Nine Albertans taken in first round of WHL Draft | May 09, 2024

Nine Albertans registered in Hockey Alberta/Hockey Canada sanctioned programs, heard their names called during the first round of the 2024 WHL Draft on Thursday.

Calgary’s Landon DuPont was selected first overall by the Everett Silvertips. DuPont, who spent last season with the Edge School U18 Prep team, where he recorded 19 goals and 62 points in 30 regular season games. DuPont has been granted Exceptional Player Status and is eligible to play in the WHL on a full-time basis begining with the 2024-25 WHL regular season. He becomes the first Albertan and second player in WHL history to earn this honour following Connor Bedard in 2020. In total, nine players have been granted Exceptional Status in CHL history.

Two other Albertans went in the top five of the draft. Airdrie Defenceman Aden Bouchard went third overall to the Tri-City Americans and was followed by Edmonton’s Ben Harvey who was selected fourth by the Prince Albert Raiders.

Those who were selected in the top 10 include:

Ossie McIntyre, St. Albert (Spokane Chiefs) Owen Hayden, Calgary (Kelowna Rockets)

Rounding out the list of Albertans selected in the first round are:

Brock England, Airdrie (Seattle Thunderbirds) Luke Ruptash, St. Albert (Medicine Hat Tigers) Mirco Dufour, Rocky View (Everett Silvertips) Jordin St. Louis, Airdrie (Portland Winterhawks)

Three of the 9 Albertans (McIntyre, Hayden, Ruptash) are from the Alberta Elite Hockey League.

A full list of Albertans registered in Hockey Alberta/ Hockey Canada sanctioned programs drafted can be found below:

Pick Player Team Position Hometown FIRST ROUND 1 Landon Dupont Everett Silvertips Defence Calgary 3 Aden Bouchard Tri-City Americans Defence Airdrie 4 Ben Harvey Prince Albert Raiders Centre Edmonton 7 Ossie McIntyre Spokane Chiefs Centre St. Albert 9 Owen Hayden Kelowna Rockets Defence Calgary 11 Brock England Seattle Thunderbirds Centre Airdrie 16 Luke Ruptash Medicine Hat Tigers Centre/Right Wing St. Albert 19 Mirco Dufour Everett Silvertips Centre Rocky View 20 Jordin St. Louis Portland Winterhawks Centre Airdrie

Brothers Kadon and Kale McCann are no strangers to wearing the Hockey Alberta logo.

Kadon, the older of the two brothers by nearly three years, was on Team Alberta Black at the 2022 Alberta Cup, posting seven points in five games. He went on to play for Team Alberta at the 2023 Canada Winter Games in Prince Edward Island suiting up in five games, registering two goals and three points. McCann was drafted by the Medicine Hat Tigers in the second round of the 2022 WHL Draft.

He played his first full season in the Western Hockey League, playing in 68 games along with five playoff games where he scored nine goals and had 20 points.

Kale got his first chance with Hockey Alberta at the 2022 Prospects Cup, playing in four games where he assisted on two goals. He recently participated in the 2024 Alberta Cup with Team Alberta Black, and is preparing to join his brother in the WHL after being selected in the second round by the Calgary Hitmen in the WHL Draft on Thursday.

“I’m super happy for him,” Kadon said of his brother ahead of the Alberta Cup. “He’s worked really hard all the way through. I know I was pretty excited when I went through this program, so seeing all the scouts here for him and kind of giving him some advice is pretty special too. He’s done a great job and I’m super proud of him.”

“He’s just a motivator to me and seeing him go through this stuff makes me want to work harder every day,” Kale said. "He’s a role model of mine just seeing how hard he works, and it makes me want to be at my best every day.”

With the boys so close in age, the two grew up competing with one another daily. That, of course translated to the ice, where Kadon plies his trade as a forward with his younger brother patrolling the blue line.

“Just working, trying to make each other better every day,” Kale said of the competitive dynamic between he and his older brother. “Competitiveness at workouts and stuff, just trying to see who can be the best and at the top every day.”

“We’re super competitive but we also love each other. Our mom gets on us for fighting once and a while, wrestling around,” Kadon said with a laugh. “I’m super lucky to have a brother. You don’t really think about it until you’re gone, but once I left for Medicine Hat, I missed him a lot. So, it’s good to see him have success.”

The 2024 Prospects Cup takes place this weekend (May 9-12) at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre in Red Deer. While Kadon had to miss his opportunity to play in the tournament due to COVID-19, Kale says he cherished his first introduction to Hockey Alberta in 2022.

“It was obviously a great opportunity for to as well as others to show yourself. It’s a great event that Hockey Alberta puts on and you just want to be at your best in a short-term competition,” McCann said. “Just seeing how many players we have in this province; you must be at your best every single game. It was a really cool opportunity off the ice as well meeting new people and becoming friends with guys I never would have met otherwise.”

GRANDE PRAIRIE – The round robin has wrapped up for the 2024 National Aboriginal Hockey Championship.

Team Alberta U18 Female had a strong round robin, going undefeated through four games, outscoring their opponents 14-3 in the process. Team Alberta opened the tournament on May 6 with a 2-1 win over Team British Columbia. The team followed up their opening victory with wins over Team Eastern Door & North, Team Manitoba and Team Atlantic.

Their strong play resulted in Team Alberta finishing second in the standings behind only Team Ontario and earning a berth in Friday’s semi-finals.

U18 FEMALE MEDAL ROUND SCHEDULE >

Team Alberta’s U18 Male team finished fifth in round robin with a 1-1-2 record. Team Alberta tied Team Saskatchewan on the first night of the tournament and followed that up with a 4-2 loss to Ontario, 6-4 win over Team Atlantic and a 1-0 loss to Team Manitoba.

Alberta is taking on a familiar foe in the quarterfinals, as they play Team Saskatchewan today at 12 noon at Design Works Centre in Grande Prairie.

STREAM >

RED DEER – Hockey Alberta has announced the 80 athletes invited to the 2024 Team Alberta Male Under-16 Summer Camp.

Eight goalies, 24 defence and 48 forwards born in 2009 who participated in a Hockey Canada sanctioned program this season, were invited to attend the camp scheduled for July 1-7 at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre in Red Deer. Athletes invited to the camp are vying for a spot on the roster that is competing in the 2024 WHL Cup.

U16 MALE SUMMER CAMP TOP 80 >

“We have evaluated many talented players throughout the duration of the season as well as the Alberta Cup,” said Mike Kraichy, Hockey Alberta’s Manager, High Performance. “This is the next step in the process towards the 2024 WHL Cup and we’ve selected players who we believe have what it takes to represent Alberta at an elite level.”

Selections were determined based on the Team Alberta scouting process throughout the 2023-24 season and the 2024 Alberta Cup. From summer camp, a short list is going to be set, and those players are going to be scouted with their club teams until the 20 player-roster is named.

RED DEER – Up and coming second year U13 Male athletes from across the province are taking to the ice May 9-12 for the Prospects Cup.

The tournament kicks off Thursday (May 9) with North Grey taking on Capital Royal at 11:30 am. It is the first of four games to mark the beginning of the tournament. The championship game is set to take place on Sunday (May 12) at 3:30 pm.

All Prospects Cup games are streamed live on FloHockey. Entry to games in person is free.

Throughout the weekend, eight teams are facing off in a modified round-robin tournament at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. Each team is comprised of two goaltenders, six defence and 12 forwards.

Players were selected at the conclusion of four Regional Camps last month in Calgary, Edmonton, Olds and Vegreville. Male born players born in 2011 who participated in a Hockey Alberta or Hockey Canada sanctioned program this season were eligible to try out. Two teams from each camp were selected to compete in the Prospects Cup.

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Over the course of three weeks, Hockey Alberta is welcoming hundreds of people from across the province to Red Deer for the Spring Showcase. The Alberta Cup launched the annual event, and the Alberta Challenge wrapped up the previous weekend. The Prospects Cup is the final event taking place.

Throughout the duration of the tournament a progressive 50/50 is taking place, with the draw planned for Sunday, May 12. Tickets can be purchased on-site or online.

PROSPECTS CUP WEBSITE >

Familiarity is a key theme when you look across Team Alberta’s Female roster at the 2024 National Aboriginal Hockey Championship this week (May 6-11) in Grande Prairie.

Of the 22 members named to Team Alberta’s roster, 10 of them were on the team last year that brought home the bronze medal. Two of the 10 returnees are Tayla Lamabe and Dejah Howes, who both play on the same club team in Edmonton with the U18 AAA Jr. Oilers White.

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The duo recently helped Edmonton to a bronze medal at the 2024 Esso Cup and are looking forward to getting back to playing together for Team Alberta.

“It’s great, Tayla is a teammate of mine in Edmonton and that team is so close and she’s probably one of the people on the team I’m closest to,” Howes said. “Especially playing with her last year, I think we have that chemistry and I think we can show people what good chemistry is within the team.”

“I met her at last year’s tournament,” Lamabe said. "She was there to support me and help me understand more about the tournament. Then being able to play with her this year, we got a lot closer. I look up to her like an older sister and I’m excited to share this experience with her again.”

The Aboriginal Sport Circle established the NAHC in 2002 to serve as the premiere competition for young Indigenous hockey players in Canada. The annual event attracts participation from First Nation, Inuit, and Metis across the 13 provinces and territories, and helps foster cultural unity and pride to celebrate the athletic abilities of Indigenous players.

Hockey Alberta, in partnership with the Indigenous Sport Council of Alberta, coordinates the selection process for the players and coaches representing the province at the championships. 

Lamabe, who has a Métis background, and Howes, who is Inuit, are both very proud of their heritage.

“I knew I was Indigenous. I’m Inuit, so I’ve learned a lot through my parents, and my mom was the one who introduced me to trying out for this tournament,” said Howes. “But going through this tournament has showed me ways I can connect and learn more about myself and my culture. I just think that’s so cool, and I think it connects everybody on the team a lot, just having that in common, especially if other people are also learning about those things, we can do it together.”

“Growing up in Peace River, I got a lot of opportunities and a lot of different ways to join in with Aboriginal activities,” Lamabe added. “Last year I had the chance to do ribbon skirt making and learning more about that. This tournament really gives Aboriginal athletes a chance to relate to that and I find that super cool and interesting.”

Games will be played at Design Works Centre, home of the AJHL’s Grande Prairie Storm. Alberta has never won a gold medal at this event, but they will get the chance to in front of the home crowd.

“Oh, it’d mean the world to me, honestly, especially with last year, and how close we came. I think winning bronze was a step in the right direction, but being able to bring home gold, it just kind of be the cherry on top,” Howes said. “Playing on the team last year, it’s kind of like, ‘okay, this is where we’re going to start and now, we got to go that step further.’ If I’m able to be a part of that group and be part of the team who finally does it, I think it would be amazing.”

All games are being streamed on YouTube.

STREAM >

The team’s full schedule can be found below:

Team Alberta Female NAHC schedule

May 6

Team Alberta vs Team British Columbia

W (2-1)

May 7

Team Alberta vs Eastern Door & North

11:00 A.M.

May 7

Team Alberta vs Team Manitoba

8:00 P.M.

May 8

Team Alberta vs Team Atlantic

11:15 A.M.

May 9

Female Qualifying Round

TBD

May 10

Female Relegation Games

TBD

May 10

Semi-Finals

TBD

May 11

Bronze Medal Game

1:00 P.M.

May 11

Gold Medal Game

7:00 P.M.

Thank you to all of our Sponsors of the NAHC Team Alberta teams:

Royal Camp Services

RED DEER – Three teams who participated in the 2024 Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships presented by ATB, were named winners of the Player Pledge initiative.

The U13 Tier 1 Medicine Hat Hounds, U15 Tier 3 High Prairie, and the U18 Female Tier 1 Fort McMurray Huskies were the three winners for this season and due to their commitment to the pledge, won $500 to go towards their year-end party.

Hockey Alberta asked teams competing in Provincials to commit to the Player Pledge by participating in a team building activity ahead of the tournament.

The team builder activity included watching a short video followed by the coach leading the conversation about respect, inclusion and what it means to be an ally. It concluded with the ask for players to take the Player Pledge, as well as a team commitment throughout the tournament. To acknowledge the Player Pledge and commitment, each team participating in Provincials were given a magnet to hang with the pledge and space to write their commitment for motivation throughout the tournament.

“We felt it was important to partake in the pledge because as individuals it’s important to respect others and where they come from,” said Lee Sprunger, head coach of the Medicine Hat Hounds. “As hockey players, we all have different upbringings and perspectives. But if we respect others, we can make a difference in all areas of life.”

“The U18 Huskies chose to do the pledge for a few reasons,” said Melissa Seymour, Team Manager of Fort McMurray. “They wanted to recognize the team’s journey this season; it took commitment to each other to help navigate the highs and lows of the season. It was an opportunity for them to recognize and support their differences on and off the ice. The pledge reminded them to be ready to compete hard, be positive, and the importance of respecting the sport and embracing the Provincials experience.”

Seymour went on to say that the Huskies were excited for the opportunity to showcase what taking part in the pledge meant to the players on the team.

“From the moment they loaded the bus the excitement was obvious. They knew this was the experience they had been working for,” she said. “Their hard work had paid off and they each had a role to play in that success. Representing Fort McMurray at Provincials offered a sense of belonging, to their home community and the female hockey community. The weekend was all about them, their hard work, their skills, their sportsmanship. It also demonstrated to our younger Huskies teams this experience is possible for them too.”

High Prairie Team Manager Teneaka Laboucan said it was important for their team to participate so they could show people the way hockey should be played.

“Play hockey for the way hockey is to be played. Respect the other team’s players, coaches, and parents by encouraging my teammates with positive attitudes and behaviours,” they said. “Respect the on-ice officials and the calls they make so long as they are respectful and providing fair treatment. Take action in preventing and intervening in any maltreatment even if it isn’t being to shown towards us.”

Sprunger said it’s important to start the conversation to ensure that people know hockey can be a safe and inclusive game.

“This goes back to why we chose to participate in the pledge in the first place,” he said. “If we approach any situation with respect, we can have a positive impact on not only our lives, but the people around us as well.”

Seymour said that starting the conversation needs to continue past Provincials and become something that’s happening on a regular basis.

“Starting the conversation on inclusive and respectful hockey is important not only at special events but year long,” Seymour said. “Sports are an excellent medium for teaching life skills such as teamwork, communication, and leadership. Understanding and valuing diversity can help develop more well-rounded individuals. Creating and supporting a safe hockey environment encourages ongoing participation and enjoyment of the sport.”

Calgary’s Jaxon Worm is ready to show why he was picked for Team Alberta at the 2024 National Aboriginal Hockey Championship (NAHC) taking place this week (May 6-11) in Grande Prairie.

“I was picked to play on this team for a reason and I wanted to play on this team,” Worm said. “I’ll be putting 100 per cent effort out there for these nine days of the tournament. My dad played in Native provincials back when he was about my age, and he played with Jordin Tootoo. I just wanted to follow in his footsteps.”

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Along with his dad, Worm has a lot of ties back to his Aboriginal heritage. His grandmother grew up in Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement and his grandfather grew up in Kawacatoose, a reserve in Saskatchewan.

“I’m very proud of my Indigenous background,” said Worm. “Just knowing this tournament connects me back to them in some way … I’m just excited to play and show them what I have.”

The Aboriginal Sport Circle established the NAHC in 2002 to serve as the premiere competition for young Indigenous hockey players in Canada. The annual event attracts participation from First Nation, Inuit and Metis across the 13 provinces and territories, and helps foster cultural unity and pride to celebrate the athletic abilities of Indigenous players.

Hockey Alberta, in partnership with the Indigenous Sport Council of Alberta, coordinates the selection process for the players and coaches representing the province at the championships. Team Alberta’s male tryouts were held in August and the team was announced in September.

With the tournament being so far out from when he was named to the team, Worm is excited to finally have the puck dropped and get the tournament underway.

Team Alberta plays Team Saskatchewan in their first contest today, and then follows with round-robin games against Team Ontario on May 7, and a pair of games on May 8 against Team Atlantic and Team Manitoba.

“I’ve been training a lot. Going to the gym and getting extra ice time in,” Worm said. “I’ve been preparing myself for this and I’m excited to meet these new people that will be my teammates. I saw some of the guys on our team during tryouts and I think a lot of us were really good skill wise. So, I’m just excited to see what we can do on the ice.”

This is also the first time Alberta is hosting the NAHC, which adds a little extra excitement to the team knowing they get to play in front of the hometown crowd at Design Works Centre in Grande Prairie.

“It’s great. Growing up in Alberta, it’s awesome to have the tournament here,” Worm said. "I have a lot of family coming to watch and they’re all really excited to watch me and the team play. We’ve never won gold at this event, but I think it’s very possible for us to do it. Winning it on home ice would just be an added bonus.”

All games are being streamed on YouTube.

STREAM >

The team’s full schedule can be found below:

Team Alberta Male NAHC Schedule

May 6

Team Alberta vs Team Saskatchewan

8:30 P.M.

May 7

Team Alberta vs Team Ontario

11:15 P.M.

May 8

Team Alberta vs Team Atlantic

11:00 A.M.

May 8

Team Alberta vs Team Manitoba

8:00 P.M.

May 9

Qualifying Round

TBD

May 10

Male Relegation Games

TBD

May 10

Semi-Finals

TBD

May 11

Bronze Medal Game

10:00 A.M.

May 11

Gold Medal Game

4:00 P.M.

Thank you to all of our Sponsors of the NAHC Team Alberta teams:

Royal Camp Services

RED DEER – North Blue are the 2024 Alberta Challenge Champions.

Team North Blue defeated South Black 6-2 in the final game to take home the trophy. Catch up on all the action from the final day below.

The 2024 Spring Showcase continues with the Prospects Cup (9-12).

Games are livestreamed on FloHockey.

Standings > | Stats > | Schedule > | Round Robin Recap >

Game #13 North Red 3 – North Yellow 0

North Red captured their first win of the Alberta Challenge by winning the fifth place game over North Yellow in a 3-0 victory. Lauren Darby (6 SV) and Mattia Naranjilla (15 SV) combined for 21 saves to blank North Yellow, while Addison Moore (2) and Mercedes Dunbar found the back of the net for North Red.

Players of the Game: North Red: #10 Mercedes Dunbar | North Yellow: #10 Ava Lazaroff

Boxscore >

Game #14 South White 5 – South Green 3

South White got payback for losing their round robin game to South Green, defeating them 5-3 to win third place in the Alberta Challenge. Lyla Montoya, Alexis De Haas, Avery Michaluk, Jasmine Lazzari and Macy Morrison scored for White, while Green’s goal were scored by Jocelyn Bodnar, Abigail Lee and Violet Crawford. South Green officially finished fourth in the tournament.

Players of the Game: South White: #4 Kamryn Kutzner | South Green: #8 Jocelyn Bodnar

Boxscore >

Game #15 North Blue 6 – South Black 2

Facing off for the first and only time this tournament, it was North Blue who emerged victorious, scoring six unanswered goals on South Black to win 6-2. The first half of the game saw South Black go up 2-0 on goals from Kat Choquette and Ainsley Kryway, but North Blue responded in the second period with three goals in under four minutes from Riley Cooper (2) and Tavia Koscielnuk. Mya Lafayette, Raevyn Neahr and Kinsley Peacock added goals in the third to contribute to the championship victory.

Players of the Game: North Blue: #2 Riley Bourque | South Black: #11 Ainsley Kryway

Boxscore >

RED DEER – The round robin phase has wrapped up for the 2024 Alberta Challenge.

All six teams play their final game tomorrow, with fifth place, third place and first place victories up for grabs.

North Yellow (5th) and North Red (6th) are playing for fifth place at 9:30 am.

South White (3rd) and South Green (4th) are playing for third place at 12:30 pm.

South Black (1st) and North Blue (2nd) are playing for the championship at 3:30 pm.

Check out the recap of all twelve games prior from this weekend.

All games are livestreamed on FloHockey.

The 2024 Spring Showcase continues with the Prospects Cup (May 9-12).

Standings > | Stats > | Schedule >

Game #1 South White 5 – South Black 3

Players of the Game: South White: #16 Lyla Montoya | South Black: #7 Aoife Scase

Boxscore >

Game #2 North Yellow 4 – North Red 4

Players of the Game: North Yellow: #15 Sienna Powell | North Red: #11 Clover Good-Rioch

Boxscore >

Game #3 North Blue 1 – South Green 0

Players of the Game: North Blue: #31 Sophie Quaschnick | South Green: #31 Breina Moore

Boxscore >

Game #4 South Black 6 – North Red 2

Players of the Game: South Black: #4 Ryann Jugnauth | North Red: #17 Madison Stark

Boxscore >

Game #5 South White 4 – North Yellow 1

Players of the Game: South White: #2 Emersyn Allen | Alberta Black: #8 Ryann Chimera

Boxscore >

Game #6 South Green 3 – North Red 1

Players of the Game: South Green: #19 Ella Simard | North Red: #31 Mattia Naranjilla

Boxscore >

Game #7 North Yellow 1 – North Blue 1

Players of the Game: North Yellow: #1 Harlee Houle | North Blue: #3 Makayla Cramer

Boxscore >

Game #8 South Black 6 – South Green 0

Players of the Game: South Black: #1 Abby Szilagyi | South Green: #14 Neve Jugnauth

Boxscore >

Game #9 North Blue 3 – South White 3

Players of the Game: North Blue: #17 Raevyn Neahr | South White: #1 Jenna Ring

Boxscore >

Game #10 South Black 5 – North Yellow 1

Players of the Game: South Black: #18 Avery Sam | North Yellow: #17 Talia Reinhart

Boxscore >

Game #11 South Green 3 – South White 1

Players of the Game: South Green: #10 Violet Crawford | South White: #14 Jasmine Lazzari

Boxscore >

Game #12 North Blue 3 – North Red 2

Players of the Game: North Blue: #12 Tavia Koscielnuk | North Red: #18 Peyton Stephenson

Boxscore >

RED DEER – With Mother’s Day around the corner, Chrissy and Kennedy McQuade are getting an early start on the celebration.

The mother-daughter duo is in Red Deer to volunteer for the 2024 Alberta Challenge and were in town last weekend as well to help with Alberta Cup. This week, Chrissy is the Director of Operations for North Blue, managing the group’s events throughout the weekend while Kennedy is one of the scorekeepers.

This is Kennedy’s second time volunteering for Challenge, while her mom is going through the process for the first time. The pair said it’s very meaningful to get the chance to do the event together.

“I love being around the rink and watching my girls play,” Chrissy said. “Now to be able to here with her, it’s very neat for me.”

“Yeah, she’s always been around the rink, so it’s cool to be able to do this together,” Kennedy added. “It’s a cool experience, a nice family bonding type of thing. It’s super cool.”

So where did the inspiration come from to volunteer their time during Spring Showcase?

“It was actually Kennedy’s idea. She said she wanted to give back because she’s gone through Challenge, the U16 and U18 camps and done all of that,” Chrissy said. “We live close to three hours away and she drove herself back and forth last year.”

This year, Mike McGinnis, Hockey Alberta’s Manager of Player Development, reached out and asked if Chrissy wanted to volunteer as well. Chrissy said it’s been a very gratifying experience to watch Kennedy grow into a young adult.

“I’m really proud of Kennedy. I watch her all the time so it’s really cool. It’s cool to watch her now giving back too,” she said. “I never played hockey so I’m living through my kids and it’s amazing to see how much she enjoys people and how much she’s come out of her shell. It’s really neat to see and I’m so proud of her.”

Kennedy started playing at a young age after the family moved from Ontario. She spent this past year with the U18 AAA St. Albert Bauer Slash, playing defence and chipping in with 10 points in 30 games. The next step she’d like to take would integrate her into the coaching world.

“This year when I went to the regional camps with my mom, it was awesome to see all of the stuff that takes place behind the scenes,” she said. “Just seeing what the coaches get to do and how they give back to the players is really inspiring. I decided I wanted to coach when I was older and thought that I might as well start right now.”

She said she couldn’t do it though, without the help of her mother.

“I’m super honoured,” Kennedy said. “Even if my siblings have a game, she’s there. She’s always supporting me to follow my dreams. I’ve had a few rough years with hockey in the past and she’s always been my rock. I love her so much.”

RED DEER - If you happen to see two different coloured jerseys with the name bar reading ‘Jugnauth’, your eyes are not deceiving you.

Twin sisters Ryann and Neve are squaring off at the 2024 Alberta Challenge tournament which began earlier today (May 2) when South White and South Black began the festivities. Ryann is suiting up for South Black with her sister Neve part of South Green.

The duo played this season together with Calgary Fire Black but are going to be on opposite sides trying to help their respective teams reach the championship game. Ryann is going through her second Alberta Challenge with Neve participating for the first time. While the competitive spirits are still there, Ryann is excited to experience the event with her sister.

“I’m over the moon,” Ryann said. “It’s so fun growing up with someone that’s been with you the whole time. Seeing her game evolve as well as mine … it’s just so fun to see the progress we’ve made. I’m so happy she has the chance to experience this, it’s an amazing opportunity.”

Ryann herself is looking forward to getting back to Red Deer for the second time.

“It’s such an honour to be invited to these types of events,” she said. “Whether it’s camps or tournaments, you see the girls you’re competing with over the years and how their game has evolved. It’s always a blast and I’m really looking forward to putting the Hockey Alberta logo on again.”

When the two found themselves, both making the roster to take part in this event, it became a talking point around the Jugnauth household.

“We’ve talked a little bit about it,” Neve said about participating in this event with her twin. “Just about what to expect from it all considering she’s gone through it already. It should be fun.”

“She’s asked me about the little things. What to pack, what’s everyone going to be doing when there aren’t games going on,” said Ryann. “I think she’s excited to take this on for herself. It would have been nice to be on the same team, but I think it’ll be good for her to branch out and have the chance to experience it the way she wants.”

The Jugnauth family is a big household. Ryann and Neve have three siblings, two older brothers and an older sister. Does that make the family dynamic at home a competitive one?”

“Definitely,” Ryann said with a laugh. “Growing up in a big family, you’re always comparing yourself to your siblings. It’s in good spirits but you want to be better than the next person. It just runs in our family I guess.”

That of course, leads to trash talk.

“Ryann likes to trash talk me a lot,” Neve said. “Sometimes I give it back, but it’s all in good fun. We’ll see what happens on the ice.”

The twins first meeting is taking place tomorrow (May 3) at 3:15. The entire Jugnauth clan will be in attendance for the game which includes parents, grandparents, and siblings. Will they have a split cheering section, one going for South Black and the other for South Green?

“I’m not sure,” Neve said. “It’s up to them.”

RED DEER – The best U16 female athletes from across the province are taking to the ice May 2-5 for the Alberta Challenge.

The tournament kicks off Thursday (May 2) with South White taking on South Black at 8:30 am. It is the first of five games to mark the beginning of the tournament. The championship game is set to take place on Sunday (May 5) at 3:30 pm.

All Alberta Challenge games are streamed live on FloHockey. Entry to games in person is free.

Throughout the weekend, six teams are facing off in a modified round-robin tournament at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. Each team is comprised of two goaltenders, six defence and 12 forwards.

Players were selected at the conclusion of three Regional Camps last month in Beaumont and Cochrane. Female born players born in 2009 and 2010 who participated in a Hockey Alberta or Hockey Canada sanctioned program this season were eligible to try out.

ROSTERS >

Over the course of three weeks, Hockey Alberta is welcoming hundreds of people from across the province to Red Deer for the Spring Showcase. The Alberta Cup launched the annual event, and the Prospects Cup (May 8-12) is soon to follow.

Throughout the duration of the tournament a progressive 50/50 is taking place, with the draw planned for Sunday, May 5. Tickets can be purchased on-site or online.

ALBERTA CHALLENGE WEBSITE >