Okotoks hockey will again be on the world stage next month.
Goaltender Carter Esler will wear the maple leaf for the second time this year after being named to Hockey Canada’s Team Red roster at the upcoming U17 World Challenge in Sarnia, Ont.
“Following a competitive summer camp and exciting start to the CHL season, we are thrilled to unveil the 44 athletes that will take the next step in the Program of Excellence and represent Canada at the U17 World Challenge,” said U17 head scout Benoit Roy.
“We believe we have assembled two strong teams that will give us the best chance to defend our gold medal, and we know all 44 players are excited to wear the Maple Leaf with Canada Red and Canada White in Sarnia next month.”
Esler is one 15 players on both rosters who played for Canada at the Youth Olympic Games earlier in the year. Every one of the 44 players selected are Canadian Hockey League draft picks, including 15 from the WHL.
The 15-year-old plied his trade in the Okotoks Oilers Athletic Association, starring last season with the U18 AAAA Okotoks Bow Mark Oilers, prior to graduating to the Western Hockey League ranks this fall as a member of the Spokane Chiefs.
Canada Red also features Calgarian Landon DuPont, a 15-year-old super prospect off to a scorching start with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips, the Edmonton Oil Kings’ prospect Joe Iginla and Calgary forward Cruz Pavao, to name a few.
The U17 World Challenge, previously known as the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, has featured over 2,000 NHL draft picks in the event since its debut in 1986.
Tournament alumni include Okotokian Peyton Krebs, a forward with the Buffalo Sabres, Bragg Creek’s Dylan Holloway, a member of the St. Louis Blues, and former Okotoks Oilers defenceman Jacob Bernard-Docker, who patrols the blue line for the Ottawa Senators.
The six-team tournament, held Nov. 3-9, features the United States, Sweden, Finland and Czechia in addition to Canada Red and Canada White.
The medal round games will be broadcast on TSN and RDS.
For more information, go to hockeycanada.ca.
