Three Otters prospects head to Ontario...

The Ontario Hockey League today announced that 70 players selected in the 2012 OHL Priority Selection are currently attending this year’s Under-17 Provincial Camp.   

The camp is taking place July 4-8 at the Benson Centre in Cornwall, ON, and is hosted by the Ottawa District Hockey Association.

Three players chosen by the Erie Otters in the 2012 Priority Selection are attending this year’s camp: first overall pick Connor McDavid, who has already signed a contract to play in Erie; second round pick Justin Felker and ninth round selection Travis Dermott.

The camp features 84 of the top 16-year-old hockey players in Ontario, identified from regional camps conducted throughout the province earlier this spring.  The goal of the provincial camp is to provide players with an intensive, high-caliber training opportunity as well as a positive learning experience, both on and off the ice. It also serves to facilitate the process of identifying players who will ultimately be selected to represent Ontario at the 2013 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, being held in Drummondville and Victoriaville, Quebec, beginning December 29, 2012.

The Ontario Under-17 Program is an integral component of Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence and is coordinated through the Hockey Development Centre for Ontario Under-17 Policy Committee on behalf of its member organizations. The Under-17 Program continues to provide high performance competition and development opportunities for players, coaches and trainers as well as identifying the elite athlete for future national programs.

Last season, 22 OHL players including Otters forward Stephen Harper helped Team Ontario capture the bronze medal at the 2012 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Windsor, ON.