NEWS

CALGARY, Alta. – Cobourg Cougar Mason Vaccari (photo by Shawn Muir / OJHL Images) is one of four goaltenders invited by Hockey Canada to participate in Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team selection camp  at the Markin MacPhail Centre at WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park in Calgary next month.

As part of Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team selection camp, 44 players – four goaltenders, 14 defencemen and 26 forwards – will compete for an opportunity to wear the Maple Leaf at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Red Deer, Alta. 

The selection camp, which takes place July 20-23, will include a variety of on- and off-ice sessions. 

Following the selection of the final roster on July 24, Team Canada will play a pair of games against Red and White teams from Canada’s National Junior Team summer camp.

Vaccari went 9-7-0 last season with a 3.87 goals against average and .878 save percentage in Cobourg last season. The 17-year-old is a product of the Vaughan Kings program and a Kingston Frontenacs draft pick.

Vaccari represented Cobourg and the OJHL in the Capital City Challenge, a four-team tournament featuring three men’s under-17 teams and Canada’s National Women’s Team, Nov. 26-Dec. 1, 2021, in Ottawa.

Alan Millar (Tottenham, Ont.) , Hockey Canada’s director of player personnel, led the player selection process with assistance from Tyler Dietrich (Vancouver, B.C.), senior manager of hockey operations, and Byron Bonora (Brooks, Alta.), manager of hockey operations and U17 head scout.

“We are excited to bring together a group of 44 athletes with a solid foundation of junior and international experience for selection camp,” said Millar. “As our players are preparing to compete in short-term competition, we know all 44 players will come to camp ready to compete for a spot on the team and the opportunity to wear the Maple Leaf in international competition.”