Red Deer's Brock England among 27 players named to...

By Liam Tremblay — 22 July 2026 — 5 min read

National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team Training Camp

Hockey Canada has announced the 27 players invited to the National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team training camp. This camp is a preparatory step for the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Among the players is Red Deer’s Brock England.

The training camp is scheduled to take place from July 27 to August 1 in Edmonton, with sessions held at NAIT Arena and Rogers Place. During the camp, the team will engage in practices and play a game against Sweden on July 30. An additional pre-tournament game is set against Czechia on August 1 as part of the Hlinka Gretzky Cup schedule, before the final roster for the tournament is determined.

The 27-player roster includes three goaltenders, nine defencemen, and 15 forwards. The selection process was led by Program of Excellence (POE) general manager Alan Millar, alongside POE head scout Byron Bonora and U18 assistant general manager Yanick Lemay. Input was also provided by Scott Salmond, senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, and Benoit Roy, director of hockey operations.

Alan Millar expressed enthusiasm for the group, describing them as a “talented and well-rounded group of young players.” He noted the staff’s efforts to identify a roster that offers the best chance for success on home ice. The aim is to prepare for the tournament and strive for a top finish in front of Canadian fans in August.

Player Background and Coaching Staff

Of the players invited to the camp, 25 previously participated in the U17 World Challenge, representing either Canada Red or Canada White. Additionally, one player, DuPont, earned a bronze medal at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and another, Joseph, represented Canada at the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship.

The coaching staff for the National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team has also been named. Ryan Oulahen will serve as head coach. He previously acted as an assistant coach at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where Canada secured a gold medal. Joining him as assistant coaches are Ryan McDonald, Brad MacKenzie, and Kyle Chipchura. Jeff Harvey will be the goaltending coach, and Matthew Smith will serve as the video coach.

The selection of the coaching staff was overseen by Alan Millar, Yanick Lemay, Scott Salmond, and Benoit Roy. Millar highlighted the coaches’ experience, particularly in short-term international competitions, as a valuable asset for preparing the team.

Ryan Oulahen recently completed his seventh season as head coach of the North Bay Battalion in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), where he also served his second season as assistant general manager. His prior experience includes three seasons as head coach of the OHL’s Flint Firebirds and six seasons as an assistant coach with the Battalion. He has also won gold medals as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team in 2024 and 2018, and has coached at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Ryan McDonald concluded his first full season as head coach of the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders, leading them to their first 50-win season since 2018-19 and to the WHL championship series. He previously served as an assistant coach with the Raiders and won gold medals as head coach of Canada Red in 2025 and as an assistant coach with Canada White in 2024 at the U17 World Challenge. He also earned a silver medal as head coach of Team Saskatchewan at the 2023 Canada Winter Games.

Brad MacKenzie was promoted to head coach of the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in July 2025, guiding them to the playoffs in his first season. He spent one season as associate coach and three seasons as an assistant coach with the Mooseheads. Prior to that, he was head coach of the Grand Falls Rapids of the Maritime Hockey League, receiving the MHL Coach of the Year award in 2020-21. MacKenzie also won a gold medal as an assistant coach with Canada White at the 2024 U17 World Challenge.

Kyle Chipchura completed his second season as an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League (WHL). Before joining the coaching staff, he was the team’s development coach in 2023-24. He also spent two seasons with the Northern Alberta Xtreme of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL), serving as head coach of the U17 Prep team in 2022-23 and an assistant coach with the U15 Prep team in 2021-22. Chipchura was an assistant coach with Canada White at the 2025 U17 World Challenge.

Tournament Details and Support Staff

The 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup will run from August 3-8 at Rogers Place and the Downtown Community Arena in Edmonton. Canada is scheduled to open the tournament against Switzerland on August 3 at 5 p.m. MT. Following this, Canada will play Slovakia on August 4 and Sweden on August 5 to conclude the preliminary round. The tournament will culminate with the medal games on August 8.

The support staff for Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team at the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup includes Colton Reiley as head athletic therapist, Taylor Cochrane as athletic therapist, and Dr. Danielle Kelton as team physician. Andrew MacNeill will serve as head equipment manager, with J.R. Grant as equipment manager. Byron Bonora is the hockey operations head scout, Mitchell Furlotte is the hockey operations manager, and Jake Grison is the hockey operations coordinator. Spencer Sharkey will manage media relations.

Ticket packages and individual game tickets for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup are available for purchase online. Media representatives interested in covering the training camp or the tournament can apply for accreditation through Hockey Canada.