All 66 under-17 players have been drafted by Canadian Hockey League (CHL) teams, including 37 from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), 15 from the Western Hockey League (WHL) and 14 from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).
“This impressive group of athletes is an excellent representation of the talent pool in our country, and these meetings were a great opportunity to kick off a new season and begin our preparations for two major international events,” Millar said. “This was a great opportunity to introduce prospective national team players to the Program of Excellence and help prepare them for international competition.”
Forty-five under-20 players were selected by Millar and Peter Anholt (Naicam, SK/Lethbridge, WHL), the U20 lead for the POE management group, with input from Salmond and Benoit Roy (Sudbury, ON), senior manager of hockey operations.
The list includes three players who won a gold medal on home ice at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship in Halifax and Moncton (Beck, Fantilli, Korchinski), and seven who won gold on home ice at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup (Barlow, Benson, Gauthier, Ratzlaff, Ritchie, Wood, Yager). It also includes 12 players that were selected in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft last month, including seven first-round draft picks (Barlow, Benson, Danielson, Fantilli, Ritchie, Wood, Yager).
Players took part in virtual meetings that covered a variety of topics, including education on the Program of Excellence, Sport Safety presentations, short-term international competition preparation and meetings with the Hockey Canada management group. The discussions will allow participants to continue to evolve as high-performance athletes and utilize the strengths and experience of the Program of Excellence’s leadership.
Players will continue to be evaluated through the early portion of the 2023-24 season before Canadian rosters are named for the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and the 2024 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden.