MONTREAL, Que. – Canada’s National Sledge Development Team will face Team USA in a three-game series as part of the 2016 Défi sportif AlterGo in Montreal April 25-May 1.
Sledge action kicks off Friday, April 29 at 1:30 p.m. ET and will be carried live on RDS.ca.
Sixteen players were selected for the series following a next-gen prospects camp hosted in Etobicoke, Ont., in March. Taking part in the player evaluations were Brandon Reid, head coach for Team Canada at the Défi sportif AlterGo, as well as Ken Babey, head coach of Canada’s National Sledge Team; Marshall Starkman, manager of Canada’s National Sledge Team; Jim Babcock (Hockey Canada); Ken Cullum (Sledge Team Ontario); and Maxime Gagnon (Sledge Team Quebec).
Canada’s National Sledge Development Team includes two goaltenders, four defencemen, and 10 forwards.
“Our next-gen camp in March gave us a great opportunity to evaluate the up-and-coming talent and make the necessary decisions on who would be selected to wear the Maple Leaf in Montreal this week,” said Reid, a Montreal native who has been an assistant coach with the national team this season alongside Babey. “This series will allow us to further evaluate this group of 16 players while providing an avenue to continue to showcase the sport of sledge hockey in front of an international audience.”
The 33rd Défi sportif AlterGo is an international event designed to bring together both elite and up-and-coming athletes with disabilities. The seven-day event hosts approximately 5,000 athletes from 20 countries who compete in venues throughout Montreal and the South Shore.
All practices and games are open to the public, and free-of-charge.
For more information on Canada’s National Sledge Team and programs, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media at Facebook.com/HCSledge and Twitter.com/HC_Sledge.