3 Rockets plan summer camping trip to Calgary
For the second consecutive day, Hockey Canada has invited a few Kelowna Rockets to camp this summer.
Hockey Canada has invited 88 players to participate in Canada’s under-18 and world junior team selection camps, set to take place this July in Calgary.
Rockets assistant captain Colton Dach has been invited to attend the National Junior Team summer camp, while forward Andrew Cristall and defenceman Caden Price have been named to the men’s under-18 camp.
Dach led Kelowna in points (79), assists (50) and shared the team lead in goals (29) through 61 games. The 19-year-old forward also led the team in shots (274) and power-play points (9G, 18A, 27PTS). He was named to the WHL’s B.C. Division First All-Star Team.
Cristall, the eighth overall pick from the 2020 WHL draft, was named the BC Division Rookie of the Year after he posted 69 points (28G, 41A) over 61 games, including 31 penalty minutes and a plus-18 plus/minus rating.
He finished third in team scoring and tied Dach for the team lead in power-play goals with nine.
He set a franchise record for goals by a 16year-old and tied Shane McColgan record of 69 points by a 16-year-old.
Price played beyond his years, eating up major minutes during his rookie campaign with the Rockets this season. The 16-year-old finished tied for fourth in points among Rockets defencemen with 21 (2G, 19A) through 47 games, adding 21 penalty minutes and a remarkable plus-24 defensive rating.
Hockey Canada announced Wednesday that Rockets head coach Kris Mallette and former goaltender Kelly Guard are coaches on the men’s under-18 team at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
PRESEASON SCHEDULE
The Kelowna Rockets will start the 2022-23 season with a five-game preseason schedule.
After opening the 2023 preseason on the road against the Kamloops Blazers, Sept. 9, the Rockets host the Blazers on Sept. 10.
The Rockets will then host the Victoria Royals on Sept. 13 and play a home-and-home with Vancouver Giants on Sept. 16 and 17.
Details on tickets are to be released later.