OHL and Hockey Canada Introduce Inaugural Development Combine

Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League in association with Hockey Canada today announced their collaboration on the design of a new pilot program, the inaugural Ontario Hockey League – Hockey Canada Development Combine powered by Under Armour. The program is scheduled to take place March 27-28, 2010, at the Toronto Maple Leafs Practice facility the MasterCard Centre in Etobicoke, ON.

The program is open to 1994-born players with space available for 30 goaltenders and 60 skaters and will include both Hockey Canada on ice skills tests and off-ice testing conducted by Mark Fitzgerald, Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The results will be distributed to every OHL Member Team General Manager to assist in their evaluation for the 2010 OHL Priority Selection to be held on May 1, 2010. The on-ice testing will be conducted using components of the Hockey Canada National Skills Standards and Testing Program, with goaltender sessions led by former NHLer and current Oshawa Generals Goaltending Consultant Ron Tugnutt.

“On behalf of the Ontario Hockey League, we are excited to be partnering with Hockey Canada on this tremendous new initiative” said OHL Commissioner David Branch. “The OHL – Hockey Canada Development Combine powered by Under Armour will further provide our future players with an understanding of the skills required to compete in the OHL while providing positive feedback to assist in their development as elite hockey players. The program will also serve as a benefit for our teams in evaluating future talent prior to the OHL Priority Selection.”

“Hockey Canada National Skills Standards and Testing Programs are widely used by organizations across Canada to foster and promote the development of the fundamental skills required to play the game at all minor hockey levels” said Hockey Canada Director of Development Paul Carson. “The OHL – Hockey Canada Development Combine powered by Under Armour is our first opportunity at delivering a high performance model intended for use in junior hockey, and we are thrilled to be working with the OHL and its member clubs to create a template that can be implemented for all junior hockey programming across the country.”

For more information regarding the Ontario Hockey League – Hockey Canada Development Combine powered by Under Armour please contact:

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)