RED DEER - The rosters have been announced for Hockey Alberta’s 2016 Alberta Cup.
Eight teams will take to the ice at the Canmore Recreation Centre April 28-May 1. The teams include two from each of Calgary and Edmonton, and one each representing the South, Central, Northeast and Northwest zones of the province.
Twenty 2001-born players comprise each roster, along with volunteers serving as head coach, assistant coaches, trainer, and director of operations. Rosters were selected based on performances at zone camps held March 25-27 throughout the province.
The 2016 Alberta Cup marks the 30th Anniversary of the very first Alberta Cup which was held in Edmonton in 1986.
The teams will play in a four-day, tournament-format competition. The event also features an education seminar hosted by the Western Hockey League (WHL).
“The coaching staffs were faced with some very difficult decisions when it came to selecting the 20 players for each team. For the athletes who have earned a roster spot, congratulations. But the work is just beginning, not just for this edition of the Alberta Cup, but also in the competition to earn a spot on the Team Alberta squad that will compete later this year,” said Michael Kraichy, Hockey Alberta’s manager of Team Alberta.
Eighty players will be invited to the U16 Male Provincial Camp in July. This year, players are also vying for spots on Team Alberta at the Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup in October in Calgary.
Alberta Cup graduates include Matt Dumba, Braden Holtby, Jay Bouwmeester, Dion Phaneuf, Scott Hartnell, Jordan Eberle, Devan Dubnyk, and Andrew Ference.
Click here for more information on the Alberta Cup.