NORTH YORK, ON - Canada's National Men's Under 18 Summer Team has been named following an eight-day pre-competition camp in North York, ON, the Canadian Hockey Association and the Canadian Hockey League announced on Thursday.

Canada's National Under 18 Summer Team will be taking part in the Six Nations Under 18 Cup in the Czech Republic, also featuring National Under 18 Teams from the Czech Republic, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland.

The 2001 National Under 18 Summer Team is comprised entirely of players born in 1984. The Under 18 National team is part of a three stage Program of Excellence beginning with the under 17 regional teams and ending with the World Junior team. The primary objectives of the under 18 program are to identify, evaluate and condition players to the rigours of international competition by giving them their first exposure to international hockey, international officiating, larger ice surfaces, and travel.

This season, the Under 18 Summer Team represents a first step in preparation for Canada's participation in the 2002 IIHF World Under 18 Hockey Championship next April in Slovakia.

The team leaves for the Czech Republic late Thursday afternoon. Flight departure information is as follows: Flight Air Canada 856 from Toronto to London, from Terminal 1 at 6:10pm (ET).

Twelve players took part in the pre-competition camp but were not selected to take part in the Six Nations Cup: Goaltenders (2): Brad Topping (Brampton, OHL); Tyler Weiman (Tri-City, WHL); Defencemen (5): Pierre-Olivier Beaulieu (Montreal, QMJHL), Johnny Boychuk (Calgary, WHL), Gary Gladue (Prince George, WHL), Richard Power (Owen Sound, OHL), Brian Rodney (Ottawa, OHL); Forwards (5): Sébastien Courcelles (Sherbrooke, QMJHL), Jonathan Filewich (Spokane, WHL), Michael Lambert (Montreal, QMJHL), Brad Schell (Spokane, WHL), Cory Urquhart (Quebec, QMJHL).

These twelve players continue to be in consideration for the 2002 IIHF World Under 18 Championship team. Barry Trapp, the CHA's Director, Scouting and three regional scouts will continue to monitor the players that were at this camp as well as others. The World Under 18 Team will be made up of players whose season has ended prior to the World Under 18 Championship in April, 2002.

The 2002 IIHF World Under 18 Championship will be held in Slovakia from April 13-22, 2002. This will mark the first time Canada's sends a team to this event.

Interview requests should be directed to Terry Bangen, the team's Manager, who is travelling with the team at 403-777-4582 or 403-830-9590 prior to the team's departure. Once in Czech Republic, Bangen can be reached at 00420 604 272997.