Western All-Star Showcase gets underway tonight
With hopes of getting a spot on Team Canada West at the World Junior A Challenge (WJAC) in December, 40 of the best players from the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) and Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) are gathered this week, Nov. 4 – 6 in Warman for the Western All-Star Showcase Challenge.
Each league will be represented by a team of their 20 best players who are 2005-born or younger and will be put through their paces in a training camp format. This includes four practices and two full-length games where Team SJHL and Team MJHL will face off against each other. The Showcase is expected to bring in tons of interest from scouts at all levels, including the National Hockey League, and give either league the chance to bring home bragging rights.
Of the 40 players, the top 20 prospects from the Showcase will get to attend Team Canada West’s main camp in late November for the WJAC, which is an annual event held by Hockey Canada that brings in some of the top national teams from around the world to compete against each other. This year, the tournament is being held in held in Camrose, Alberta.
Selected to represent Team SJHL from the Battlefords North Stars was Forward Rylan Williams. From the Humboldt Broncos was Jacob Strizzi, Connor Miller and Oakley McIlwain. From the Nipawin Hawks was Will Whitter, who is also from Prince Albert. And Thomas Reis from the Yorkton Terriers, who is a Humboldt product was also selected.