Beenackers Advances From U17 Camp as Alternate
He wasn’t on of the top ranked player heading into the Alliance Hockey Under 17 camp in Woodstock this past weekend, but Muirkirk’s Beenackers played like one.
The 6’2″ centre who captained the Minor Midget Chatham-Kent Cyclones was the sixth forward named out of the Alliance Hockey U17 camp Sunday, making him the league’s alternate forward heading into July’s Ontario Under 17 camp in Cornwall.
After preliminary cuts were made Friday afternoon, only three local players, Beenackers, John Montgomery, and Brayden Seliga advanced to the Saturday and Sunday games of the camp, which showcases the league’s top 68 players.
Beenackers, who was a 9th round selection of the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack however, set himself apart using his big frame and strong positioning to create offence and impress scouts.
Ahead of Beenackers in the forward category were OHL 1st rounders Jared McCann (4th overall to the Soo Greyhounds) and Brook Hiddink (21st overall to Niagara), 2nd rounder Spencer Watson, 3rd round pick Joe Manchurek, and his brother, Mark Manchurek who was undrafted.
Defensemen to advance from the camp include 8th overall OHL pick Jacob Middleton, 2nd round pick Alex Peters, 3rd rounder Kyle Wood, 7th round pick Mathieu Henderson, and alternate Matthew Watson, who was a 5th round pick of the Kingston Frontenacs.
Undrafted goalie Riley Brown of London was the lone goaltener to advance, while 3rd round OHL pick Matt Mancina was the alternate.
No Chatham-Kent hockey player has advanced from the Alliance U17 camp since Dane Fox and Kyle Hope did so in 2009. That year the OHL draft was held after the Alliance camp, boosting the local players’ draft status as Hope and Fox were taken in the 3rd round of the OHL draft, while Seth Griffith who also attended the camp was selected in the 4th round.
The accomplishment is also special this season as it is expected this will be the final year for the Under 17 camp program, as it is now, in Ontario.
If one of the forward is injured or unable to attend the Ontario main camp in July, or if Hockey Canada chooses to bring Beenackers, he will be able to compete for a roster sport for Team Ontario which competes annually at the World Under 17 Hockey Championships.