It’s been quite a month in the young hockey careers for Roman Basran, Aidan Barfoot, Keegan Craik and Ben Wozney.
The trio of 15-year-olds from Richmond were among 44 players from across the province selected by B.C. Hockey for the Male U16 Provincial Camp, slated for July at Shawnigan Lake. Camp invites were based on performances at last month’s U16 B.C. Cup in Salmon Arm.
This fall, 20 players from the provincial camp will be identified to represent B.C. at the 2016 Western Branch Challenge Cup, to take on Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Notable players who have suited up for U16 B.C. team include NHL regulars Dan Hamhuis, Martin Jones and Sam Reinhart.
The news on the camp invite came just three days after the boys were selected in the 2016 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft.
Basran, a goaltender, was taken in the third round (64th overall) by Kelowna Rockets. Forwards Kraik (98th overall) and Barfoot (113th overall) were fifth round selections by Prince George and Vancouver respectively. Wozney, a defenceman, went in the ninth round (181st overall) to Edmonton.
All four of these players played most recently in Seafair Minor Hockey’s rep program before enrolling in the Delta Hockey Academy for their Grade 9 year where they played on DHA’s top Bantam Prep Team and were reunited with coach Yogi Svejkovsky.
Basran won 11 of his 18 starts with Delta this past season, posting a 2.74 goals against average and a .912 save percentage. Craik was fifth in team scoring with 22 points in 25 regular season games, including 16 goals. Barfoot had 14 points, including seven goals, while Wozney recorded 10 points from the blueline.
Icing…
Richmond blueliner Courtney Vorster was among 50 U18 prospects from across the country invited to Hockey Canada’s National Women’s Program strength and conditioning camp in Hamiltontwo weeks ago.
The 16-year-old played this past season for Shattuck-Saint Mary’s — a renowned hockey boarding school in Minnesota where she played for the U16 team.
The Hamilton camp launched the selection process for Canada’s U18 and national development teams.
“This camp represents the first opportunity for us to evaluate and connect with players in our development and under-18 team programs as they prepare for the 2016-17 season,” said Melody Davidson, Hockey Canada’s general manager of national women’s team programs. “This four-day camp in Hamilton serves as an important building block towards upcoming championships, and also lays out the expectations for these players on and off the ice as they aim to represent Team Canada.”
Players selected for this camp are in consideration for the Canadian teams that will compete in a three-game series against the United States this summer in Calgary, as well as at the 2017 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship and 2017 Nations Cup, and with Canada’s National Women’s Team.
