RED DEER – Hockey Alberta has announced the roster for the Team Alberta U16 Male squad that is representing the province at the 2023 WHL Cup at the Peavey Mart Centrium in Red Deer.
Two goaltenders, six defence and 12 forwards comprise this year’s club – including eight players who were selected in the first round of the 2023 Western Hockey League Prospects Draft. In addition, six players were taken in the second round, three in the third round, two in the fouth round and one in the seventh. This list includes Daxon Rudolph (Lacombe) and Riley Boychuk (Cochrane) who went first and second overall to the Prince Albert Raiders and Keaton Verhoeff (Fort Saskatchewan) who was taken by the Victoria Royals with the fourth pick.
This year’s squad has players from 13 different communities across Alberta – Calgary, Edmonton, Okotoks, Olds, Didsbury, Lacombe, Fort Saskatchewan, Cochrane, Spruce Grove, Airdrie, Leduc, St. Albert and Brooks. Eight play in the Alberta Elite Hockey League, while the other 12 play in the CSSHL.
TEAM ALBERTA U16 WHL CUP ROSTER >
The selection process saw 80 players attend the Summer Selection Camp in Red Deer in July. A shortlist of 32 was selected from that camp before the roster of 20 players was finalized to represent the province at the tournament.
“We had a lot of tough decisions to make this year,” said Mike Kraichy, Manager, Elite Male Hockey for Hockey Alberta. “But we’re confident that this is a group that can compete with the best from Western Canada.”
The team’s staff includes James Poole (Calgary), Head Coach; Derrick Martin (Edmonton), Associate Coach; Brady Bakke (Red Deer), Video Coach; Derek Purfield (Calgary), Goalie Coach; Paige Shannon (Calgary), Therapist; Dave Campbell (Grande Prairie), Equipment Manager; Bobby Fox (Calgary), Head Scout; Barry Medori (Spruce Grove), Coach Mentor; and Kraichy (Red Deer), Director of Operations.
The 2023 WHL Cup showcases the top-2008 born players from the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. The four-team round robin tournament is the first step in Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence.
Team Alberta, powered by Gatorade, will kick off their tournament against Manitoba on October 18. Full schedule can be found below:
| October 18 | Manitoba vs Alberta | 4:15 P.M. |
| October 19 | Saskatchewan vs Alberta | 7 P.M. |
| October 20 | Alberta vs British Columbia | 7 P.M. |
| October 21 | Semifinal 1 – Third Place vs Second Place | 10:15 A.M. |
| October 21 | Semifinal 2 – Fourth Place vs First Place | 1 P.M. |
| October 22 | Bronze Medal Game | 10:15 A.M. |
| October 22 | Gold Medal Game | 1 P.M. |