Konecny To Represent Team Ontario
Travis Konecny of the Ottawa 67s – Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Konecny, a Chatham-Kent Cyclones alumni, is the reigning OHL Rookie of the Month after starring for the Ottawa 67s early this season, the team the selected him first overall in last year’s OHL draft.
“I am impressed with the players we have selected to represent Ontario at this year’s World Hockey Challenge,” said team Director of Operations Barclay Branch in a news release. “Every player going through the Under-17 evaluation process is committed to excellence, which makes it difficult when making decisions on who will ultimately make the team. There is always disappointment for those players who are not selected, however, we as a staff believe that we have put together a group of athletes who will represent Ontario with honour and class both on and off the ice and are capable of winning the Gold medal at this year’s World Hockey Challenge,” continued Branch.
Konecny will undoubtedly be the centerpiece of Ontario’s roster, which is heavily composed of OHL players, but also includes a player from the OJHL and GTHL.
“The skill level of the players selected to represent Ontario at this year’s event is remarkable and indicates that the minor hockey system in Ontario is continuing to produce high performance athletes as well as quality citizens,” said Under-17 head coach Roger Hunt in the media release.
The World Hockey Challenge features five regional and five international teams, with Team Ontario being placed in a division with Germany, Russia, the USA, and Team Atlantic.
Team Ontario has won 8 gold medals at the event, most recently in 2011 when the squad was powered by another Ottawa 67s youngster, Sean Monahan, who is now playing with the NHL’s Calgary Flames.