Cochrane’s Connor Bouchard is one of 66 players selected to represent Canada at the 2017 World Under 17 Hockey Challenge scheduled to take place Nov. 5 to 11 in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, B.C.
Hockey Canada is sending three teams to the tournament: Team Canada Red, Team Canada Black and Team Canada White to faceoff with teams from the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Sweden and the United States in their quest for a gold medal. Bouchard will suit up for Team Canada White at the event.
The Cochrane native, who is currently playing for the Western Hockey League’s Tri-City Americans, was honoured to be selected to represent his country.
“Honestly, it doesn’t even feel real. You always dream about wearing the maple leaf and now that I get the opportunity, it’s truly surreal,” Bouchard said.
“Playing for Team Alberta (at the 2016 WHL Cup) was a huge honour and this is 10 times bigger.”
Bouchard was one of the 111 players invited to the summer development camp, and a good start to his season with Tri-City led him to get noticed by the scouts for Team Canada White. The 16 year old said making the team has been a goal of his since the year began.
“When I come into a season, I write down five or six goals that I’d like to achieve throughout the year,” Bouchard said.
“Making Team Canada was certainly number one on the list.”
More than 1,600 NHL draft picks have suited up since the inception of the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in 1986, including 13 of the last 16 first overall picks, such as Edmonton Oilers’ forward and reigning Hart Trophy winner as the league’s most valuable player, Connor McDavid, and Toronto Maple Leafs forward and Calder Trophy winner for rookie of the year, Auston Matthews.
Bouchard says the tournament is a great way to see where he matches up against the best players in his age category.
“It’s a great opportunity for me personally to see the best players and to see where I stand,” Bouchard said.
“It will show me how hard I have to work in order to be on their level… obviously Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid are on a whole different level, so I can’t really compare myself to them because they’re just that good.”
Team Canada White finished without a medal during the tournament last year, but Bouchard feels like all three Canadian teams are capable medalling.
“it’s going to be the team that comes together the quickest, and who can perform on the big stage that’s going to come out on top,” Bouchard said.
“Being Canadian, it’s not about medaling, it’s about coming home with the gold.”
Team Canada White will kick off the tournament on Nov. 5 in an all-Canadian affair against Team Canada Black, the defending silver medallists.
