Local Products earn invites to national summer program
Eight Manitobans have been invited to participate in Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence summer camps.
National Junior Team Summer Showcase: Carson Bjarnason, Carter Sotheran
National Men's Summer U18 Team selection camp: Peyton Kettles, Cole Temple
National U17 development camp: Carson Carels, Jaxon Jacobson, Brek Liske, and Peyton Shore
Game On's Jackson Bachewich examines each player's case for a spot on his respective Hockey Canada program. Those individual write-ups can be found below:
Carson Bjarnason - World Juniors Summer Showcase
Carberry, MB
6’3” 202 lbs
Goaltender
Regular Season Stats (Brandon Wheat Kings): GP: 46 SV%: .907 GAA: 3.01
Former Teams: Southwest Cougars, Rink Hockey Academy Winnipeg U16 Prep
NHL Draft: Round 2, #51 Overall, 2023 (Philadelphia Flyers)
Carson Bjarnason will have to battle for his spot on Canada’s 2025 World Junior roster after being left of the selection camp roster last season. Bjarnason has been named to the World Junior Summer Showcase roster, one of four goaltenders to play for Canada at the event.
Other Goaltenders: Carter George, Owen Sound, OHL (Los Angeles Kings); Scott Ratzlaff, Seattle, WHL (Buffalo Sabres); Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George, WHL (2025 draft eligible).
It came as a surprise when the 6-foot-3 netminder was left off the selection camp roster last summer, after being the first Canadian backstop taken off the board in the 2023 NHL Draft. Despite this, Bjarnason posted career-bests in goals against average (3.01) and save percentage (.907) last season.
Bjarnason has dealt with adversity before. After going undrafted at the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft and being selected with the last pick (that was not passed up) in the 2020 MJHL Draft, Bjarnason made the Brandon Wheat Kings' roster as a training camp invite.
Bjarnason has had a solid WHL career on a consistently mediocre and fringe playoff Wheat Kings team. Brandon is expected to make a big jump over the next few seasons and could host the Memorial Cup in 2026 with Bjarnason being the backbone of the squad.
He will have to battle for a starting role, most likely with Buffalo Sabres pick Scott Ratzlaff, who Bjarnason has outdueled in the past at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Bjarnason has played for Canada twice before, winning gold at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and bronze at the 2023 World Under-18s.
Carter Sotheran - World Juniors Summer Showcase
Sanford, MB
6’3” 198 lbs
Defence
Regular Season Stats (Portland Winterhawks): GP: 66 G: 13 A: 27 PTS: 40
Former Teams: Pembina Valley Hawks U15, U18 Prep
NHL Draft: Round 5, #135 Overall, 2023 (Philadelphia Flyers)
Sotheran will be entering his third season with the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL next season and will be looking to make a bigger name for himself in the coming months.
Sotheran will look to put on a good show later this month and possibly pave his way onto Canada’s World Junior roster, though it looks like a longshot. He’s a right-handed shooting defenseman, something that is wanted in today’s game, and is an all-around player willing to do whatever it takes to win.
With team Canada’s D-corps filled up with first round talent such as Oliver Bonk, London, OHL (Philadelphia Flyers), Zayne Parekh, Saginaw, OHL (Calgary Flames), Carter Yakemchuk, Calgary, WHL (Ottawa Senators), and Sam Dickinson, London, OHL (San Jose Sharks), Sotheran will look for a depth role maybe squeaking in as the seventh or eighth defenceman.
Peyton Kettles - National Men's Summer U18 Team selection camp
Winnipeg, MB
6’4” 185 lbs
Defence
Regular Season Stats (Swift Current Broncos): GP: 61 G: 2 A: 11 PTS: 13
Former Teams: Winnipeg Sharks, U15, U16, U18 Rink Hockey Academy Winnipeg
NHL Draft: 2025 Draft eligible
Kettles is one of five WHL defencemen who will compete for a spot on Team Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, which starts in Edmonton on August 3rd when Canada opens its tournament against Czechia.
This is the second time the Winnipeg native has had an opportunity to represent his country, after appearing in seven games for Canada Red at the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Prince Edward Island.
Cole Temple - National Men's Summer U18 Team selection camp
Brandon, MB
5’10” 152 lbs
Centre
Regular Season Stats (Regina Pats): GP: 57 G: 6 A: 13 PTS: 19
Former Teams: U15, U18 AAA Brandon Wheat Kings
NHL Draft: 2025 Draft eligible
The 16-year-old centre from Brandon will most likely put on the maple leaf for the second time in his career, after suiting up for Team Canada White at last year's Under-17 Hockey Challenge. He put up a respectable two goals and six points in eight games in PEI last November, but he will look to make a jump not only with Canada but also his WHL club.
In his first full season with the Pats, Temple put up 19 points in a sometimes sheltered role. With the season ahead looking rough for Regina, Temple will look to make his mark in his NHL Draft eligible season.
Jaxon Jacobson - National U17 development camp
Brandon, MB
5’9” 161 lbs
Centre
Regular Season Stats (U18 AAA Brandon Wheat Kings/Brandon Wheat Kings)
U18 AAA: GP: 57 G: 6 A: 13 PTS: 19
WHL: GP: 35 G: 37 A: 69 PTS: 106
Former Teams: U15, AAA Brandon Wheat Kings, Team Manitoba (WHL CUP, Brick Invitational)
NHL Draft: 2027 Draft eligible
Jaxon Jacobson will look to continue his amazing run that has been the past year. Jacobson was selected by his own father in the first round of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, and made his WHL debut last season, leaving quite the mark. He put up six points in seven games, while scoring two goals in his western league debut against the WHL champion Moose Jaw Warriors.
Jacobson did all of this while leading his U18 AAA Wheat Kings to the TELUS Cup Final with an absurd 106 points in 35 games.
He will join his Wheat Kings teammate Giorgos Pantelas at the U17 development camp and is a lock to be a part of the 2024 Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
Brek Liske - National U17 development camp:
Beausejour, MB
6’0” 181 lbs
Defence
Regular Season Stats (Northern Alberta Xtreme U18 Prep/Everett Silvertips):
U18 Prep: GP: 27 G: 11 A: 21 PTS: 32
WHL: GP: 3 G: 1 A: 1 PTS: 2
Former Teams: U15 AAA Eastman Selects, Northern Alberta Xtreme U15/U18 Prep, Team Manitoba (WHL CUP, Brick Invitational)
NHL Draft: 2026 Draft eligible
Everett’s 2023 10th overall pick and Beausejour native Brek Liske will attend the U17 development camp alongside Jacobson. Liske impressed with his play in Alberta this season earning an opportunity with the Silvertips late in the year.
A big strong skater, Liske is an all-around defenseman who can play in all situations and looks to be a strong contributor for Canada in the coming years.
Liske was a big part of the Team Manitoba that won the 2023 WHL Cup putting up four points in five games and playing a shutdown role on the back end.
Peyton Shore - National U17 development camp:
Winnipeg, MB
6’1” 161 lbs
Goaltender
Regular Season Stats (Rink Hockey Academy Winnipeg U17 Prep)
GP: 15 SV%: .932 GAA: 2.48
Former Teams: U15 AAA Winnipeg Wild, Rink Hockey Academy Winnipeg U15 Prep, Team Manitoba (WHL CUP)
NHL Draft: 2027 Draft eligible
Peyton Shore put on a show for Team Manitoba at the 2023 WHL Cup and was the main reason they captured the gold medal. The 100th overall pick by the Red Deer Rebels in the 2023 WHL Bantam Draft stopped 53 shots in the final game against Alberta along with another seven in the shootout.
Shore has made a name for himself since last year's draft and looks to be a bright spot in a weak pool of young Canadian goaltenders.
Carson Carels - National U17 development camp
Cypress River, MB
6’0” 165 lbs
Defence
Regular Season Stats (Pilot Mound Hockey Academy U17/Prince George Cougars):
U17 Prep: GP: 27 G: 18 A: 32 PTS: 50
WHL: GP: 7 G: 0 A: 3 PTS: 3
Former Teams: Pilot Mound Hockey Academy U15, Team Manitoba (WHL CUP)
NHL Draft: 2027 Draft eligible
Yet another standout from the 2023 WHL Cup, Carels was named MVP of the tournament after leading all defenceman with three goals and five points. Carels earned a seven-game stint in Prince George, impressing at the WHL level. He will look to make the team out of camp this season.
Comments