CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada has announced that 29 players have been invited to attend the NextGen Para Hockey Development Camp, set for April 25-29 at Aréna Howie-Morenz in Montreal.
Four goaltenders and 25 skaters were selected by Canada’s National Para Hockey Team head coach Ken Babey (Saskatoon, Sask.) and Marshall Starkman (Thornhill, Ont.), manager of hockey operations. Assistant coaches Steve Arsenault (Edmonton, Alta.), Mike Foligno (Sudbury, Ont.) and Russ Herrington (Unionville, Ont.), and goaltending consultant Mike Fountain (Gravenhurst, Ont.) also provided input.
“The NextGen Para Hockey Development Camp is an exciting opportunity to introduce newer players to our program, continue to work on skill development and provide a chance for these athletes to learn from our staff and other veteran players,” said Babey. “We look forward to bringing together this group of athletes and staff in Montreal as we set our sights on a new Paralympic quadrennial and continue to develop and improve Canada’s National Para Hockey Team program.”
The roster includes seven players who attended Canada’s National Para Hockey Team selection camp last September (Auclair, Cozzolino, Halbert, Huneault, Jacobs-Webb, Riley, Smith), four players who were named to Team Canada for the 2021-22 season (Auclair, Halbert, Jacobs-Webb, Riley) and two players who won a silver medal at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games (Jacobs-Webb, Riley).
The five-day camp will serve as the first step in the identification and evaluation process of players, and will introduce young athletes to the National Para Hockey Team program. The camp will include fitness testing, off-ice sessions, high-performance presentations and workshops, practices and a three-on-three intrasquad game.
The support staff that will attend the NextGen Para Hockey Development Camp includes:
For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.