Zack Torquato receives national U-18 invite

Sault Ste. Marie product Zack Torquato is one of 44 players looking for a spot on Canada's national Under-18 team.

Torquato's selection was announced over the weekend by Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League.

The team is one of two that the U-18 program ices during the year. This edition will compete in the U-18 World Cup in August while another team will be formed following the season to compete in the World Championships in April.

Torquato, who plays for the Ontario Hockey League's Saginaw Spirit, will attend the six-day camp July 28 in Calgary.

The following is a news release from Hockey Canada with complete details:

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11 OHL players invited to Under-18 selection camp

CALGARY, AB – Hockey Canada, in collaboration with the Canadian Hockey League, announced on Friday that forty-four of Canada’s top players under the age of 18 (born in 1989 or later) have been invited to attend Canada’s 2006 National Summer Under-18 Team Selection Camp from July 28- August 2, 2006 in Calgary, AB.

These players will all be vying for one of twenty-two spots on Canada’s 2006 National Summer Under-18 Team which will take part in the Under-18 Junior World Cup from August 8-12, in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

The National Summer Under-18 Selection Camp will be under the direction of Head Coach Cory Clouston (Viking, AB/ Kootenay, WHL) and assistant coaches Dave Hunchak (Warman, SK/Swift Current, WHL) and Jeff Truitt (Rosetown, SK/ Kelowna, WHL), who will select the final roster on August 2nd, prior to Team Canada departing for Europe on August 3rd.

Canada’s National Summer Under-18 Team is one of two Under-18 Teams that Hockey Canada operates on an annual basis. In April, Canada’s World Championship Under-18 Team, comprised of players and staff members not involved in their respective league playoffs, will attend the 2007 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.

The National Under-18 Program is a significant part of Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence, which consists of: 1. The Regional/Provincial Under-17 Teams (that take part in either the World Under-17 Challenge or the Canada Winter Games) 2. The National Under-18 Program (Summer Under-18 Team, World Championship Team) 3. Canada’s National Junior Team

The Program of Excellence also allows Hockey Canada to identify, evaluate and develop young hockey players to represent Canada on the international stage at events such as World Championships and the Olympics.

The fourty-four players invited to the July 2006 National Summer Under-18 Team Selection Camp were identified, evaluated and selected based on evaluation reports conducted during the 2005-06 season by Regional Under-17 team coaching staffs, performances on Under-17 and Under-18 teams at 2005-06 events, with input from the coaches on Canada’s 2006-07 National Junior and National Under-18 teams and a network of Canadian Hockey League contacts as identified by the National Junior Team Policy Committee.

Player Pos S/C Ht. Wt. Born Hometown 2005-06 Team

Cann, Trevor G L/G 5’11” 184 03/30/89 Oakville, ON Peterborough (OHL) Fischer, Jake G L/G 6’2.5” 185 02/15/89 Belle River, ON Windsor (OHL) Leclerc, Justin G R/D 6’0” 182 01/26/89 Saskatoon, SK Lethbridge (WHL) Mucha, Kurtis G L/G 6’1” 175 06/03/89 Sherwood Park, AB Portland (WHL)

Aulie, Keith D L/G 6’5” 202 07/11/89 Rouleau, SK Brandon (WHL) Desnoyers, Marc-Antoine D L/G 6’0.5” 170 01/15/89 St-Jérôme, QC Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL) Doughty, Drew D R/D 5’11.5” 190 12/08/89 London, ON Guelph (OHL) Doyle, Eric D R/D 6’2” 179 04/05/89 Calgary, AB Everett (WHL) Grant, Alex D R/D 6’1.5” 185 02/03/89 Antigonish, NS Saint John (QMJHL) Hickey, Thomas D R/D 5’10.5” 183 02/08/89 Calgary, AB Seattle (WHL) Katic, Mark D L/G 5’9.5” 179 05/09/89 Porcupine, ON Sarnia (OHL) Lund, Stephen D R/D 6’2.5” 192 01/09/89 Halifax, NS PEI (QMJHL) MacAskill, Ben D R/D 6’0” 193 06/26/89 Antigonish, NS Halifax (QMJHL) Marshall, Kevin D L/G 6’0” 189 03/10/89 Boucherville, QC Lewiston (QMJHL) Negrin, John D L/G 6’2” 185 03/16/89 West Vancouver, BC Kootenay (WHL) Plante, Alex D R/D 6’4” 218 05/09/89 Brandon, MB Calgary (WHL) Ross, Nick D L/G 6’0” 182 02/10/89 Lethbridge, AB Regina (WHL) Schenn, Luke D R/D 6’2” 210 11/02/89 Saskatoon, SK Kelowna (WHL) Smith, Brendan D L/G 6’2” 165 02/08/89 Mimico, ON St. Michael’s (OPJHL) Subban, P.K. D R/D 5’10.5” 200 05/13/89 Toronto, ON Belleville (OHL)

Allard, Jean-Simon F/A R/D 6’2” 185 05/24/89 Alma, QC St. John’s (QMJHL) Bastien, Yves F/A L/G 5’9.5” 165 08/02/89 Dowling, ON Kitchener (OHL) Boychuk, Zach F/A L/G 5’9” 160 10/04/89 Airdrie, AB Lethbridge (WHL) Brannon, Scott F/A R/D 5’10.5” 175 02/28/89 Stellarton, NS Cape Breton (QMJHL) Cameron, Bryan F/A R/D 5’9.5” 180 02/25/89 Brampton, ON Belleville (OHL) Couture, Logan F/A L/G 6’0” 191 03/28/89 Oakville, ON Ottawa (OHL) Ennis, Tyler F/A L/G 5’8” 147 10/06/89 Edmonton, AB Medicine Hat (WHL) Esposito, Angelo F/A L/G 6’1” 170 02/20/89 Montreal, QC Quebec (QMJHL) Fortier, Olivier F/A L/G 5’11.5” 160 05/02/89 Quebec City, QC Rimouski (QMJHL) Gagner, Sam F/A R/D 5’10” 182 08/10/89 Oakville, ON Sioux City (USHL) Gillies, Colton F/A L/G 6’4.5” 195 02/12/89 Surrey, BC Saskatoon (WHL) King, Dwight F/A L/G 6’3” 208 05/07/89 Meadow Lake, SK Lethbridge (WHL) Leffler, Brett F/A R/D 6’1” 195 05/19/89 Wynyard, SK Regina (WHL) Macenauer, Maxime F/A L/G 5’10.5” 175 01/04/89 Laval, QC Rimouski (QMJHL) MacMillan, Logan F/A L/G 6’1” 184 07/05/89 Charlottetown, PEI Halifax (QMJHL) Malone, Brad F/A L/G 6’3” 205 05/20/89 Miriamichi, NB Cushing Acad. (USHS) Sceviour, Colton F/A R/D 5’11” 185 04/20/89 Red Deer, AB Portland (WHL) Sonne, Brett F/A L/G 5’11” 182 03/16/89 Maple Ridge, BC Calgary (WHL) Stinziani, Michael F/A L/G 5’7” 179 05/11/89 Lorraine, QC Gatineau (QMJHL) Sutter, Brandon F/A R/D 6’2” 171 02/14/89 Red Deer, AB Red Deer (WHL) Tavares, John F/A L/G 6’0” 183 09/20/90 Oakville, ON Oshawa (OHL) Terry, Chris F/A L/G 5’8.5” 185 04/07/89 Brampton, ON Plymouth (OHL) Torquato, Zack F/A R/D 5’11.5” 191 06/08/89 Sault Ste. Marie, ON Saginaw (OHL) Turris, Kyle F/A R/D 6’0” 165 08/14/89 New Westminister, BC Burnaby (BCHL)

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