150 WHL PLAYERS INVITED TO NHL TRAINING CAMPS

Press Release

Calgary, AB – The Western Hockey League is proud to announce that 150 WHL players have been invited to attend NHL training camps in September. All of the 150 players attending NHL camps are eligible to return to the WHL for the 2011-12 season.

Of the 150 WHL players set to attend NHL training camps, 99 were selected in the NHL Entry Draft and 51 are free agent invitees. 40 of the players who are attending NHL camps have been signed to NHL entry-level contracts.

All 22 WHL Clubs will send at least three players to an NHL training camp. The Portland Winterhawks boast a staggering 15 players who will attend NHL camps, which is the most of any WHL Club. In addition, the Edmonton Oil Kings, Medicine Hat Tigers and Saskatoon Blades will each see 10 players attend NHL training camps.

Each year, WHL graduates make up a significant percentage of players who play in the NHL. In 2010-11, WHL graduates accounted for over 21 per cent of all players who played at least one game in the NHL.

The following is a list of WHL players, by team, who will attend NHL training camps for the 2011-12 season:

Brandon Wheat Kings

Name, NHL Club, Draft Year/Free Agent, Signed Y/N)
Michael Ferland, Calgary Flames, 2010, No
Jordan Fransoo, Ottawa Senators, 2011, No
Scott Glennie, Dallas Stars, 2009, Yes
Mark Stone, Ottawa Senators, 2010, No

Calgary Hitmen
Trevor Cheek, San Jose Sharks, F/A, No
Brooks Macek, Detroit Red Wings, 2010, No
Peter Kosterman, Calgary Flames, F/A, No
Alex Roach, Los Angeles Kings, F/A, No
Victor Rask, Carolina Hurricanes, 2011, No

Edmonton Oil Kings
Cameron Abney, Edmonton Oilers, 2009, Yes
Laurent Brossoit, Calgary Flames, 2011, No
Travis Ewanyk, Edmonton Oilers, 2011, No
Martin Gernat, Edmonton Oilers, 2011, No
Keegan Lowe, Carolina Hurricanes, 2011, No
Kristian Pelss, Edmonton Oilers, 2010, No
Mark Pysyk, Buffalo Sabres, 2010, Yes
Michael St. Croix, New York Rangers, 2011, No
Klarc Wilson, Winnipeg Jets, F/A, No
Dylan Wruck, San Jose Sharks, F/A, No

Everett Silvertips
Josh Birkholz, Florida Panthers, 2009, No
Landon Ferraro, Detroit Red Wings, 2009, Yes
Ryan Harrison, Vancouver Canucks, F/A, No
Tyler Maxwell, Minnesota Wild, F/A, No
Rasmus Rissanen, Carolina Hurricanes, 2009, No
Kent Simpson, Chicago Blackhawks, 2010, No

Kamloops Blazers
JT Barnett, New Jersey Devils, F/A, No
Josh Caron, Minnesota Wild, F/A, Yes
Jordan DePape, Winnipeg Jets, F/A, No
Austin Madaisky, Columbus Blue Jackets, 2010, No
Brendan Ranford, Philadelphia Flyers, 2010, No
Chase Schaber, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No
Colin Smith, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No
Dylan Willick, Minnesota Wild, F/A, No

Kelowna Rockets
Jessey Astles, Pittsburgh Penguins, F/A, No
Tyson Barrie, Colorado Avalanche, 2009, Yes
Adam Brown, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No
Brett Bulmer, Minnesota Wild, 2010, No
Mitchell Callahan, Detroit Red Wings, 2009, Yes
Zach Franko, Detroit Red Wings, F/A, No
Colton Jobke, Minnesota Wild, F/A, Yes
Shane McColgan, New York Rangers, 2011, No

Kootenay Ice
Joe Antilla, San Jose Sharks, F/A, No
Drew Czerwonka, Edmonton Oilers, 2010, No
Cody Eakin, Washington Capitals, 2009, Yes
Joey Leach, Calgary Flames, 2010, No
Nathan Lieuwen, Buffalo Sabres, 2011, No
James Martin, Calgary Flames, F/A, No
Brayden McNabb, Buffalo Sabres, 2009, Yes
Max Reinhart, Calgary Flames, 2010, Yes

Lethbridge Hurricanes
Brandon Anderson, Washington Capitals, F/A, Yes
Austin Fyten, Philadelphia Flyers, F/A, No
Reid Jackson, Calgary Flames, F/A, No
Brody Sutter, Carolina Hurricanes, 2011, No

Medicine Hat Tigers
Tyler Bunz, Edmonton Oilers, 2010, No
Dylan Busenius, Minnesota Wild, F/A, No
Emerson Etem, Anaheim Ducks, 2010, Yes
Cole Grbavac, Dallas Stars, F/A, No
Kale Kessy, Phoenix Coyotes, 2011, No
Sebastian Owuya, Atlanta Thrashers, 2010, No
Tyler Pitlick, Edmonton Oilers, 2010, Yes
Alex Theriau, Dallas Stars, 2011, No
Kellan Tochkin, Vancouver Canucks, F/A, Yes
Linden Vey, Los Angeles Kings, 2009, Yes

Moose Jaw Warriors
Cody Beach, St. Louis Blues, 2010, No
Collin Bowman, New York Rangers, F/A, No
Joel Edmunson, St. Louis Blues, 2011, No
Dallas Ehrhardt, Calgary Flames, F/A, No
Quinton Howden, Florida Panthers, 2010, Yes
Kendall McFaull, Winnipeg Jets, 2010, No
Dylan McIlrath, New York Rangers, 2010, No

Portland Winterhawks
Taylor Aronson, Nashville Predators, 2010, Yes
Sven Bartschi, Calgary Flames, 2011, Yes
Riley Boychuk, Buffalo Sabres, 2010, No
Mac Carruth, Chicago Blackhawks, 2010, No
Oliver Gabriel, Columbus Blue Jackets, F/A, Yes
Ryan Johansen, Columbus Blue Jackets, 2010, No
Joe Morrow, Pittsburgh Penguins, 2011, Yes
Nino Niederreiter, New York Islanders, 2010, No
Taylor Peters, Minnesota Wild, F/A, No
Brett Ponich, St. Louis Blues, 2009, Yes
Ty Rattie, St. Louis Blues, 2011, No
Brad Ross, Toronto Maple Leafs, 2010, No
Troy Rutkowski, Colorado Avalanche, 2010, No
Tyler Wotherspoon, Calgary Flames, 2011, No
William Wrenn, San Jose Sharks, 2009, No

Prince Albert Raiders
Antoine Corbin, San Jose Sharks, F/A, No
Brandon Herrod, Phoenix Coyotes, F/A, No
Mark McNeill, Chicago Blackhawks, 2011, No
Jonathan Parker, Buffalo Sabres, F/A, No
Harrison Ruopp, Phoenix Coyotes, 2011, No

Prince George Cougars
Brett Connolly, Tampa Bay Lightning, 2010, Yes
Charles Inglis, San Jose Sharks, F/A, No
Martin Marincin, Edmonton Oilers, 2010, No

Red Deer Rebels
Turner Elson, Calgary Flames, F/A, No
Byron Froese, Chicago Blackhawks, 2009, Yes
Adam Kambeitz, Phoenix Coyotes, F/A, No
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edmonton Oilers, 2011, Yes
John Persson, New York Islanders, 2011, No
Alex Petrovic, Florida Panthers, 2010, Yes
Justin Weller, Phoenix Coyotes, 2009, Yes

Regina Pats
Artem Bidlevskii, New York Islanders, F/A, No
Ricard Blidstrand, Philadelphia Flyers, 2010, No
Brandon Davidson, Edmonton Oilers, 2010, No
Campbell Elynuik, Philadelphia Flyers, F/A, No
Garrett Mitchell, Washington Capitals, 2009, Yes
Jordan Weal, Los Angeles Kings, 2010, Yes

Saskatoon Blades
Brent Benson, Carolina Hurricanes, F/A, No
Chris Collins, Phoenix Coyotes, F/A, No
Darren Dietz, Montreal Canadiens, 2011, No
Darian Dziurzynski, Phoenix Coyotes, 2011, No
Stefan Elliott, Colorado Avalanche, 2009, Yes
Curtis Hamilton, Edmonton Oilers, 2010, No
Josh Nicholls, Toronto Maple Leafs, 2010, No
Brayden Schenn, Philadelphia Flyers, 2009, Yes
Duncan Siemens, Colorado Avalanche, 2011, Yes
Matej Stransky, Dallas Stars, 2011, No

Seattle Thunderbirds
Ryan Button, Boston Bruins, 2009, Yes
Jacob Doty, Florida Panthers, F/A, No
Mitch Elliot, Washington Capitals, F/A, No
Colin Jacobs, Buffalo Sabres, 2011, No
Luke Lockhart, Washington Capitals, F/A, No
Marcel Noebels, Philadelphia Flyers, 2011, Yes
Calvin Pickard, Colorado Avalanche, 2010, Yes

Spokane Chiefs
Jared Cowen, Ottawa Senators, 2009, Yes
Blake Gal, Calgary Flames, F/A, No
Brenden Kichton, New York Islanders, 2011, No
Darren Kramer, Ottawa Senators, 2011, No
Dominik Uher, Pittsburgh Penguins, 2011, No

Swift Current Broncos
Adam Lowry, Winnipeg Jets, 2011, No
Richard Nedomel, Detroit Red Wings, 2011, No
Reece Scarlett, New Jersey Devils, 2011, No
Steffen Soberg, Washington Capitals, 2011, No

Tri-City Americans
Carter Ashton, Tampa Bay Lightning, 2009, Yes
Sam Grist, Philadelphia Flyers, F/A, No
Patrick Holland, Calgary Flames, 2010, No
Adam Hughesman, New York Islanders, F/A, No
Matt MacKenzie, Buffalo Sabres, 2010, No
Brendan Shinnimin, New York Rangers, F/A, No
Zachary Yuen, Winnipeg Jets, 2011, No

Vancouver Giants
Nathan Burns, Minnesota Wild, F/A, No
Brendan Gallagher, Montreal Canadiens, 2010, No
Brendan Jensen, Vancouver Canucks, F/A, No
David Musil, Edmonton Oilers, 2011, No
Marek Tvrdon, Detroit Red Wings, 2011, No
Wes Vannieuwenhuizen, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No

Victoria Royals
Roman Horak, Calgary Flames, 2009, Yes
Ryan Howse, Calgary Flames, 2009, Yes
Curt Gogol, San Jose Sharks, F/A, Yes
Tyler Stahl, Carolina Hurricanes, 2010, No
Kevin Sundher, Buffalo Sabres, 2010, No

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)