Minor Midget Cyclones Headed to Alliance Under-17 Camp This Weekend

It’s an annual tradition for local ‘AAA’ hockey players as the Minor Midget Chatham-Kent Cyclones will head down the 401 this weekend to compete for a roster spot at the Alliance Hockey Under-17 camp.

Ten players from this weekend’s camp in Woodstock will advance as Alliance representatives to the Ontario Under 17 camp, where Hockey Canada scouts will determine who will represent Ontario at the World Under-17 Hockey Championships.

For the first time in years, the camp will not serve as a location for OHL scouts to get their last look at prospects before the OHL draft, but rather will serve as a true evaluation camp for Hockey Canada. OHL and Junior scouts however will be on hand as well.

Steven Beenackers, who was drafted by the Owen Sound Attack in the 9th round of the OHL priority, is the most likely Cyclones player to advance beyond the first day of the camp when the majority of players are sent home from the tryout. Several other Chatham-Kent Cyclones players also have a legitimate shot to make the main camp portion of the camp.

Last year, only Chatham’s Jay Ritchie advanced beyond the mini-camp to the Saturday and Sunday games in Woodstock, but was not one of the final 10 players selected.

Last year’s ten included first overall pick and OHL rookie of the year Aaron Ekblad, as well as Bo Horvat of the London Knights and Trevor Murphy of the Peterborough Petes. Horvat’s family is originally from Bothwell, but now lives in Rodney.

The last Chatham-Kent hockey players to advance beyond the Woodstock Alliance camp were Dane Fox and Kyle Hope.

Selected players from the Alliance Under-17 camp will move on to the Ontario camp in Cornwall July 3-8.