Hockey Canada announced the roster for the annual national junior team summer development camp on Monday and it includes three Manitobans.
Oakbank’s Brett Howden along with Winnipeg’s Nolan Patrick and Keegan Kolesar will all attend the summer camp in what is the first step in making Canada’s World Junior team. A total of 41 players received invites.
Howden, 18, is a top ranked prospect for this week’s NHL Draft. In 68 games with the Moose Jaw Warriors last season Howden scored 24 goals and 40 assists.
Patrick, 17, just finished a breakout season with the Brandon Wheat Kings. He compiled 41 goals and 61 assists in 72 games. He added another 13 goals and 17 assists in 21 playoff games.
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Kolesar, 19, was selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the third round of the 2015 NHL Draft. He appeared in 64 regular season games with the Seattle Thunderbirds last season and put up 61 points including 30 goals.
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The camp runs from July 30 to August 6 in Toronto and includes a series of games against Finland, Sweden and the United States.
Hockey Canada also announced the 44 players who’ll attend the National Men’s Summer Under-18 selection camp. Roblin’s Josh Brook of the Moose Jaw Warriors, Oakbank’s Brett Davis of the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Winnipegger’s Cody Glass of the Portland Winterhawks and Stelio Mattheos of the Brandon Wheat Kings were all given invites.