Two players with ties to the Stouffville Spirit took part in Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence summer meetings in preparation for the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
Luca Romano and Nolan Jackson were two of Sixty-six under-17 players selected by Alan Millar (Tottenham, ON), director of player personnel, Byron Bonora (Brooks, AB), U17 head scout, and Dave Brown (Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON/Erie, OHL), the U17 lead for the Program of Excellence management group, with input from Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of hockey operations.
Romano was an affiliate player with the Spirit from the Toronto Jr. Canadiens’ U16 team last season. The Toronto resident was a first-round pick of the Kitchener Rangers in this year’s Ontario Hockey League draft.
Jackson is in camp with the Spirit this month. The big defenceman from Innisfil was picked in the second round of this year’s draft by the Sudbury Wolves from the Barrie Colts U16 squad.
All 66 under-17 players have been drafted by Canadian Hockey League (CHL) teams, including 37 from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), 15 from the Western Hockey League (WHL) and 14 from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).
“This impressive group of athletes is an excellent representation of the talent pool in our country, and these meetings were a great opportunity to kick off a new season and begin our preparations for two major international events,” Millar said. “This was a great opportunity to introduce prospective national team players to the Program of Excellence and help prepare them for international competition.”
Regional scouts Rob Simpson (Ontario), Pierre Cholette (Quebec), Darren Sutherland (Atlantic) and Darrell Woodley (Ontario), as well as member representatives, also provided input.
