Photo Credit: Noel Edey
Team Alberta Male Program
The Team Alberta Male program development path begins at the U14 age level and progresses to U17, with a goal of identifying and evaluating players in the selection process for Team Alberta. The Team Alberta Male program feeds into Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence. The overall goal is to create an environment where players, coaches, trainers and administrators can meet new friends, compete with their peers, and approach levels of commitment and excellence that each has the potential to achieve.
Players participate in zone selection camps, with a goal of participating in either the Prospects Cup or the Alberta Winter Games.
Alberta Winter Games
The Alberta Winter Games are held in February of even-numbered years. Teams compete for the right to represent each of the eight Alberta Winter Games Zones to compete in the Games.
The 2024 Alberta Winter Games ran February 16-19 in Grande Prairie.
PROSPECTS CUP
The Hockey Alberta Prospects Cup program is the start of the Hockey Alberta Development program and is held annually.
The U15 program is the second stage of the development and identification process that feeds Team Alberta, and features the annual Alberta Cup.
The U16 Male Program is the third stage of the development and identification process to select a roster for Team Alberta to compete at either the U16 Western Challenge or the Canada Winter Games, beginning with the Alberta Cup. The Games are held every four years, with the next event set for 2023 in PEI. Players in the U16 Male program will be challenging for the opportunity to compete on one of the three teams that represent Canada each year at the World U17 Hockey Challenge.
Alberta Cup
The Alberta Cup Program begins in April each year with hundreds of players trying out for a spot on one of the six regional teams. The camps include top level instruction and evaluation from Hockey Alberta officials. The teams will then compete in a tournament later in the month, with players being evaluated for selection for the Team Alberta U16 Male Summer Development Camp in July. Coaches, trainers, officials and director of operations also are evaluated to continue in the development path. The 2022 Alberta Cup will be open to 2007-born male players from across Alberta. The 2022 Alberta Cup will run April 27 - May 1 in Red Deer at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre.
summer Selection Camp
Eighty players, 12 coaches, four trainers and four administrators are identified and invited to this week-long camp in July. Through high intensity on and off ice training as well as classroom sessions, they are given the opportunity to develop their skills within the game of hockey and as people. From the U16 Provincial Camp, a shortlist is set, with the players scouted with their club teams prior to final roster decisions on the 20 players selected to comprise Team Alberta.
Team Alberta
Twenty players will be selected to the roster of Team Alberta and will compete at either the Western Canada U16 Championships or the Canada Winter Games. The Western U16 is usually held in late-October of non-Canada Winter Games years, with Alberta competing against teams from the other three western provinces. Canada Winter Games are held every four years.
Team Canada
Players are evaluated with their club teams early in the current season, at Canada’s National Under-17 Development Camp in August, and during the previous season, including at three regional under-16 events: the Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup, OHL Gold Cup and QMJHL Excellence Challenge. Sixty-six players from across the country are selected to form three teams (Red, White and Black) to represent Canada at the World U17 Hockey Challenge.
