Hockey Alberta announced Wednesday the rosters for the eight zone teams that will compete at the 2014 ATB Alberta Cup set for April 24-27 in Strathmore, Alberta.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ATB ALBERTA CUP ROSTERS
Eight zone teams from across the province - South, Calgary South, Calgary North, Central, Edmonton South, Edmonton North, Northeast and Northwest - will be competing at the 2014 ATB Alberta Cup. The rosters are made up of 20 athletes, three coaches, one trainer and one Director of Operations from each zone.
“The ATB Alberta Cup is always an exciting event, especially since this is the last chance for these players to impress ahead of the WHL Bantam Draft,” said Michael Kraichy, manager of hockey development with Hockey Alberta. “These athletes competed hard last weekend at zone camps and it seems like the 1999-born players are going to give everyone quite a show in Strathmore.”
The eight zone teams will play in a four day, tournament format competition while also taking part in an education seminar put on by the Western Hockey League (WHL). All tournament games will take place at the Strathmore Family Centre in Strathmore.
The ATB Alberta Cup program begins in March each year with over 800 players trying out at their respective zone camp. Each of the 160 athletes playing in the ATB Alberta Cup are competing for one of eighty invites to the U16 Male Provincial Camp in July. The U16 Male Provincial Camp is the final stage in the first year of the Team Alberta Program.
The ATB Alberta Cup is the premier event in the province that helps identify the top male players in Alberta. It is well attended by scouts as they prepare for the WHL’s bantam draft. In addition to player evaluations, the competition is also an opportunity for administrators, coaches, trainers and officials to be evaluated for future positions with the Team Alberta Program.
The ATB Alberta Cup began back in 1986 as a program for midget hockey players. It was held again in 1987 and 1988 then it disappeared until 1993 when it re-emerged as a bantam level competition. The ATB Alberta Cup aids in the preparation, evaluation and identification of potential players for Hockey Alberta’s Team Alberta Program.
Former ATB Alberta Cup graduates include current NHLers Braden Holtby, Devin Setoguchi, Zach Boychuk, Kyle Brodziak, Dany Heatley, Jay Bouwmeester, Dion Phaneuf, Scott Hartnell, Jordan Eberle, Devan Dubnyk, Andrew Ference and Chris Phillips.
ATB Financial is the title sponsor of all Team Alberta programs, including the ATB Alberta Cup and the ATB Alberta Challenge. The Team Alberta Male Program is a two year progression for elite athletes that begins at the ATB Alberta Cup, a U15 age level event, and progresses to the U17 age level. The Team Alberta Female Program is a two year progression for elite athletes that begins at the ATB Alberta Challenge, a U16 age level event, and progresses to the U18 age level. Team Alberta programs feed into Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence.
