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World juniors in sight for Victoria’s Garand, former Grizzlies star Newhook

The invitations are real, if not the camp in the strictest sense.
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Dylan Garand had a 2.21 goals-against average in 42 appearances for the Blazers this season.

The invitations are real, if not the camp in the strictest sense.

Goaltender Dylan Garand of Langford and former Victoria Grizzlies forward Alex Newhook will take part in Hockey Canada’s first ever virtual summer development camp ahead of a world junior championship.

The unusual arrangement for the camp July 27-31 is because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is likely the 2021 IIHF world junior tournament, set to begin Boxing Day in Edmonton and Red Deer, will go ahead but that is not yet certain.

“Everything is a bit weird right now, especially not knowing about [the upcoming season and tournaments],” said Garand, the Juan de Fuca minor hockey product, who plays in the WHL for the Kamloops Blazers.

“It looks like the [WHL] season will be delayed a bit. It’s out of my control, so I’m just focusing on the moment.”

That includes current ice times at Westhills Arena in Langford and at the Shawnigan Lake School rink as per the first phase of the B.C. return-to-play sports regulations which allow for informal on-ice, on-field or on-court workouts in small groups.

Garand is among five goaltenders selected for the virtual Canada junior camp, including Taylor Gauthier of the Prince George Cougars and Sebastan Cossa of the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL and Tristan Lennox from Saginaw and Brett Brochu of London of the Ontario Hockey League.

“It’s exciting to be recognized,” Garand said.

There are 10 defencemen who will take part in the five-day camp, including Colorado Avalanche draft pick Bowen Byram of the Vancouver Giants of the WHL.

The quicksilver centre Newhook, who was the B.C. Hockey League top rookie in his first season with Victoria and BCHL MVP and leading scorer in his second, is among the 26 forwards picked. The Boston College freshman, also a draft pick of the Avalanche, is one of only two players among the total of 41 who is from the college ranks and was named NCAA rookie of the year for 2019-20. The other NCAA player invited is forward Dylan Holloway from the University of Wisconsin Baders. The other 39 are from the major-junior umbrella Canadian Hockey League, including 15 from the WHL.

Garand went through a similar virtual Hockey Canada goaltenders-only camp this month.

“There were zoom seminars with four different presenters each day,” said the Islander.

“It was definitely different but I found it educational and beneficial.”

The all-players Canada virtual camp will include a variety of sessions with a focus on player development through online education. The invitees includes seven players who were part of Canada’s gold-medallist team at the 2020 world juniors in the Czech Republic — Byram, Dylan Cozens, Quinton Byfield, Jamie Drysdale, Alexis Lafrenière, Connor McMichael and Dawson Mercer.

Sixteen of the invitees were selected at the 2019 NHL draft in Vancouver, including Newhook out of the Grizzlies in the first round by the Avs. There are 22 hoping to be taken in the 2020 virtual NHL draft, including Garand, while two are eligible in 2021 and one in 2022 when the draft can again be held in person.

Garand, meanwhile, shines on and off the ice. He was the WHL scholastic player of the year, with a 96.5 percent grade average in Grade 12.

Garand backstopped the Blazers to their first B.C. Division title since 2012 this past season by going 28-10-2-1 in 42 appearances with a 2.21 goals-against average, .921 save percentage and four shutouts. But like every other CHL and NCAA player, he was denied closure to the 2019-20 season when hockey shut down due to COVID-19.

“It’s disappointing because of the calibre of the [Blazers] team we had,” Garand said.

“But I’m shifting focus to the future now and what lies ahead.”

That could include a Christmas date in Canadian colours at the world juniors in Alberta.