Derek Whitson to Represent Team Canada Again

Hockey Canada Sledge Tryouts - Photo from Facebook

Hockey Canada announced their National Men’s Sledge Hockey roster this weekend with Chatham’s Derek Whitson making the cut to again wear the maple leaf.

Whitson represented Canada at the 2011 World Sledge Hockey Challenge in London, Ontario, winning gold, and at the 2010 Paralympic Games in Vancouver were Canada finished a disappointing fourth.

The tryout, which was held in Barrie, Ontario, also featured another Chatham resident, Brendan Blanchard who didn’t make the final roster. Although he didn’t make the roster, according to Head Coach Mike Mondin in Hockey Canada’s official release, the difficulty in cutting the team down to 17 was a representation of the overall strength of sledge hockey players in Canada, including cuts like Blanchard,

““Getting down to 17 players was by no means an easy decision, which is a testament to the sledge hockey talent this country is producing. We feel we’ve assembled the best roster possible, and we’re excited to get to work on a new season,” said Mondin.

The selected roster, including Derek Whitson, will represent Canada in international games and competitions in 2011-2012 including the World Sledge Hockey Challenge in Calgary this November and December, and the IPC Sledge Hockey World Championships in Norway next March.