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Centre Ice Podcast

Centre Ice Podcast - Episode Eighteen: The World Juniors

In the hockey world, the holiday season brings about one of Canada’s favourite traditions; the World Junior Championship... and there’s more excitement than ever in Alberta as Edmonton and Red Deer get set to host. Episode Eighteen of Centre Ice is all about the World Juniors, with a trio of special guests:

  • 2022 Team Canada forward and Team Alberta alumnus Ridly Greig
  • Executive Director of the 2022 World Junior Championship Riley Wiwchar
  • Winnipeg Jets defenceman, Team Alberta alumnus and 2015 World Junior gold-medalist Josh Morrissey

Hockey Alberta NewsHockey Alberta NewsHockey Alberta NewsHockey Alberta News


Episode Links: 2022 World Junior Championship > | 2022 HA Provincial Championship Host Communities > | 2022 Female Hockey Day > | 2021 WHL Draft Recap >

More Episodes >


Centre Ice is the brand-new Hockey Alberta podcast, featuring the latest news and views on amateur hockey across the province. Subscribe now on your favourite podcast app!

Home Ice Feature

Hockey Gives Back Across Alberta

Throughout 2021, the hockey community has rallied together. This holiday season, teams from across the province have committed good deeds in their communities. Hockey Alberta is featuring some of those teams who have given back this season.


Girls Hockey Calgary

Girls Hockey Calgary collaborated as an association to complete a food drive in November for the Veterans Association Food Bank. Fifty teams dropped off donations in one day. In total, the association filled 26 skids of food and more of toilet paper, paper towel, Kleenex, cleaning and hygiene products.

Hockey Alberta NewsHockey Alberta NewsHockey Alberta News


Fort Saskatchewan U16 AAA

On December 19, the U16 AAA TC Infrastructure Rangers of Fort Saskatchewan played their home game versus the St. Albert Tetz Powell CPAs Flyers in support of Ty’s Toy Drive. For every goal scored, TC Infrastructure donated $100 per goal and $50 per assist. Via cash donations and 50/50 sales, a total of $2,469 was raised for the cause. Five full boxes of toys were collected upon admission. Ty’s Toy Drive is organized by seven-year-old Tyler to donate toys to kids at the Stollery Children’s Hospital.

Hockey Alberta NewsHockey Alberta News


PAC Saints U15 AA Green - Parkland County

The U15 AA PAC Saints Green are embodying the giving season. The team participated in the Kinettes Christmas Hamper Program. The team collected donations of food and money at their local “No Frills”, a 50/50 draw as well as a “fill the net” event. Through their efforts, the PAC Saints Green raised over $1,000 in cash, gift cards and toys to help families in need this holiday season.

Hockey Alberta News


Barrhead Bucks U11

The U11 Barrhead Bucks delivered the holiday spirit to their local continuing care centre this season. The team provided gift baskets filled with necessities to each resident and spread cheer through singing Christmas songs.

Hockey Alberta News


Wainwright U18 and U15 AA

At the December 11 home games, Wainwright’s U18 and U15 AA Polar Kings collected food donations to donate to the local food bank.

Hockey Alberta News


Camrose U13 AA

On their Saturday off, the U13 AA Camrose Vikings traversed the streets of Camrose collecting cash and food bank items. The donation were the finishing touches to the local Christmas hampers that were distributed to 300 families in need in Camrose.

Hockey Alberta News


Grande Prairie Minor Hockey Association

Grande Prairie Minor Hockey Association rallied together to generate over 800 lbs of food for the Golden Arrow U15 AAA Storm Christmas Food Drive. The association donated approximately 40 boxes of food that will help many people within the community!

Hockey Alberta News


Delburne U15 Tournament

Delburne’s U15 division added a twist to their tournament activities - a food bank challenge. The Delburne Food Bank received a truck load of goods and cash donations while the winning team enjoyed pizza for their efforts.

Hockey Alberta News


Coaldale Minor Hockey Association

Beginning on December 1, the Coaldale Minor Hockey Association began collecting donations for the local food bank. With a goal to fill "the box", the association amassed a truck load that was delivered to help those in the community in need.

Hockey Alberta NewsHockey Alberta NewsHockey Alberta News


Smoky River Minor Hockey Association

The Smoky River Minor Hockey Association’s U7, U9 and U11 teams displayed their skills in a minor hockey showcase earlier this season. They showcased more than their on-ice skills as the teams channelled their community spirit and competed to fill a hockey bag with the most donations to the local FCSS. Each team was a winner as they combined for over 482 lbs of food to be donated to fill the Christmas food hampers to help those in the community this holiday season!

Hockey Alberta News


Coaldale U18 Cobras

Coaldale’s U18 Cobras are giving back all season long. The team has volunteered to participate in the Town of Coaldale’s Snow Angels program. After each snowfall this winter, the team will remove snow for those who are unable to do it themselves.

Hockey Alberta News


Drumheller U15 and U18 Raptors

In support of the Salvation Army’s Tree of Hope, the Drumheller U15 and U18’s held a toy drive at their home games on November 20. The toy drive was a huge success, with the proceeds from the 50/50 going towards the initiative. The teams are already planning for bigger and better in 2022!

Hockey Alberta NewsHockey Alberta News


Calgary Knights Hockey Club U11-3 and U9-2 Grey

Hockey Calgary’s U11-3 and U9-2 Grey teamed up to adopt a family through the North East Calgary Adopt-A-Family Society (NECAAFS). Through the generosity by the two teams, they were able to provide clothes, toys, essentials and grocery gift certificates totalling in excess of $1000 for their "adopted family".

Hockey Alberta NewsHockey Alberta News


Has your team or association committed a good deed in the community this holiday season? Hockey Alberta wants to hear about it! Submit the way your team is giving back this holiday season by clicking this link:

Hockey Gives Back

News

Team Staff Named for 2022 Alberta Cup, Alberta Challenge and Prospects Cup

RED DEER - The 118 volunteers who will lead teams at the 2022 Alberta Cup, Alberta Challenge and Prospects Cup have been selected by Hockey Alberta.

A director of operations, coach mentor, head coach and two assistant coaches were selected for each team. Teams at the Alberta Cup and Alberta Challenge will be accompanied by a trainer. Alberta Challenge staff will also feature a coach apprentice shadowing each team’s coaching staff.

Volunteers for each team are listed below. Each of the events will be held on consecutive weeks at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre in Red Deer, starting with the Alberta Cup on April 27.

Registration and details regarding regional camps for each event will be released in the new year. Eligible participants for any of these Hockey Alberta programs must be registered with a Hockey Canada/Hockey Alberta program.


2022 Alberta Cup Team Staff


2022 Alberta Challenge Team Staff


2022 Prospects Cup Team Staff

News

Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships Return in 2022

RED DEER – After a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, presented by ATB Financial, are returning in 2022.

A total of 32 provincial champions will be crowned during March and April. Host locations for the 29 weekend championship tournaments were announced December 17. The final three provincial champions will be determined through league playoffs.

Championship tournaments will be hosted in locations across the province – from Slave Lake in the north, west to Grande Prairie, east to Cold Lake and south to Picture Butte.

2022 Provincial Hosts >

For the first time, zone playdowns will not be used to determine the qualifying teams. Rather, participating teams for provincial championship tournaments will be determined through league playoffs.

Most Minor Tiered and Minor Female events will feature eight teams - the host, a wild card and the champions from each division’s respective leagues: Hockey Calgary, Edmonton Federation Hockey League, Central Alberta Hockey League, Northern Alberta Interlock, All Peace Hockey League, North Eastern Alberta Hockey League, Rocky Mountain Female Hockey League, and East Central Female Hockey League.

Two divisions in the Alberta Female Hockey League will kick off the March to a Title with the U15 Female AA and the U18 Female AAA champions being crowned on March 20.

Week two (March 24-27) will feature nine tournaments: AFHL U18 Female AA, Alberta Elite Hockey League U15 AAA, U15 AA, U15 Tier 1, U15 Tier 2, U15 Tier 3, U15 Tier 4, U15 Female A, and U15 Female B.

Another 15 tournaments are set for March 31 – April 3, including: Junior B, U18 AA, U18 Tier 1, U18 Tier 2, U18 Tier 3, U18 Tier 4, U18 Female A, U18 Female B, U13 AA, U13 Tier 1, U13 Tier 2, U13 Tier 3, U13 Tier 4, U13 Female A, and U13 Female B.

The final weekend of 2022 provincial play wraps up April 7-10, as the tournaments showcase the Senior AA and AEHL U16 AAA.

Junior A, Junior Female and the AEHL’s U18 AAA provincial champions are decided through league playoffs.

ATB Financial is returning as the presenting sponsor of the 2022 Provincial Sponsorships.

“We know playing for the championship is every young hockey player’s goal at the start of each season," said Kris Noble, Senior Manager, Sponsorship and Community Investment. "We are excited to be back as the Presenting Sponsor of the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships and look forward to making these events a special experience for everyone involved; the players, parents, officials and volunteers."

Hockey Alberta is still accepting applications for the following events: U15 Tier 4, U15 Female A, U13 Tier 4, and U13 Female B. If interested in hosting a 2022 provincial championship tournament, contact Michelle Skilnick, Member Services ([email protected]).

News

Seven Albertans selected to Team Canada for 2022 World Junior Championship

RED DEER - Seven Albertans will suit up for Team Canada on home soil at the 2022 World Junior Championship in Edmonton and Red Deer.

Following a four-day selection camp, Hockey Canada announced its 25-player roster on Sunday night. Forwards Ridly Greig (Lethbridge), Dylan Guenther (Edmonton), and Jake Neighbours (Airdrie) are among the 14 forwards selected, joined by defencemen Kaiden Guhle (Sherwood Park), Ronan Seeley (Olds) and Olen Zellweger (Fort Saskatchewan), as well as goaltender Sebastian Cossa (Fort McMurray).

Guhle is the lone Albertan with World Juniors experience, and just one of three on the team who won a silver medal with Canada in 2021.

All seven players are Team Alberta alumni, with Greig, Neighbours, Guhle, Seeley and Cossa all playing together at the 2017 WHL Cup, and Guenther and Zellweger skating for Alberta at the 2019 Canada Winter Games.

Albertans on staff include assistant coach Michael Dyck (Lethbridge), and team physician Dr. Barry Weins (Red Deer).

Canada’s National Junior Team will head to Banff, Alta., for a training camp at the Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre, Dec. 14-19. It will then travel to Red Deer for a pair of pre-tournament games on Dec. 19 and 20 against Switzerland and Sweden, respectively, before moving to Edmonton for its final pre-tournament match-up on Dec. 22 against Russia as part of the Lordco Road to the World Juniors.

The 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship begins on Boxing Day with Canada kicking off its tournament against the Czech Republic. In addition to its opening-night match-up, Canada will also play Austria on Dec. 28, Germany on Dec. 29 and Finland on Dec. 31 to wrap up preliminary-round action. All Team Canada games will be played at 5 p.m. MT

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will carry extensive game coverage and analysis throughout the World Juniors. TSN will broadcast all 31 tournament games and five pre-tournament games, while RDS will broadcast all 31 tournament games and three pre-tournament games. TSN Radio will also provide comprehensive coverage.

For more information from the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, please visit the official tournament website at 2022.worldjuniors.hockey.

News

Four Albertans selected in first round of 2021 WHL Draft | Full list of Albertans registered in Hockey Alberta/Hockey Canada sanctioned programs selected

RED DEER - Seventy-Three Albertans registered in Hockey Alberta/Hockey Canada sanctioned programs heard their names called at the 2021 WHL Draft on Thursday, including four in the first round.

Defenceman Charlie Elick (Calgary) was the first Albertan off the board, as the Brandon Wheat Kings selected him third overall. Two more defenders went back-to-back later on in the first round, as Marek Howell (Calgary) and Tristen Doyle (Edmonton) went 16th and 17th overall to the Moose Jaw Warriors and Lethbridge Hurricanes, respectively. With the final selection of the round, the Wheat Kings went back to Alberta to take forward Caleb Hadland (Sylvan Lake) with the 22nd pick.

Spencer Michnik (Sylvan Lake) was the first Albertan goalie taken, as the Seattle Thunderbirds selected him in the fifth round, 96th overall.

In total, 42 forward were selected, 21 defencemen, and 10 goaltenders.

A full list of Albertans registered in Hockey Alberta/Hockey Canada sanctioned programs drafted can be found below:

Pick Player Team Position Hometown

FIRST ROUND

3rd Charlie Elick Brandon Wheat Kings Defence Calgary
16th Marek Howell Moose Jaw Warriors Defence Calgary
17th Tristen Doyle Lethbridge Hurricanes Defence Edmonton
22nd Caleb Hadland Brandon Wheat Kings Forward Sylvan Lake

SECOND ROUND

24th Hyde Davidson Seattle Thunderbirds Defence Edmonton
31st Gavin Garland Tri-City Americans Forward Calgary
32nd Grady Martin Prince Albert Raiders Forward Oyen
35th Brady Ness Moose Jaw Warriors Defence Edmonton
38th Bryce Pickford Seattle Thunderbirds Defence Edmonton
45th Otto Hanson Swift Current Broncos Forward Calgary

THIRD ROUND

47th Zane Saab Red Deer Rebels Forward Edmonton
52nd Harrison Brunicke Kamloops Blazers Defence Calgary
55th Max Heise Prince Albert Raiders Forward Calgary
57th Owen Berge Moose Jaw Warriors Forward Edmonton
59th Reid Varkonyi Portland Winterhawks Forward Sherwood Park
60th Nate Corbet Medicine Hat Tigers Defence Calgary
64th Carter Klippenstein Brandon Wheat Kings Forward Lethbridge
67th Miles Cooper Winnipeg Ice Forward Calgary

FOURTH ROUND

68th Fraser Leonard Saskatoon Blades Defence Cochrane
72nd Ethan Hughes Moose Jaw Warriors Forward Edmonton
74th Matthew Keller Victoria Royals Defence Airdrie
78th Terik Parascak Prince George Cougars Forward Lethbridge
83rd Landen Ward Lethbridge Hurricanes Forward Lloydminster
86th Carter Rimstad Brandon Wheat Kings Defence Edmonton
87th Max Sullivan Kamloops Blazers Forward Calgary
89th Teo Pisani Edmonton Oil Kings Forward St. Albert

FIFTH ROUND

90th Rhys Pederson Edmonton Oil Kings Defence Stettler
91st Keith McInnis Red Deer Rebels Defence Red Deer County
96th Spencer Michnik Seattle Thunderbirds Goaltender Sylvan Lake
100th Madden Mulawka Prince George Cougars Goaltender Edmonton
104th Ryan Seeley Moose Jaw Warriors Defence Olds
105th Jack Birch Calgary Hitmen Defence Edmonton
107th Brock Souch Regina Pats Forward Edmonton
109th Conner Radke Kamloops Blazers Forward Langdon
110th Nolan Dupont Medicine Hat Tigers Forward Calgary
111th Will Jamieson Spokane Chiefs Forward Delburne

SIXTH ROUND

114th Ethan Eskit Brandon Wheat Kings Goaltender Calgary
116th Kyle Marsden Winnipeg Ice Defence Fort McMurray
117th Oscar Lovsin Winnipeg Ice Forward Calgary
118th Coy Pighin Lethbridge Hurricanes Forward Alix
121st Ty Gordon Prince Albert Raiders Forward St. Albert
122nd Kale Tipler Lethbridge Hurricanes Defence Edgerton
123rd Christian Francis Calgary Hitmen Goaltender Spruce Grove
129th Carson Reagan Winnipeg Ice Forward Calgary

SEVENTH ROUND

135th Escalus Burlock Red Deer Rebels Forward Edmonton
136th Nathan Free Portland Winterhawks Forward Calgary
142nd Garrett Thom Prince George Cougars Forward Edmonton
143rd Connor Baumbach Prince Albert Raiders Goaltender Red Deer
152nd Drew Williamson Brandon Wheat Kings Forward Wimborne

EIGHTH ROUND

156th Chase Bambrick Winnipeg Ice Defence Lethbridge
158th Lynden Donald-Gorman Everett Silvertips Forward Edmonton
160th Joshua Banini Moose Jaw Warriors Goaltender Edmonton
163rd Beck Boiteau Everett Silvertips Goaltender Medicine Hat
166th Reis Nyland Prince George Cougars Forward La Glace
168th Allen Sherpa Calgary Hitmen Forward Calgary
169th Marek Schlenker Portland Winterhawks Goaltender Okotoks
172nd Landon Young Winnipeg Ice Defence Edmonton
173rd Jacob Goudreau Vancouver Giants Forward St. Albert
174th Finn McLaughlin Saskatoon Blades Defence Canmore
176th Jake Pilon Edmonton Oil Kings Goaltender Calgary

NINTH ROUND

180th Nicholas Anisimoviscz Tri-City Americans Forward Calgary
181st Spencer Masters Moose Jaw Warriors Forward Edmonton
183rd Josh Evaschesen Lethbridge Hurricanes Forward Medicine Hat
186th Brendan McFatridge Kelowna Rockets Forward Fort Saskatchewan
190th Jacob Labant Kelowna Rockets Forward St. Paul
191st Deegan Kinniburgh Victoria Royals Forward Taber
192nd Thomas Byrne Kamloops Blazers Defence Calgary

TENTH ROUND

195th Ben Polhill Tri-City Americans Goaltender Cochrane
203rd Turner McIntyre Winnipeg Ice Forward St. Albert

ELEVENTH ROUND

206th Hudson Binder Victoria Royals Forward Calgary
211th Bowman Klippenstein Edmonton Oil Kings Forward Coaldale

TWELFTH ROUND

213th Ismail Abougouche Kelowna Rockets Defence Lac La Biche
214th Kayden Longley Kelowna Rockets Forward Wainwright

News

Team Alberta to return to NAHC in 2023

EDMONTON – The Indigenous Sport Council of Alberta and Hockey Alberta have made the difficult decision not to send teams to the 2022 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships (NAHC).

The decision was made to allow both organizations to take the time to build a sustainable program model that will benefit Indigenous youth across Alberta in the years to come. Both organizations thank the NAHC and Aboriginal Sport Circle, and send appreciation to the Membertou NAHC 2022 Host Society for their commitment in organizing the national championships. We look forward to Team Alberta returning to the national championships in 2023.

Team Alberta selection camps for 2023 will take place in late May or early June 2022. More details on date(s) and location(s) will be shared once they are confirmed.

Background

ISCA and Hockey Alberta entered a partnership in 2019 to facilitate the growth and development of Indigenous hockey across Alberta. This partnership included Hockey Alberta operating the Team Alberta Male and Female squads competing at the NAHC. The 2020 and 2021 national championships were cancelled due to COVID-19.


For further information:

ISCA Hockey Alberta

Jake Hendy, Executive Director Brad Lyon, Senior Manager, Communications

[email protected] [email protected]