Hockey Canada releases their National Team development camp roster

Yesterday, Hockey Canada announced the rosters of their National Women’s Developmental Team and the Under-18 Team, along with the coaching staffs for both. The camps will kick off in Calgary Aug. 4 - 12.

“As a program, we’ve been building towards this selection camp for a number of months now, and we’re all looking forward to working with this group of coaches and team support staff with an opportunity to host our development and under-18 women’s teams’ first international competitions of the year Aug. 16-19 right here at the home of Hockey Canada,” said Gina Kingsbury, director of women’s national teams, in the press release. Kingsbury recently stepped into the role during a series of leadership and structural changes that created a new National Teams department.

Developmental Team

Forty-two players were invited to the selection camp, thought two (Lexie Adzija (F) and Élizabeth Giguère (F)) were unable to attend. Nineteen NCAA schools are represented and one U SPORTS school - McGill. Clarkson University leads the list with six players attending. Six universities have three players each, five have two players, and seven have one player.

The roster includes Boston College sophomore standout Daryl Watts, recent CWHL rookie of the year Sophie Shirley, sister Amy and Sarah Potomak, and Micah Zandee-Hart.

Nadine Muzerall (Etobicoke, Ont./Ohio State University, WCHA) was named head coach of the Development Team. Candice Moxley (Markham, Ont./Markham, CWHL) and Britni Smith (Port Perry, Ont./Clarkson University, ECAC) will be the assistant coaches.

The teams will play in intrasquad games, practices, fitness testing, and more. In addition, they will play against Japan’s national team and a select team of U SPORTS players. Following the camp, a team will be selected to play a three-game series against the US.

Under-18 Team

The U18 team roster features 43 players. Their camp will be similar to the development team with intrasquad games, practices, fitness testing, and a three-game series against the US after camp.

The U18 coaching staff is, to put it lightly, stacked. The head coach will be Howie Draper (Edmonton/University of Alberta, CW). Draper will be with the team through 2019 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship in Obihiro, Japan. He’ll be joined by assistant coaches Kori Cheverie (New Glasgow, N.S./Ryerson University, OUA) and Courtney (Birchard) Kessel (Mississauga, Ont./Toronto, CWHL). Cheverie is a former Furies player and made CIS history by becoming the first woman behind the bench of a men’s team. Kessel was just named the head coach of the Furies. The camp staff also includes Tara Watchorn, a former CWHL player as well.