The request came almost a month ago via email, followed up later by a phone call.
“It was pretty cool,” Alec Dillon said of being one of 34 young players invited by Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League, to attend the ninth annual Program of Excellence goaltending camp, which begins today in Calgary.
The Victoria Grizzlies’ netminder is one of 10 in the under-20 category — candidates for the national junior team — and the only one not currently playing major junior across the country, which makes the invitation that much more impressive.
“I was caught off guard, more or less, because I already knew I was missing graduation [at Belmont Secondary] for Chicago [a recent hockey combine]. Then I found out this one was during prom. I was a little caught off guard at first, but then I realized what an honour it was to be invited there,” said Dillon, who just turned 18 last month.
“At first I didn’t know much about [the Hockey Canada camp]. Then I started reading more and more and realizing what a big deal it was.”
The event begins today and continues through Saturday at the Markin MacPhail Centre at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary.
All 34 goalies — eight are in the under-18 category (candidates for Canada’s national men’s Under-18 team) and 16 under-17 goaltenders (candidates for the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge) — will get the opportunity to work with a number of instructors during the four-day camp.
Included among the instructors are Fred Brathwaite and Sean Burke (of Hockey Canada), along with Lyle Mast (Tri-City, WHL), Eric Raymond (Halifax, QMJHL), Michael Rioux (Rimouski, QMJHL), Dustin Schwartz (Edmonton, WHL) and Jimmy Waite (Chicoutimi, QMJHL).
Brady Robinson, with the Victoria Royals, is among the advisory board also working with the U-18 and U-20 groups, which also includes Corey Hirsch (Hockey Canada), Bill Ranford (Los Angeles, NHL), Dwayne Roloson (Anaheim, NHL) and Rick Wamsley (Ottawa, NHL).
The prestigious list of U-20 goalies in camp includes Memorial Cup champion Tristan Jarry of the Edmonton Oil Kings and Zachary Fucale of Halifax of the QMJHL and the national junior team. Both are second-round National Hockey League draft picks by the Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens, respectively.
“I’m nervous, obviously, with the Zachary Fucales and Trsitan Jarrys that will be there. I’m extremely excited that I’m being compared with them,” admitted Dillon, who most expect will be drafted by an NHL club come June 27-28 in Philadelphia.
“I’m a little nervous about this camp because I am the only Junior A kid going [in the U-20 group]. I’m sure I’ll be a little star struck at first, but once I’m there and I sit in, I’ll be myself and be able to stay up with them.”
Dillon — whose WHL rights are held by the Oil Kings, although he already has a scholarship to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for the 2015-16 season — just returned from that weekend combine in Chicago.
“I had the Chicago camp to focus on before and now I turn around and head to this one. It’s a lot to take in, but I’m excited,” he said of the Illinois event that drew 40 players from Europe, Canada and the U.S.
Last season Dillon had a 21-7-2 record and 2.76 goals-against average during the regular season and a 4-4 record and 2.56 GAA in the playoffs.
“There is tremendous goaltending talent in Canada and we’re excited to bring Canada’s best young netminders to Calgary to work with some of the top instructors in the game,” said Scott Salmond, Hockey Canada’s senior director of hockey operations/national teams. “This camp is a fantastic opportunity for these goaltenders to prepare for international competition.”
