Surrey will be very well represented on Team BC during this year’s WHL Cup tournament.
Five 2006-born players from the city are on the roster for games to be played in Red Deer from Oct. 20-24.
The 2021 WHL Cup will feature the top 2006-born players from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, each of whom is eligible for the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, scheduled for Dec. 9.
The Team B.C. roster includes Surrey-raised players E.J. Emery (D, currently with Yale Hockey Academy), Cameron Sytsma (D, Burnaby Winter Club), Jordan Gavin (F, Delta Hockey Academy), Tomas Mrsic (F, Delta Hockey Academy) and Chase Valliant (F, Yale Hockey Academy). Langley’s Diego Buttazoni (F, Burnaby Winter Club) is also on the team.
Announced Wednesday (Oct. 6), the four team rosters are posted to cdn.whl.ca.
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“After claiming bronze in 2019, B.C. will field a strong roster once again, including five players from Surrey,” says a news release from the WHL. “Forwards Jordan Gavin (Surrey) and Cayden Lindstrom (Fort St. John) will take aim as B.C. looks for a return to the gold medal game in 2021.”
The majority of players at the tourney will be selected in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, or will be later “listed” by WHL clubs.
In Alberta this month, the round-robin tournament will be played at Peavey Mart Centrium, home of the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels, and the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre at Red Deer Polytechnic. The schedule is posted online at whl.ca.
The list of past participants at the WHL Cup includes many current NHLers, including Morgan Reilly (in 2009, with Team B.C.), Brayden Point (2011, Alberta) and Mathew Barzal (2021, B.C.). Of note, Surrey’s Justin Sourdif, currently with Vancouver Giants and a Florida Panthers draft pick, was named to the 2017 WHL Cup all-star team.
Team British Columbia won the event in 2017 and also five years earlier, in 2012.
Established in 2009, the WHL Cup is held every season except in years when the Canada Winter Games are held, and is the first step in Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence for players.
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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