Event takes place Aug 7-12 in Czech Republic & Slovakia
Hockey Canada has wrapped up its five-day National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team selection camp by naming the 22 players who will represent the nation at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup Aug. 7-12 in Breclav, Czech Republic, and Bratislava, Slovakia.
Summerside PEI native Noah Dobson has been named to the team as one of the teams 7 defenceman. Dobson continues to enhance his resume with this selection. A first-round selection, sixth overall, in the 2016 QMJHL Entry, Dobson protected the blueline for the Acadie-Bathurst Titan where he was fifth in scoring among QMJHL rookie defencemen. He would play for Canada Red at the 2016 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
Dobson was also a member of Team PEI at the 2016 QMJHL Gatorade Excellence Challenge and played for PEI at the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George, B.C.
“Hockey PEI is very proud of Noah’s accomplishments and his hard work to make the National team with Hockey Canada”, stated Hockey PEI President Barry Thompson. “As a small province, we are proud to be represented by players from PEI and wish Noah and Team Canada best of luck at the tournament”.
PEI has been represented in the past on Hockey Canada’ Under 18 National Team. Previous members include:
2017 Noah Dobson Summerside
2009 Brandon Gormley Murray River
2007 Chris Doyle Charlottetown
2006 Logan MacMillan Charlottetown
2000 Drew MacIntyre Stratford
1999 Thatcher Bell Guernsey Cove
1997 Brad Richards Murray Harbour
Canada has won gold 20 times in 25 years of summer under-18 competition and will play in Group B this year with Finland, Russia, and Slovakia; Group A consists of the Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.
The Canadians will face the Czech Republic in a pre-tournament game on Aug. 5 in Breclav, and officially open the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup on Aug. 7 against Russia. The top two teams from each group advance to the semifinals on Friday, Aug. 11, with the gold-medal game scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 12.
“We’ve had a great selection camp here in Calgary, with all 44 players showing us what they’re made of,” said Brent Kisio (Calgary/Lethbridge, WHL), head coach of Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team. “As a best-on-best tournament, the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup allows us to showcase the very best Canadian talent in this age group. We are ready to make Canadians proud with how we represent them on and off the ice.”
For more information on Hockey Canada and the Program of Excellence, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter, and Twitter.com/HC_Men.
