CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League, announced on Thursday the roster of forty players that will be taking part in the Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team selection camp in Calgary from August 1-4.

The players, born in 1992 or later, were selected by Hockey Canada head scout Al Murray, in consultation with head coach Dave Lowry (Calgary, WHL) and assistant coaches Chris DePiero (Oshawa, OHL) and Mark Holick (Kootenay, WHL). Murray evaluated these players over the course of the 2008-09 season, following them along with numerous other candidates for the program during league play, as well as at the 2009 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Port Alberni, B.C.

“This will be a very competitive camp with great depth at all positions,” said Murray. “I give credit to the Canadian Hockey League and all the parents, minor hockey coaches and volunteers who have helped these players get to this level.”

At the conclusion of the selection camp, the coaching staff will select a roster of 22 players that will represent Canada at the 2009 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka in the Czech Republic and Slovakia from August 11-15.

The selection camp roster by the numbers:

Program of Excellence breakdown

Three (3) players (Connolly, Gudbranson, McFarland) who played for Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team at the 2009 IIHF World Under-18 Championship in Fargo, N.D. and Moorhead, Minn., finishing fourth

All 40 players named today participated in the 2009 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Port Alberni, B.C.

15 players who won the gold medal with Team Ontario

Nine (9) players who won the silver medal with Team Pacific

Seven (7) players from Team Quebec

Five (5) players from Team West

Four (4) players from Team Atlantic

Three (3) players (Couturier, Ellis, Gormley) who played in the 2008 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in London, Ont. as under-aged players

One (1) player (Gormley) who played in the 2007 Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse, Yukon as an under-aged player

Hockey Canada branch breakdown

13 – Ontario Hockey Federation

7 – Hockey Quebec

6 – Hockey Alberta

4 – Hockey Manitoba

3 – BC Hockey

2 – Hockey PEI, Ottawa District Hockey Association

1 – Hockey New Brunswick, Hockey Newfoundland & Labrador, Saskatchewan Hockey Association

League breakdown

15 – OHL

13 – WHL

11 – QMJHL

1 – Other (SJHL)

Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team selection camp will run from August 1-4 at the Father David Bauer Olympic Arena in Calgary. Details, including red and white rosters, will be announced at a later date.

Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team is one of two under-18 teams that Hockey Canada assembles during each season. A second men’s under-18 team will take part in the 2010 IIHF World Under-18 Championship in Belarus in April 2010, and will be comprised of available players not involved in the playoffs with their respective teams. The under-18 program, along with the regional under-17 program and the national under-20 program make up Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence, which identifies, evaluates and develops players for international competition.