Newfoundland goalie Riley Mercer is virtually excellent
Days after he was drafted into QMJHL, Bay Roberts netminder invited to Hockey Canada camp, with a difference
Just a couple days after getting drafted into the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the good times continue for 16-year-old Bay Roberts goaltender Riley Mercer.
Mercer was one of 12 under-17 goalies invited to Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence goaltending camp.
The four-day virtual camp opened Tuesday.
Mercer was drafted in the second round, 31st overall, by the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the QMJHL Entry Draft Saturday. At 6-1 and 185 pounds, Mercer was 10-5-2 with a 2.33 goals against average and .930 save percentage for the Tri-pen Osprey in the Newfoundland and Labrador Major Midget Hockey League this past season.
The goalie camps include netminders in the under-20, U18 and U17 levels. Twentythree
goalies in total have been invited.
Two of the U17 goaltending consultants are former Nhlers Dany Sabourin and Jason Lababera. Both are former AHL top goalies, and first-team AHL all-stars.
Typically serving as the initial evaluation stage for summer development and selection camps for Canada's national men's teams, the online camp, according to a news release, focuses on goaltender development and evaluation through online education.
The online sessions include goaltender development, mental and physical performance, planning for short-term competition, environments for success, embracing the role of a back-up goaltender and more.
For a third straight year Saturday, six players from this province were selected in the QMJHL'S Entry Draft, an event which will be known as the year of the goaltender for Newfoundland, as three were picked.
Cruz Loughlin of Torbay was the second goalie to go, in the fifth round, 84th overall, to the Rouyn-noranda Huskies. Loughlin played major midget for the East Coast Blizzard last season, where he was 10-3-2 (2.77 GAA and .919 save percentage).
Dekon Randall-snow of St. John's was chosen in the eighth round, 134th overall, by the Baie Comeau Drakkar.
Randall-snow played at the Ontario Hockey Academy in Cornwall, Ont., last season.
Other players from Newfoundland and Labrador drafted over the weekend were centre Nathan Casey of Grand Falls-windsor, who was selected in the fourth round, 75th overall, by the Moncton Wildcats. Casey played prep school hockey at Mount Saint Charles High in Rhode Island last season, and is the son of Brian Casey, who played two seasons in the QMJHL with the St. Jean Lynx.
Forward Christian Reardon of Bryant's Cove went in the 11th round, 198th overall, to the Rimouski Oceanic. Reardon was sixth in major midget scoring for Tri-pen last season, with 13 goals and 31 points in 31 games.
Finally, Mount Pearl's Travis Badcock was chosen in the12th round, 204th overall by the Halifax Mooseheads. A defenceman, Badcock had five goals and 11 points in 31 games for the major midget East Coast Blizzard last year.