Erie Otters forward Ryan O’Reilly will represent Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 club at the upcoming 2008 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka Tournament, Hockey Canada announced Wednesday. He was one of 22 players selected from a four-day camp in Calgary, Alberta, which ended Wednesday.
The tournament will be held from Tuesday through Aug. 16 in Piestany, Slovakia, and Breclav, Czech Republic. Canada begins Group B play Tuesday against Switzerland. They face Sweden on Wednesday and Slovakia on Aug. 14. Czech Republic, Finland, Russia and the United States are in Group A.
O’Reilly joins seven other OHL players on the Canadian roster – goaltender Bryce O’Hagan (Sault Ste. Marie), defensemen Ryan Ellis (Windsor) and Taylor Doherty (Kingston) and forwards Zack Kassian (Peterborough), Taylor Hall (Windsor), Casey Cizikas (Mississauga St. Michael’s) and Matthew Duchene (Brampton). Duchene will serve as captain. Kitchener coach Steve Spott will be an assistant coach.
In other Otters’ news, defenseman Kevin Clare, a fourth-round pick in the 2008 OHL Priority Selection, has earned a spot with the United States National Development Program’s Under-17 team, according to USA Hockey's Web site.