The Edmonton Oilers top prospects will be in town from July 3 to 7 showcasing their skills in an attempt to earn an invitation to the team's training camp in September.
The Oilers picked up nine new players during the National Hockey League鈥檚 2016 entry draft on June 26, including Jesse Puljujarvi who they picked up fourth overall.
The 6-foot-4, 204-pound Finnish winger will bolster the team鈥檚 offensive line, but the team failed to land a much-needed veteran defensemen.
The Oilers confirmed all nine players from the draft will be in Jasper for the camp, as well as a handful of other players from the Western Hockey League and college-level teams.
The team will hit the ice at the Jasper Activity Centre every morning from 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. The players will be split up into two groups aptly named Gretzky and Messier, two of the best players to ever play for the team. The practices are open to the public and are free to attend.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great opportunity for the young kids in our town that are playing minor hockey to come, for no charge, and see the type of skill that is needed to make it to the pro level or the top college teams in Canada and the U.S.,鈥� said Doug McPhee, a local organizer for the event.
The highlight of the week will take place on July 6 when the team hosts the annual Billy Moores Cup, an offensive filled four-on-four inner-squad game. The game starts at 7 p.m. and will consist of two periods followed by a shoot-out or a three-on-three overtime period. Prior to the game the team will have a light skate, which will wrap up around 11 a.m.
Proceeds of the inter-squad game will go to the MS Society of Canada.
Fire chief Greg Van Tighem, who is helping to organize the game and is a big supporter of the MS Society, said he is hoping to get local businesses to buy a chunk of the tickets so kids who want to watch the game can get in for free.
While the team is in town, they will also get a chance to hit a few balls with the public at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Golf Course, July 5. There are 40 spots available to the public to play alongside the team鈥檚 prospects, coaches and management. Tickets are $150 and include a steak dinner. The proceeds from the game will also go to the MS Society.
To accommodate the golf tournament the team will practice from 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
This is the second time in three years that Jasper has hosted the camp. Last year the Oilers decided not to come to Jasper because of the hype around Connor McDavid, who went first in the NHL鈥檚 2015 draft.
In addition to high-caliber hockey, McPhee said he expects the camp to have an economic benefit for town.
鈥淭raditionally the first week of July has never been a super strong week tourism wise and this was a perfect opportunity for the Jasper community to embrace a good cause and a pro hockey team that doesn鈥檛 cost anybody a lot of money to do it,鈥� said McPhee.
Tickets for the inner-squad game are $10 and can be purchased at Avalanche Spirits, Source for Sports and the Jasper Brewing Company. Van Tighem will also have tickets available for purchase.
Those interested in playing golf on July 6 should contact McPhee at [email protected] otherwise check out the camp鈥檚 Facebook page:聽聽 Edmonton Oilers Prospect Camp.
Paul Clarke
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